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Did you ever think that charging your iPhone or iPod could be fun? If it’s up to Peter Thuvander, charging those devices might soon indeed become fun. Peter has posted some pictures and conceptual diagrams of the iYo on his website. The iYo is an induction powered yo-yo that stores the energy created by yo-yoing. The energy is stored on a Lithium Ion cell. Once you have enough energy stored, you plug your iPhone or iPod connector into the device and it charges it.

Though the device doesn’t seem to be in production, the concept itself is pretty amazing. Head on over to Peter’s website and watch a short video and read a little more about the device. In places where electricity is scarce, this could be a lifesaver for those who just can’t put down their iPhone.

[Via TreeHugger]

Popularity: 6% [?]

If you’re in the market for a case for your 1st generation iPhone, case-mate is having a big sale on two of their cases. The Leather Flip Case and Signature Leather Case are both on sale for $6. The regular price of these cases are $35, so this is a very good deal. No word on how long the prices will last. You can get more information about the two cases on sale and other 1st generation iPhone cases here.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Some people belittled the first iPhone because it didn’t have a 3G chipset. Now that the iPhone is shipping with 3G, people are complaining about the poor battery life. Battery life was one of the reasons Steve Jobs cited why the first iPhone wasn’t 3G capable.

Your at the office waiting for a call from your hot date and you notice your iPhone is low on power. As it happens, you also left your USB cable at home. What are you going to do?

The Richard Solo Battery Backup to the rescue. Simply attach the device to your iPhone or iPod and it will charge your battery. TUAW has a great review of the product. I’ve seen the ad for the Richard Solo in a few Macworld issues and have thought about buying one. The TUAW review is very favorable and certainly has driven me closer to purchasing one. If you’re thinking about getting a battery backup for your iPhone or iPod, you should consider the Richard Solo Battery Backup.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Christmas is just around the corner and if you’ve been good, you just might get an iPhone in your stocking. With that in mind, I thought it would be good to talk about protecting your new gadget. I’ve tried a few different cases and so far the one I like best is the Incase Leather Folio.

The Leather Folio is best described as a wallet for your iPhone. You pull the flap up and just slide the iPhone right in. To remove the iPhone, just pull the flap up and push through the hole in the bottom of the case with your finger. The flap remains closed with two pieces of velcro on the end of the flaps. Attach the Folio to your belt via the attached belt
clip and you’re ready to go.

The top and bottom of the iPhone is exposed while inside the Folio to give you access to your headphone jack and allow for the speakers to remain uncovered. The Folio belt clip is very stiff, so it’s likely to never come off your belt. At times it’s hard to get the Folio on my belt because of the clip stiffness.

The Folio comes in two colors and materials, black leather/nylon and a tan leather/canvas. The design is fairly minimal, but both are very stylish. The inside of the case is lined with a custom suede interior which is soft against your iPhone screen.

If you’re in the market for a case for your new iPhone, I suggest checking this one out. The Leather Folio will run about $40 and is available from the Apple Store and the Incase website.

Popularity: 32% [?]