Alternative case for MintyBoost
The MintyBoost from Adafruit Industries, is a nice little electronics kit, perfect for the active smartphone user, that reach single digits for remaining battery capacity early in the afternoon, with no power plug in sight.
It’s a little boost circuit, that uses regular double A batteries and steps up the 3V to 5V, perfect for USB charging. In addition to providing power, the circuit includes the needed resistors to tell modern devices like iPhones or iPods, that it’s OK to pull a bit of current and actually go ahead with charging the internal battery.
The complete kit is designed to fit both 2 double A batteries and the circuit inside an Altoids Chewing Gum tin container, but unfortunately, Altoids has stopped producing these, making it a bit difficult to complete this project and still keep the urban camouflage that the nicely printed tin originally provided.
Adafruit Industries has started producing their own case, similar in size and shape, but it comes without any printing on it, and looks a bit generic, loosing some of the charisma.
But awhile ago I stumbled on a similar candy container, this time for the Läkerol licorice tablets. The case has a different shape, but nicely fit’s the same battery holder and the original circuit PCB. It even closes and holds the USB connector in place in the same way the original case did.
The case has a sleek black finnish combining matte and glossy to show a large A on the lid. Maybe this is an A for Adafruit?
I am unsure if this product is sold internationally, but here in Scandinavia it’s usually available in convenience stores and the likes.
