Photo: Patrick Lucas Austin (Gizmodo)
Nearly every pair of pocket-friendly Bluetooth headphones suffers from the same problem: your pockets. Those storage compartments aren’t exactly clean, and don’t do shit for you when it comes to keeping your alive. For those tired of dealing with dead headphones, extraneous earwax, and storing your keys in unsecured lockers while you’re at the gym, the iFrogz Cocoon solves (most) of your problems.
We are currently chasing down an official local supplier for you – we’ll update should we find one – Rae
iFrogz Cocoon Wireless Earbud Charging Case
What is it?
A charging case and storage compartment for your wireless earbuds.
Price
$US30 ($39)
Like
Small, cute, and carries just enough juice to keep the music going.
No Like
Closure mechanism is inconvenient. Wish it used USB-C to charge itself.
At first glance, the iFrogz Cocoon might evoke the image of an over-sized makeup compact, perfect for bulk foundation application. It is in fact a charging case for those “wired” wireless earbuds you’ve probably seen on a few joggers, and doubles as storage for the stuff you hate keeping in your pocket. It’s mostly grey and blue, wrapped in a fabric that makes it look less like your standard plastic gadget. On its front is a silicone strap along with a hook designed to hold the case shut.
Inside is both a storage cavity for your headphones and other tiny bits of detritus (a few keys, some change, decorative pins, etc), along with a USB-A port used to charge your earbuds, or whatever you connect it to. The Cocoon includes a 10cm USB-A to Micro-USB cable, since longer ones just leave you with more wire to arrange into the case, along with your headphones. On the underside of its lid is a rubber net, perfect for storing that short cable when not in use. On its rear, below the hinge, is a Micro-USB port for charging, and on its bottom is a four-LED charge indicator for its 580 mAh battery.
Having used it for a few days, keeping it in my bag to charge my JayBird BlueBuds X headphones, I have to say there are some benefits to bundling storage and power. The Cocoon claims it can recharge a pair of wireless earbuds up to five times, and I believe it. It revived my headphones three times over, though probably due to the JayBird’s slightly larger battery (the Cocoon was tested using 65 mAh earbuds).
Photo: Patrick Lucas Austin (Gizmodo)
Gym fans will love keeping the Cocoon in their bags, where they can also store their keys or jewellery while they offer their corporeal forms up to the iron church. It also does a decent job in fuelling my iPhone when I’m running dangerously low on juice on the way home from work. The few percentage points of power are just enough to keep the annoyance of a music-free walk home out of my mind.
The iFrogz Cocoon is convenient, but I’d worry less about its contents if it were easier to secure. When I pull on its rubber band, meant to hold the lid down when pulled over the hook on its base, I’m worried I might pull it out, snap the tab, or otherwise damage the only method I have of keeping it shut in my bag. Isn’t this what magnets are for? Where are the magnets? Let’s get some magnets up in the mix, alright?
$US30 ($39) is about the same price for a pretty good battery pack, one that will charge not only your Bluetooth headphones dozens of times over, but nearly every mobile device you’ve got in your pocket, purse, or backpack. If you’d rather have a full iPhone battery along with some juiced headphones, get one of those. But if you only require power in a pinch, and hate stuffing your headphones in your pocket, desk drawer, or dirty backpack, the Cocoon is intriguing enough to be worth a look. Now that I think about it, it probably makes a pretty decent graduation present, what with the kids and their wireless headphones.