TECH SPOTLIGHT

Case keeps iPhone safe, charged in Great Outdoors

Special to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - 02/14/2014 - The Snow Lizard SLXtreme 5 case for iPhone 5 or 5s is drop-proof, dust-proof and waterproof. It also includes a bonus — a built-in battery with a solar panel backup.
Special to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - 02/14/2014 - The Snow Lizard SLXtreme 5 case for iPhone 5 or 5s is drop-proof, dust-proof and waterproof. It also includes a bonus — a built-in battery with a solar panel backup.

Sssshhhh. Don’t tell Old Man Winter that someone accidentally hit the Spring button this week. So before he realizes the error and sneaks back in, let’s enjoy a week of warmth and spending time outdoors.

I’m headed out this week well prepared. Thanks to the outdoor guides and GPS apps on my phone, I can navigate to just about any forest trail in Arkansas. The trick, of course, is keeping the phone charged once there so that getting back out is as easy as getting in.

The product I have this week is designed for the rough outdoors. It’s an iPhone case made for nearly any situation, especially those that may pop up on nature trails.

The case is from a company called Snow Lizard. How’s that for a brand name? (Although, I could do without hearing the word “snow” for a while.) The case is the SLXtreme 5 for iPhone 5 and 5s.

If you’re looking for a slim, fashionable case, this isn’t it. This one is designed for the outdoors, from the bright colors that help find a dropped phone to the solar cells that provide backup power. Yes, you read right - this case is solar powered.

The case I tested was hunter-vest orange, but it also comes in bright yellow, white or black. It’s dustproof, drop-proof and waterproof. Yes, that’s a lot of proof.

Unlike many cases I’ve tested, it’s easy to put a phone inside the SLXtreme. A double latch on the side opens the top of the case, and the phone slides inside easily. Once it’s latched back, it’s ready to use on the trails or even in water.

The case is waterproof to 2 meters, or about 6.6 feet. Naturally, this called for the paper-towel test. I immersed the case in blue-tinted water for half an hour to see if it would leak. The first time, I accidentally left the headphone port plug turned to the open position and water leaked into the bottom panel of the case that covers the charging port. But, thanks to an extra plug that fits in that port when the panel is closed, the water didn’t touch the charging port. Once I realized the error and fixed it, the case was watertight. It worked perfectly.

Of course, this case doesn’t just protect; it charges as well. It includes a backup battery built into the base that provides a full charge and about half of another for the iPhone.

A power button on the back turns the battery on to charge, so you don’t use it until it’s needed. Blue LED lights indicate how much charge is left in the battery. An included cable allows the battery to be charged through a USB adapter or computer port. If the phone is in the case, it will charge the phone first, then the case battery.

As for the solar power, it takes a very, very long time to charge.

An hour in the sun provides only about 10 minutes of talk time. It’s designed to be an emergency backup to the emergency backup - providing just enough juice to make a call in case you’re lost or to get the phone’s GPS working enough so the signal can be pinged. While I did some testing on the solar power, I’ll be honest, I didn’t get a chance to test it more than a couple of times. At the time I was testing this, the sun was only out a couple of times, but I did deduce that it takes a long time to charge the case’s battery from solar power.

The case does have a few minor issues. While the main part of a phone’s screen works fine in the case, the corners lose some sensitivity. Users sometimes have to press a bit harder to get the phone’s screen to respond. That was slightly annoying at times, but not a huge deal.

The other issue was with the switch at the bottom that seals the micro-USB port and the bottom panel.

The silver metal switch is fairly small and hard to move. It hurt my fingers to try to turn it, but it has to be turned all the way to seal the case properly. It works, it’s just very tight. It may take a try or two to get it into the correct position.

As I said, these issues are minor. Overall, the case works as advertised, and it’s perfect for heavy outdoor use. It provides great protection, and the backup battery and emergency solar power are great additions. The case even comes with a lanyard and carabiner to make it easier to carry while hiking, biking or even swimming.

The SLXtreme is more than ready for some rugged time in the outdoors. Frankly, so am I. My hope is that I can get some quality outdoor time in before Old Man Winter gets back.

Melissa L. Jones can be reached via email at [email protected].

Where it’s @

The SLXtreme 5 from Snow Lizard requires an iPhone 5 or 5s. The product retails for $149.99. More information is available at snowlizard.com.

Business, Pages 19 on 02/17/2014

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