For those of you who have been patiently waiting for this day, you will be happy to learn that San Leandro, California-based Novothink is finally taking orders for the Surge, a solar-charging case for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Unveiled about six months ago, the Surge is a lightweight, hard-shell case with an integrated solar and battery system that means you could spend a lot less time charging your iPhone and worrying about its dwindling battery life. With a two-hour sit in direct sun, the Surge will give your iPhone about 3o minutes of 3G talk time.

The battery for the Surge iPod Touch case is a 1500 mAh 3.7 V lithium-ion polymer battery while the iPhone model battery comes in a bit smaller at 1320 mAh 3.7 V. Either way, it's like having a spare battery built right onto the back of your phone or iPod.

The Surge solar charger for iPod Touch can charge via the sun or more "traditionial" sources.

When fully charged, via sun or USB, the Solar Surge's the lithium-ion polymer battery can effectively double the life of your iPhone or iPod Touch. The additional battery power adds a whole new dimension of freedom for iPhone users. As anyone who likes to run memory-sucking apps knows, iPhone battery life can evaporate right before your eyes.

Being billed as the first Apple-certified solar charger, Surge for iPhone 3G and 3GS is retailing for $79.95. Surge for the iPod Touch normally retails at 69.95, but after a quick check I found Novothink selling it for the reduced price of $52.95.

To see if the Surge lives up to its billing as a game-changer, stay tuned for the greenUPGRADER review of the Surge in the coming weeks.