I have become a huge fan of wireless charging for phones. Being able to toss your phone on a small pad and let it charge is awesome. The only charging case I have used involved battery cases. Dog & Bone has allowed me to test both their wireless charging case with pad ($139.95) and extended battery ($49.95). Read on for the review.The Dog and Bone Backbone wireless charging case + pad is an all in one drop and charge system. The case is handsomely designed, shock-proof, and meets military specs being able to survive drops up to 4 feet. The optional battery 900 mAh and is designed to slide in and out of the Backbone case when extra power is needed. We will take a quick look at both products.
The Backbone case is designed for style. The Trilobe Red case is light and my iPhone 5 fits perfectly when installed. All of the buttons and rockers are accessible and work perfectly. The case is rigid, but the honeycomb design on the back and colored band give your fingers a tactile feel. I love how light the case is and the slim design feels great in the hand. The package contains the case, microUSB, charging pad and audio extender cable to ensure any headphones will connect. The removable back panel of the case is designed to exchange with the optional extended battery. The phone can also be charged via microUSB which will connect where the usual Apple charger connects.
The charging pad is almost identical in size to the iPhone 5 with the Backbone case installed. It is powered via the microUSB cord and is super light making it mobile. A small ridge on the face of the pad is designed to meet up with a similar groove on the back of the case. This will help line up the case and pad and instantly begin charging. It is really easy to use and convenient to simply drop your phone and let it charge. I found the charging time to be on par with the usual cord plugging method.
For on the go power, the optional Backbone battery is specifically designed to install via the wireless charging case. The 900 mAh battery is easily installed by simply slipping the Backbone insert from the case and sliding in the battery. Charging begins immediately when the battery is installed. The battery does not charge wirelessly, but does charge via the supplied microUSB cord. The battery will not give a full second charge for the phone, but will help get you though the day until you can get to some power. There is minimal weight added from the battery and the case can stay in place as is only adding a small bump in the back. There was no discomfort or loss of convenience with the battery installed but make sure you do not lose the case insert when using it.
I really like the look, feel and size of the Dog & Bone Backbone wireless charging case. The ability to wirelessly charge while using the case makes it an awesome product. It is just too easy to have the pad next to my bed and toss it on there to charge overnight. If you purchase the case, I highly recommend checking out the Backbone Battery. Having an external battery that simply slides in and out of the existing case is super convenient. You can find more information from the Dog & Bone website including color options and phone availability.
Source: Manufacturer supplied sample
MSRP: Case-($139.95) Battery-($49.95)
What I like: Slender attractive case with wireless charging. I love being able to slide an external battery off and on easily.
What can be improved: I would love to have a larger battery.