Solar Arcadia deals solar iPhone cases

Until Apple pumps out the next-gen iPhone with integrated solar cells, we suppose Solar Arcadia's solar-powered cases are your next best option. Available in both SideFlip and Leather Flip models, the cases not only offer relatively stout protection for your handset, but they also include a solar panel in order to give your mobile a few more minutes of life while you're out and about in the sun. Each one is constructed from ABS sheepskin and is available in either red, white or black (Leather Flip is black only) motifs; not too shabby for $45.95 -- just don't expect this thing to dramatically increase your time of use.

[Via TUAW]

[V Langs @ Dec 20th 2008 2:12AM]

i like...

[V Langs @ Dec 20th 2008 2:13AM]

wow, 2:11am on a friday night... what am i doing? engadget! jesus my life sucks...

lol no it doesn't, but the weather sure does...ruined my plan to attend the party and head onto the nyc nightlife

[Highest Ranked @ Dec 20th 2008 2:29AM]

I feel your pain

[Konstantin @ Dec 20th 2008 2:47AM]

Nice case! I was totally missing it today as my iPhone died while I was waiting at LaGuardia for nine freaking hours...

Don't even talk to me about the weather :)

[Gad Get @ Dec 20th 2008 3:22AM]

If you tape this to the top of your head, you can maximize sun exposure while still having your iPhone handy... it's perfect!

[ShogunMaster @ Dec 20th 2008 2:15AM]

Pretty impressive. How'd they get around the fact that the sun doesn't shine in your pocket?

Someone's likely to cliff it if you left it out in the sun...

[Darryl @ Dec 21st 2008 12:26AM]

"But the solar phone isn't designed to be put up asses! In fact, the very absence of light..."

[tekdroid @ Dec 20th 2008 2:25AM]

ShogunMaster @ Dec 20th 2008 2:15AM
Pretty impressive. How'd they get around the fact that the sun doesn't shine in your pocket?
-----
Comes with S-Holer add-on.

[G1 now, tossed the iPhone 3g... @ Dec 20th 2008 2:46AM]

The design I'm looking for is a nice black wig, each individual hair being a micro solar panel...

Just hope no one cliffs it...

[Jason @ Dec 20th 2008 3:11AM]

@tekdroid - They could make it into a hat.

[Josh @ Dec 20th 2008 3:35PM]

Everyone knows that the sun shines out of Steve Jobs' ass.

[who? @ Dec 20th 2008 2:15AM]

This was posted on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (sister site of Engadget) eleven days ago! Isn't this, what's the word... overkill? Anything for a few more views, eh guys?

http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/08/solar-powered-iphone-case-for-hip-professionals-may-not-work-whe/

[page87 and counting @ Dec 20th 2008 2:44AM]

Not everyone reads every tech blog out there. Who cares if Engadget isn't first, if they didn't report on it, I'd probably not hear about it.

So thank you Engadget!

P.S. I just can't wait until they get a solar case for my brand new TI-84 Silver Edition.

[who? @ Dec 20th 2008 2:56AM]

Right, but TUAW isn't "every tech blog out there, the point was that it is Engadget's own 'sister site' (not quite sure of the exact affiliation) that posted it 11 days earlier. Double posting it at different times suggests that they are fishing for more views (and there's nothing wrong with that). I just thought it was a noteworthy fact, if you disagree then that's cool.

[Taylor @ Dec 20th 2008 3:05AM]

Their affiliation is that they are both part of the Weblogs, Inc. network, owned by AOL.

[who? @ Dec 20th 2008 3:18AM]

In any case, they should be leaving the little Apple things to them. That's why they're there, because of the large amount of Apple (products/accessories/events) news out there.

Also, it isn't fair to the people who come here to see the more important/interesting things (like the last three stories), nor is it fair to those visiting TUAW regularly for Apple product info. who now need to sift through the other unrelated Engadget news stories.

I swear, if I ever want to find out the Apple news for the day, I just come here now. I like to hear stories about this stuff, but, as with my DVDs and books, it is annoying when they are in the wrong place.

[dan @ Dec 20th 2008 4:31AM]

You don't /have/ to read every story, you know...

[nohone @ Dec 20th 2008 5:03AM]

Uh-oh, you criticized an Engadget post. Expect a laser shooting dinosaur to appear at your place of residence within the hour.

