iRetroPhone Smartphone Dock

iRetroPhone is a versatile docking station and handset that measures 140 x 141 x 70mm and weights 363g. As we can see from the images, the docking station is inspired by a retro telephone, and comes with a tray to dock your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad or other smartphones, while the retro handset allows you to answer your calls in a vintage way, and the free app on App Store gives you a retro dial interface on your iPhone or iPod touch. Moreover, the innovative auto-select function can automatically select between sync and charge mode without any user intervention. Apart from that, the docking station is compatible with over 1500 devices.

iRetroPhone allows you to add a little old school retro feel to your modern state-of-the-art smartphone. Enabling you to sync and make calls when its docked within the iRetroPhone using a 70′s handset to speak into. iRetroPhone is compatible with 1500 devices, says its creatures and the device is capable of charging 3 devices simultaneously.

Using a Auto-Select function enabling the iRetroPhone to automatically choose between Sync & Charge mode without any user intervention.If you own an iPhone the iRetroPhone can be combined with a free iRetroPhone rotary dialler app. Which is also compatible with Apple’s iPad and iPod Touch devices. iRetroPhone is now available to purchase for around $99 and is available in black, white and purple, and compatible with Apple, Android, Blackberry Phones.

iRetroPhone - Retro Phone, Rotary Dial, iPhone Application - [RetroPhone App]:

In App Adverts Found To Drain Smartphone Battery Life

According to a recent report by Abhinav Pathak, a computer scientist at the Purdue University in Indiana, one of the cause of battery drain on smartphones may be down to free applications that have adverts. The team at the university have been testing out free applications that come with adverts and have discovered that around 10 to 30 percent of the energy used by the application was spent powering the applications core functions.

The remaining amount of power spent was actually used to deliver adverts to the application, and a number of different applications were tested on Google’s Android platform. The researchers determined that in some applications up to 75 percent of the actual powered used by the application was used for serving adverts and tracking and uploading user data.

Droid Phone Battery Saving Tips - 8 tricks to reduce battery drain:

iSlic Smartphone Mounting System

If you are looking for a universal mount to help you attach your smartphone to any number of places. The new iSlic mount which is currently on Kickstarter might well be worth a look. iSlic has been designed to accommodate any smartphone and hold it firmly in place on your bike handlebars, gym equipment or in your car to name a few places. Watch the video after the jump to see it in action.

iSlic has been designed by Moreno’s Team and has been created to provide a handy adjustable smartphone holder for the iPhone, Android and Windows devices. iSlic developers explains a little more about their creation:

The iSLIC naturally attaches to most surfaces such as exercise bikes, car dashboards, and shopping carts (just to name a few). Use it to check items off your grocery list as you shop, follow GPS directions as you drive, and scroll through your music list while you exercise. Watching a movie on your iPhone? Use the iSlic to prop your phone on your desk, sit back and enjoy. If you think you might be able to use the iSlic visit the Kickstarter website now to make a pledge and help iSlic smartphone mount make the jump from concept to production.

The BPS look at how smartphones could be a major cause of stress in your life

Following a recent survey commissioned by the British Psychological Society, it seems that smartphone use can directly influence your stress levels.

100 Britons from different occupations underwent a psychometric stress test and were quizzed on the interactions they had with their smartphones throughout the day. The results eluded to the fact that stress levels become elevated based on the number of times a person checked for emails and texts.

The study talks of a smartphone’s “helpful-stressful cycle”; which refers to the purchase of a phone to help manage workload only to then later end up resenting the device due to its frequent notifications and by association, its role in keeping the user permanently connected to the networks of communication they are associated with.

Like me, chances are many of you are self-confessed phone addicts (it’s probably what brought you to this blog), checking it first thing in the morning to ‘see what you’ve missed’ or repeatedly glancing at it throughout the day. Smartphones have the ability to alter your natural behavior and even condition compulsive tendencies.

Interestingly enough stress levels dropped slightly during elevated periods whilst checking work email, more so than committing other actions. BPS Psychologist, Richard Balding from the University of Worcester had this to say about his findings:

“Organizations will not flourish if their employees are stressed, irrespective of the source of stress, so it is in their interest to encourage their employees to switch their phones off; cut the number of work emails sent out of hours, reduce people’s temptation to check their devices.”

So perhaps, next time you’re at work and feeling a little on edge, switch your smartphone off, leave it at your desk and go for a brief walk; just disconnect, it might make a world of difference.

It would be interesting to see this study on a larger sample size of course, but chances are you can already relate to elements of this test in your own lifestyle, I know I can. Check the source link out for a little more detail on the study.

Do you think you’ve become a slave to your phone? Share your thoughts down below.