If you're as tethered to your iPhone as we are, giving it a solid charge while not in use is important. But even the most functional products in the home should feature great design. Here, 10 alternatives to a traditional Apple docking station. (Bonus: all would look great enhanced with a friendship cord!)
1. Book Charger ($52-$54) If you didn't catch this awesome item as one of the 11 Book-Inspired Home Decor Ideas, take a look now. Each charger is made from a used book, perfect for a bedside table. The cord is hidden within the book's pages, giving it a clean silhouette. And there's a book for any personality, from the recently-released Steve Jobs biography to the whimsical and girly Alice in Wonderland, pictured above.
2. XDModo Solar Window Charger ($65) Some solar chargers are clunky, but not this one. Its sleek design mounts directly to the window for maximum sun exposure.
3. Ozaki iSuppli Gramo iPhone Charger ($70) This is part-charger, part speaker, and all awesome. Your phone charges while placed on the dock, and the gramaphone-style speaker amplifies sound naturally — no power required. It comes in three colors: white, red, and black.
4. Areaware Alarm Dock ($40) We loved it before and still can't get enough. Sleek, simple, wooden and pretty, this dock is made to mimic a traditional flip-style alarm clock. It's made to cradle, display, and charge your phone. Download a flip clock app for maximum vintage style.
5. Wine Barrel iPhone Dock ($65) This dock is made from a used wine barrel — close to our hearts! Small stainless steel feet allow for cord space under the dock.
6. MP3 Alarm Clock Docking Station ($60) Retro design meets modern technology with this dock, shaped as an old-school alarm clock. The dock is also a working alarm clock (nine-minute snooze option included!), and contains speakers to wake you to your favorite tunes.
7. Repurposed Reclaimed Granite Dock ($39) Made from reclaimed granite rock, these docks are all different and avialable with rough edges or super-smooth, depending on your asthetic. Super-classy, nice and heavy, this dock — quite literally — rocks.
8. Day Maker Dock and Charger Sadly, this dock is still just in concept stage, but it's too great to skip. The Day Maker mimics a traditional toaster and combines alarm functionality with a phone charger. To charge your phone at night, push it down like you would a piece of bread into a toaster. Set a wake-up time, and your phone pops up to wake you. To use the snooze function, just push it back down. Fun!
9. Big Spiked Green Dino Dock ($47) This one-of-a-kind Etsy find injects just enough whimsy and humor to your space. Made from a solid wood base and a model dinosaur, the dock includes base and cord.
10. Elevation Dock You may have heard of this little Kickstarter project that raised over $1 million in record time. The dock itself is stunning, construted from aluminum, and solves a lot of the problems of the traditional dock. Your phone easliy releases when you pull it up, and even easily accommodates a phone still in its case. And, once produced, it'll come in a variety of colors and finishes. Can't wait until this one hits the market.
How do you charge your iPhone? Share your creative ideas below.