[who? @ Dec 20th 2008 10:57AM]

@dan

But I want to read this stuff, I find it very interesting. If your mail was put into the neighbor's mailbox, and you had to ask them for your mail every day, wouldn't that be a bit annoying and/or inconvienient? It sure as heck bugs me when it's in the wrong place. TUAW or heck, in this case even Engadget Mobile would be a better place for this post. They're just being greedy and trying to get more $$$ by putting it where more people will see it.

[Highest Ranked @ Dec 20th 2008 2:23AM]

this is cool. what about a pleather flip for the the vegans!

[tekdroid @ Dec 20th 2008 2:27AM]

canvas ftw.

[Jason @ Dec 20th 2008 2:55AM]

Plant killer scum!!!!

[who? @ Dec 20th 2008 2:58AM]

I think I would prefer hemp.

[thelolman @ Dec 20th 2008 2:38AM]

But....... why?

[Shugg @ Dec 20th 2008 2:40AM]

I can hear storm n g1 fanbois whining from here,,

[G1 now, tossed the iPhone 3g... @ Dec 20th 2008 3:13AM]

I thought I suffered in silence...

[Highest Ranked @ Dec 20th 2008 7:35AM]

and now you speak? Im sooo confused!

[Malik @ Dec 20th 2008 2:55AM]

good one

[Konstantin @ Dec 20th 2008 2:59AM]

Why did they put the solar panel on the outside so that the cover would block it? Wouldn't it make more sense to have it on the back of the phone so it charges as you talk?

[Camilo @ Dec 20th 2008 3:15PM]

Look at the pictures, it's supposed to go not in any pocket but attached to your belt (like a Batman gadget), so the front is the only logical place for the solar panel.

[Decoy @ Dec 20th 2008 4:32AM]

The more you show me these things the more doubts I have about battery life in this product.

[kamakaze @ Dec 20th 2008 6:10AM]

how does a flip-open case make any sense for a phone?
you either have to pull the phone out every time you want to make/receive a call OR
leave the phone in the case and have a big flap o' pleather or whatever it's made out of flapping next to your face.
i really don't get it.

[Chase @ Dec 20th 2008 8:19AM]

Possibly jailbroken, look at the calculator icon. It sure doesn't look like that on 2.x firmware. However, who would jailbreak just to change the calculator icon? Meeze confuzed!

[dale1v @ Dec 20th 2008 1:28PM]

It's just probably just a pre-render, seeing as all of those icons look dodgy and there is a oh-so-perfect reflection off the glass and homebutton. Not a big deal to be honest

[jperry @ Dec 20th 2008 9:40AM]

Well, this sounds like a good idea and all, but really, who skips around town with their iphone in hand waving it the sun?

I mean, I guess that you could hold it out for a few minutes if you have a dead battery and REALLY need to make a short phone call, but I honestly don't see how practical this could be when you could just buy a battery pack that doesn't require sunlight...since most people keep there phones in a dark place anyway...

[Chris @ Dec 20th 2008 10:42AM]

There's no way I'm the only one to say something about the bad photoshop for the iphone in the case, they have the calculator from v1.0 and the appstore. The way I see it is if they can't put a real picture in the case for me to see I'm not buying it

[Jash Sayani @ Dec 20th 2008 12:15PM]

The Calculator icon and the AppStore icon don't match !!

[nsilvio @ Dec 20th 2008 4:16PM]

Is a very cool idea to charge our gadgets from a clean source but this product doesn't work.
I got one of those from solararcadia.com and is totally dead after the first charge. I’m trying to contact them for refund but no success.
If you google it you will find other comments about the same issue.
http://ourmaninside.com/2008/10/07/iphone-solar-charger-case/
Don’t waste your money!

[Derek H @ Dec 20th 2008 4:46PM]

I bought one of these based on the previous posts in other blogs, and despite what it says on the web site, it does not fit the 3G iPhone (I'm assuming it works for 1st gen). I'm going to take a Dremel to the base of it so I can insert the charger all the way in to the phone, but it has definitely left a bad taste in my mouth.

[majortom @ Dec 20th 2008 11:12PM]

I didn't know that sheep were made out of ABS......hmmm

[Félix @ Dec 21st 2008 9:47AM]

Great feature ....
I was wondering how would I make the iPod/iPhone even worse than it is right now !
Hey I know I'm gonna ruin the only good thing about it : form factor !
Now I have a Fat iPod ! it rotally rocks

Seriously if someone comes once more claiming that this or that PMP/ phone is Fat because it's 2 mm thicker than the iPhone (while having twice the battery life for example) I'll have somehing to answer (better than do you mind 2mm ?oO) and that feels good xD