Best external Battery pack for iPhone?

[Fonzijr1964]

What is the best external battery pack for the iPhone (and preferably work with ipod)?

[Flhusky]

This question has bee asked before and seems the consensus is;
Kensington Battery Pack and Charger for iPhone and iPod (http://store.apple.com/us/product/TR823?mco=MTc1MjA)

APC Mobile Power Pack (http://www.apcc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=upb10&tab=features)

There are others but these seem to get the most mention.

[Fonzijr1964]

thanks i think i'm gonna go for the first one

[Flhusky]

Your welcome, just don't buy it :apple: per the norm they are $15-20+ higher then anywhere else.

[brian5]

I bought the MYBAT. It's a 3200mAh backup battery as opposed to the Kensington which is only 1800 mAh. And it's a lot cheaper.

Here's the link HandHeldItems (http://www.handhelditems.com/mybat-3200mah-backup-battery-iphone-ipod-black-p-4790.html)

[jlake02]

The iPhone Power Station (http://www.mobiriot.com/2008/10/19/product-review-iphone-power-station/) is pretty good and I found it for $16. Took around 12 days to deliver from Hong Kong, but it's a handy backup that molds to the bottom of the 3G.

[jsimpson]

I picked up the APC mentioned above and then the Just Mobile Gum Pro, it is much better. It will completely charge the iphone almost 4 times! It is small too, about the size of a pack of gum.

[hhycabay]

My friend recommended imaxpower to me. http://www.imaxpower.com/
The new model IMP500 looks pretty good.

"IMP500 (5000mAh) 38 hours 3G iPhone movie time"
it is $49.95. My order is on the way now.



What is the best external battery pack for the iPhone (and preferably work with ipod)?

[DigMe]

I just ordered one of these for the 3G from Ebay:

http://www.wirelessground.com/ippowerstation.html

I will get it this week. I'll post about it here after I've had sufficient time using it. I wanted it for an upcoming trip to South Korea to pick up my son. :)

[scirica]

I purchased two of the Richard Solo lithium-ion rechargeables (1200mAh). They can barely do one full charge providing the iPhone 3g is only down to a 20% charge when you attach the battery. It looks like some better options are now out there, and the Just Mobile Gum Pro looks very promising. I may have to dump the Solo's for one JMG Pro!

[M Powered]

My friend recommended imaxpower to me. http://www.imaxpower.com/
The new model IMP500 looks pretty good.

"IMP500 (5000mAh) 38 hours 3G iPhone movie time"
it is $49.95. My order is on the way now.

They have a bigger version with 64hr of movie time, 8k mAh - I'm a little skeptical about it, wondering if its going adversely effect my iphone.

[hhycabay]

They have a bigger version with 64hr of movie time, 8k mAh - I'm a little skeptical about it, wondering if its going adversely effect my iphone.

I asked for that (8K mAh) too, but the salesman told me that it may not be available in a short time.
Is 5K power good enough?
My hubby like it because it can charge blackberry as well.

[mocciat]

Check out mt review on the Richardsolo 1800:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Scuq2Nr5mQ


Let me know what you think.

[hhycabay]

Amazing!
I just plugged imaxpower Ty500 with my iphone which has only about 1/6 power left. It's amazing! I didn't really count the charge time, Maybe around 10 minutes? now the battery is about 5/6 full.

I didn't check the charge time for that backup battery yet.

[MATTHEWLONG]

Do all your external batteries still work ok after the 2.2 update?. Mine wont charge since I updated. I am looking for a replacement thats guarenteed to work with 2.2.

Many thanks.

[scirica]

Do all your external batteries still work ok after the 2.2 update?. Mine wont charge since I updated. I am looking for a replacement thats guarenteed to work with 2.2.

Many thanks.

I'm using the new Richard Sole 1800 mAh and it works great!

[Rayfire]

Do all your external batteries still work ok after the 2.2 update?. Mine wont charge since I updated. I am looking for a replacement thats guarenteed to work with 2.2.

Many thanks.

The IMP500 is working fine and I'm running 2.2 firmware. This is the best so far I've seen with respect to capacity.

