NovoThink Solar Surge charger for iPhones and iPods

We got used to see solar chargers appearing all around especially before summer. We’ve seen and reviewed a good slag of them. Mostly, solar chargers require a bit of compromise in day-to-day usage – freedom they offer can be bogged down by taking care of them like leaving the thing in the sun and carrying extra weight. Anyway, here is a one more solar power gadget, the one for iPhone and iPod this time.

NovoThink, the company which designed and is selling Solar Surge solar charger for iPhone/iPod has done an amazing thing. First, NovoThink has approved their solar cell case at Apple, which means it will actually work. Second, it’s specs are really impressive. Solar panel distributes 5.5V at 100 mAh if there is no clouds whatsoever, then, after two hours you will have 30 minutes talk time on 3G and double that on 2G. Solar Surge inbuilt battery is 20% bigger than the iPhone’s and can be charged via USB 2.0 while synchronizing data. Approximate dimensions are: 4.9" x 2.7" x 0.9", weight is 7 oz. In addition you can choose from a vast variety of colors. The only problem about the Surge I can imagine is that high temperatures may cause problems for lithium ion batteries which is kind of worrying if it’s meant to stay in the sun.

Handmade wooden Apple iPod mini case and dock.

You have probably recognized the shape of stale iPod mini. Under the wooden covering there actually is a working player. To be honest when I saw it, it started to annoy me. At first I though someone decided it was a good idea make these things out of rubber sheet and dare to sell for double the price though it is not particularly a looker, tough or interesting in anyway. But then it totally made me change my mind.

There is one thing about the wooden iPod mini that cancelled my bad opinion about it. It appeared to be an absolutely non commercial project of a man from Australia. And for me that's makes a difference because the man behind it was after no other reason but expressing himself. Josh, iLounge reader, took his own iPod mini and let ingenuity do its job. In the issue he had a red cedar case, click wheel out of camphor laurel – all assembled with true screws and double-side adhesive (for the click wheel mostly). Josh hasn't stopped here. He also redecorated his iTrip and iPod dock in the same way with the adjustment for wider iPod dimensions. Well done, mate!