One of the things I truly loved about the Samsung Galaxy S5 during the short time I had with it was the ability to charge it wirelessly using a Qi charging pad. While most Android phones now offer this functionality the iPhone simply does not. Thanks to a little help from the brand new, award winning, Dog & Bone Backbone case you can not only enjoy the ease of use that wireless Qi charging offers but also take advantage of a backup battery system to recharge your phone while on the go as well. The new Backbone case comes in five different colors and is military tested to withstand drops from up to four feet. Want to see more of the Dog & Bone Backbone iPhone 5/5s Wireless Charging Case and Battery? Check out my full review below.
Read on through for my full review and be sure to catch the video at the end of the review for a more up close and personal look at the Dog & Bone Backbone iPhone 5/5s Wireless Charging Case and Battery,
Inside the packaging you’ll find the case along with Qi charging pad, micro USB cable, front clear screen protector, headphone adapter, the Backbone and a quick start guide.
Here’s what Dog & Bone has to say about the Backbone iPhone 5/5s Wireless Charging Case and Battery.
“The award-winning Backbone iPhone 5s/5 wireless charging case and pad is the most advanced wireless charging technology for your mobile phone.
‘Drop n charge’ – no ‘plugging in’, no fussing! Simply place on the Qi standard Backbone pad for fast wireless charging – faster than a standard cable charge! Or charge at a ‘Qi hot spot’.
The first shock proof wireless charging case military tested (MIL STD 810F) withstanding drops to 4 feet (1.2M).
Made for iPhone certified, and sleekly durable with stylish patterns and colours.For added power, swap in a Backbone battery, sold separately.”
The Dog & Bone Backbone iPhone 5/5s Wireless Charging Case and Battery comes in your choice of five different colors. You can select from Tread Orange, Tread Pink or Tread Blue, or Trilobe Blue or Trilobe Red.
The Backbone case comes in two pieces. The case itself and the Backbone insert. Out the box the Backbone insert, which comes with the case, works along with the Qi wireless charging pad. I’ll take a look at the optional add-on extern, battery pack later in this review. The first thing you’ll notice about the Backbone case when you pick it up is how durable it feels. The case itself has been military tested to MIL STD 810F, which means it can survive drops from up to 4 feet. The rubberized material surrounding the sturdy case feels like a bouncy super-ball so you know right away it’ll do its job of absorbing shock and impact should you somehow manage to drop your phone. The textured back of the case insures you have an extra grip on your phone further minimizing the chances of you losing hold of it.
To place your phone into the case you do so without the Backbone on. Simply start by sliding the bottom portion of your iPhone into the case and then pop the top portion into the case. It’s a nice tight fit, which is good. This way your iPhone won’t come out of the case by mistake. Once your phone is properly seated inside the case you can proceed to slide the Backbone into place. It’ll lock satisfyingly into the case making for what feels like a one piece design.
Once installed inside the case you’ll find you have full access to most of your iPhone’s ports and controls. Both the sleep/wake button as well as the volume buttons on your phone get covered and replaced by buttons built into the case. These give a good amount of tactile feedback when pressed. On the back of the case a small, pilled shaped cutout allows for access to the rear facing camera, secondary microphone and LED flash. Since you’ll be using the included Qi charger to charge up your phone you will not longer have access to the phone’s Lightning port. A micro USB port allows you to charge and sync your phone via a micro USB cable when you’re not near the charging pad. The headphone port on the case is heavily recessed and you’ll most certainly have to rely on the included adapter when it comes time to plug in a pair of earbuds. Finally, getting to the mute switch on the side of the phone is a snap thanks to a perfectly sized and perfectly aligned cutout.
To use the Qi wireless charging pad with the Backbone case you’ll need to plug in the base. Out of the box the Backbone comes with a micro USB cable which means you’ll need to plug it into an available USB port on your computer. You can also choose to team up the included cable with a USB compatible wall adapter. Or do what I did, which is not use the included cable at all but instead use the base along a straight micro USB wall charger.
Once you’ve got the Qi pad in place you simply place the case, with the phone inside, on top of it and charging immediately begins. Since the base is perfectly sized to accommodate the phone there’s no fussing around to find the proper place to put the phone. I had this issue with many of the Qi pads I tried with the Galaxy S5. The Dog & Bone Backbone simply works every time and it takes the guessing of do I have the phone in the proper position out of the equation.
If you find yourself constantly running low on battery on your iPhone 5/5s you can add on the Backbone Battery as well. This 900 mAh battery replaces the Qi Backbone module which comes with your Backbone case. This is but the first in modular add-ons that Dog & Bone has planned for the Backbone case and it really shows the potential a modular case can offer.
Inside the packaging of the battery add-on you’ll find the battery itself along with a micro USB cable, and quick start guide.
Before using the battery pack you’ll first need to charge it up.  You do so by using the included micro USB cable.  You can also choose to connect the included cable to a USB compatible wall adapter or just use a straight micro USB wall charger if you’ve got one.  While charging a blue LED indicator lets you know that the battery is being charged up.  Once it’s fully charged the LED indicator goes off.
To use the battery pack you simply slide out the Qi insert and replace it with the battery. There’s not much to it and removing the Qi plate and replacing it with the battery takes only a few seconds. In order to use the Qi charging system again you will need to remove the battery plate and replace it with the inlaced Qi plate.
There isn’t an off/on switch on the battery insert so once you insert it into the case and it makes contact with the bottom of your phone it’ll begin charging it. With 900 mAh of charging power the battery pack has enough juice to charge up your phone’s battery to about 60%. For most users this is likely enough to get them through a single day. Combined with the battery inside your phone that means you’ll have 160% power for a single given day.
The Dog & Bone Backbone case for the iPhone 5 and 5s is the first of its kind. This isn’t your ordinary iPhone case. For starters the Backbone case is protective. I mean really protected, military tested to standard MIL STD 810F, and able to take on drops of up to 4 feet. Then you add in the modular functionality that the case offers. Out of the box you’ve immediately go the ability to charge your phone without having to fuss with messy cables and cords. Then you have the optional battery add-on for even more functionality too. What you’re left with is a single iPhone case jammed packed with tons of useful features that you’re sure to enjoy. If you’re an iPhone 5/5s user be sure to check out the Dog & Bone Backbone iPhone 5/5s Wireless Charging Case and Battery today!
You can learn more about the Dog & Bone Backbone iPhone 5/5s Wireless Charging Case and Battery by visiting this page on the company’s web site.
MSRP: Â $139.95 for case. Â $49.95 for battery.
PROS: Â Wireless charging. Â Modular add-ons available. Â Durable and Protective.
CONS:  Doesn’t come with wall adapter.  Only offered in black.  Battery is always on.  Battery won’t charge to 100%.
Original Author: Larry Greenberg