[martinmartin]

check out this thread about the lenmar backup unit

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=532306

[bassproguy07]

Mophie juicepack, Incase Power slider, richard Solo 1800, check out youtube, there are a few users reviewing these things including mocciat, itsmemorphious, and apple gurl

[jsimpson]

Do all your external batteries still work ok after the 2.2 update?. Mine wont charge since I updated. I am looking for a replacement thats guarenteed to work with 2.2.

Many thanks.

I'm using the Just Mobile Gum Pro and it works great.

[jgunn]

One i never see mentioned is the Iwalk from U20. It's much smaller than the others and has a key ring attahment. IT's only 800mah but the size is awesome. Great for emergencies abd carrying around all the time. I haven't got one as it's been a hassle to try and get one to the US but I'm heading to Singapore for xmas and will try and grab one there.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Apple-iPhone-3G-iWALK-Emergency-Battery-Charger-By-U2O_W0QQitemZ350129114253QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20081124?IMSfp=TL081124129001r3317

[MATTHEWLONG]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will give the iwalk a go.

Matt

[M Powered]

Tried this yesterday and works flawlessly.

This should keep your iphone charged for about 2 weeks straight LOL.

VB2 (http://www.alienbees.com/VIIsystem.html)

[jgunn]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will give the iwalk a go.

Matt

Post some impressions when you get it. Thanks

[Guruclub04]

Believe it or not, I did a very extensive research for this subject. imp500 from

http://www.imaxpower.com

is the best. Compared with Richardsolo, capacity was 300% higher. Compared with incase powerpack, maybe 400% higher. But with the same price. Compared with lenmark and kingstant, none of them can compete with imp500in terms of capacity.

I purchased one unit imp500 from imaxpower.com. So far I am happy what I paid

1) 4.7 times recharge for 3G iphone. almost 500%
2) 1.3 hours charge from ground zero to 100%, same as AC wall charger

Some room can be improved, which is to remove USB cable. I already informed the seller. They said they will improve it in next version.

[CBR900RR]

I am using this (http://www.thepocketsolution.com/PSI-45407/3g+iPhone+AA+Battery+Booster.html) with 4 rechargeable AA batteries.

Not the most powerful out there, but it is the most universal.

Use the 10% off code: "SAVE10"

3g iPhone AA Battery Booster

A device with a dead battery is … well, it’s like any other battery-powered device with a dead battery. Dark and sad and not terribly useful. No doubt that’s why our 3g iPhone AA Battery Booster is a popular choice for people who need 100% certainty that their device can be charged – even when they don’t have their charger or they’re miles and miles from the nearest electrical outlet.

The 3g iPhone AA Battery Booster is an ingenious device powered by 4AA batteries. Its proprietary technology draws a charge from the AA batteries and transfers it to your device, thus providing it with the electric power that is its required sustenance. Even if your device is 100% drained – stone cold device d-e-a-d – the 3g iPhone AA Battery Booster can bring it back to life not once, not twice, but, in fact, 2.5 times. That’s right: You get two-and-a-half complete charges from one set of AA batteries. And it’s fast too: the Battery Extender takes your device from zero to 45% charged in just 20 minutes!

Now, in case you’re worried all this fancy charging is damaging your device, rest assured: Special circuit design protects your device from overcharging and short-circuiting. An LED indicator light lets you know when your device is charged. And by the way, you can use your device right away, while it’s charging – you don’t have to wait till it’s done.



http://www.thepocketsolution.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/psi32129.main.jpg

[Jeissler]

After researching I bought the IMP500 from ImaxPower. It has 5K mah and is very universal and handy for every day usage with the iPhone, 3G, G1, Blackberry, etc. The larger capacity makes it superior to most on the market. It is small enough for me to carry around and I can use the iPhone cable and charger. I had previously purchased an iPower battery that went on the bottom of the phone, but it didn't work with either case I have so it went back. The IMP500 is much better anyway and not sorry I got it instead.

The specks from the website seem to be pretty accurate. 5x life and charges my iPhone 3G in same amount of time as the ac charger does. Although it does not turn off automatically when the phone is charged it is my understanding that it is up to the battery to detect that it is charged anyway. The manufacturer has also confirmed this will not hurt the battery because it is low level current. Overall this is a stellar product that serves a great need.

Currently working great on iPhone 3G software 2.2.1

[brian5]

After researching I bought the IMP500 from ImaxPower. <<snip>>
I like the looks of this one too but, as mentioned by a previous poster, really don't like the USB solution. Imaxpower needs to come out with a more elegant solution for connecting to iPod and power --- and they're not not cheap!

[Rayfire]

I like the looks of this one too but, as mentioned by a previous poster, really don't like the USB solution. Imaxpower needs to come out with a more elegant solution for connecting to iPod and power --- and they're not not cheap!

I use the wall adapter that came with the iPhone to charge it. I don't see any other alternatives besides from a USB -- Imax's iPhone adapter -- iPhone
I prefer that than those clipping it with your iPhone. Price is worth it though, been using it since Sept '08 (I think)

[istinkles]

The mophie juice pack air looks like a great deal. It's a case and a battery charger in one. and it's less than the regular version. The site says it will some out in spring.

http://www.mophie.com/products/juice-pack-air

[Ekelon]

I'm really hoping they come out with the Mophie Juice Pack Air in early spring because I'm saving to buy a case/battery pack until then. Hopefully the ZAGGS InvisibleSHIELD that I have is worth what it says. Come out soon mophie!!

[Guruclub04]

I use the wall adapter that came with the iPhone to charge it. I don't see any other alternatives besides from a USB -- Imax's iPhone adapter -- iPhone
I prefer that than those clipping it with your iPhone. Price is worth it though, been using it since Sept '08 (I think)

I talked to sales man from imaxpower.com. They will have 3rd generation imaxpower battery pack soon, maybe after June, Apple may be launching a new iphone after June. I will look forward to seeing the new one soon.

[wilmer007]

I like the Portable Power Station it works for iPhone 2G and 3G. you can find it on eBay for around $18 shipped from hong kong. It has many features such as being able to use as a dock or a stand to watch movies, has 2200mAh (the highest mAh for this price range), has a silicone case and you can charge both your station and iPhone at the same time via usb. If you ever felt like you were wasting 4 hours of having the phone charging while you were sleeping now you can't argue as it takes about 7 hours to charge both units. For under $20 theres nothing out there better than this. I'm probably gonna be ordering htis in the next few days i'll let you know how it turns out but i know it's gonna be excellent. The only thing i heard that i don't like is that you can't sync with iTunes while the station is plugged to your iPhone. Oh well no biggie and it can be a little bulky in both weight and size, but i think i can manage.

[felixen]

I thoght I wanted to revive this topic since its a bit old so there might be some new good stuff out there..

Im looking for something small that has a lot of juice. Preferably a battery that I can charge via USB, but if there's a really great one out that uses AAA batteries or whatever, I'd be interested as well :) So what's the best thing out there?

[jsimpson]

I thoght I wanted to revive this topic since its a bit old so there might be some new good stuff out there..

Im looking for something small that has a lot of juice. Preferably a battery that I can charge via USB, but if there's a really great one out that uses AAA batteries or whatever, I'd be interested as well :) So what's the best thing out there?

Check out the Just Mobile Gum Pro; it is 4400mah and uses the OEM sync/charge cord that came with your phone and charges via USB. I have used to charge my phone 3 times on a single charge. I think MyGearStore still sells them.

[felixen]

Awesome. I also need a nice cover. Do you think the Elite II Metallic one from ideal-cases is good? It looks cool but I only started looking for these things and I dont want to get ripped off

[jsimpson]

Awesome. I also need a nice cover. Do you think the Elite II Metallic one from ideal-cases is good? It looks cool but I only started looking for these things and I dont want to get ripped off

I haven't tried it but there are some reviews on You Tube about it, check them out and make a decision.

[STEVESKI07]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_0_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7A400 Safari/528.16)

I just got the iMaxPower charger that is listed in this thread. It can hold a ton of power and charges the phone fast. It also works well to charge my girlfriends blackerry so it will really come in handy on vacations and long road trips. I've charged my phone from 10% to full and it still shows as 80% full so it definitely can charge your phone 4 times or more. Pretty compact in size for the amount of power it holds too.

[Rayfire]

I talked to sales man from imaxpower.com. They will have 3rd generation imaxpower battery pack soon, maybe after June, Apple may be launching a new iphone after June. I will look forward to seeing the new one soon.

Woah! Thanks for the tip, we'll see how my battery pack holds by that time if it does need a replacement or not, so far still doing good :cool:

[firedogut]

look at monoprice.com

battery packs are between $8-14. 1800mAh and 2200mAh. work great

[VinnieC/4829WPB]

How do I begin to brag about electronic devices and products? For starters I am not an eletronic freak, although I am in awe of them. Modern technology fascinates me, like watching magic or illusionsits perform, asking how do they do it, once the've got your interest and attention it is difficult to let go. I have been a late bloomer when it came to computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. In fact, the 3gs is my very first cell phone ever. I was so amazed by it, that I just had to have it. I thought this was the greatest thing since the telephone, now your product comes along and blows me away. I can't get into the specs of this, as I stated I am not the guru, or electronic genius most out there are,but, I do know quality when I see it. This is first class. When I first bought my phone, I bought a similar product by Brookstone, which cost $50.00, and held approximately 3 hrs. of charge. Wow, this was wonderful, a portable charger easy to carry goes wherever you go, but, sadly did not live up to life expectancy of the charge. Now your product comes, sceptic at first, bought it, used it, and used it, and used it, about five days later I said could it be, it's like the energizer bunny, keeps on going. Alas I'm a believer. So much so I started showing it off, and then promoted it, and have purchased a total of seven chargers for co-workers, who were just as impressed. A definite winner! In addition to a great product, which does everything you claim it to do and more, Mr Wesley Kuo who I have been dealing with is equally as awesome as your product. I deal in customer service everyday, and in todays environement quality service along with quality products go hand and hand, and like your product Mr. Kuo has been exemplory in that respect. Imax you have a great product, and great customer care personnel. Thank you, Mr. Vinnie C.:);) Oops let's mention the product, IMP500 external battery charger for 3gs!!!

[VinnieC/4829WPB]

[QUOTE=VinnieC/4829WPB;8477716]How do I begin to brag about electronic devices and products? For starters I am not an eletronic freak, although I am in awe of them. Modern technology fascinates me, like watching magic or illusionsits perform, asking how do they do it, once the've got your interest and attention it is difficult to let go. I have been a late bloomer when it came to computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. In fact, the 3gs is my very first cell phone ever. I was so amazed by it, that I just had to have it. I thought this was the greatest thing since the telephone, now your product comes along and blows me away. I can't get into the specs of this, as I stated I am not the guru, or electronic genius most out there are,but, I do know quality when I see it. This is first class. When I first bought my phone, I bought a similar product by Brookstone, which cost $50.00, and held approximately 3 hrs. of charge. Wow, this was wonderful, a portable charger easy to carry goes wherever you go, but, sadly did not live up to life expectancy of the charge. Now your product comes, sceptic at first, bought it, used it, and used it, and used it, about five days later I said could it be, it's like the energizer bunny, keeps on going. Alas I'm a believer. So much so I started showing it off, and then promoted it, and have purchased a total of seven chargers for co-workers, who were just as impressed. A definite winner! In addition to a great product, which does everything you claim it to do and more, Mr Wesley Kuo who I have been dealing with is equally as awesome as your product. I deal in customer service everyday, and in todays environement quality service along with quality products go hand and hand, and like your product Mr. Kuo has been exemplory in that respect. Imax you have a great product, and great customer care personnel. Thank you, Mr. Vinnie C.:);) Oops let's mention the product, IMP500 external battery charger for 3gs!!!

[Tilt]

Believe it or not, I did a very extensive research for this subject. imp500 from

http://www.imaxpower.com

is the best. Compared with Richardsolo, capacity was 300% higher. Compared with incase powerpack, maybe 400% higher. But with the same price. Compared with lenmark and kingstant, none of them can compete with imp500in terms of capacity.

I purchased one unit imp500 from imaxpower.com. So far I am happy what I paid

1) 4.7 times recharge for 3G iphone. almost 500%
2) 1.3 hours charge from ground zero to 100%, same as AC wall charger

Some room can be improved, which is to remove USB cable. I already informed the seller. They said they will improve it in next version.

I was tempted to go with the one from mono price but this one looks impressive. Thanks to all for the info

[rhinosrcool]

The Juice Pack Air is great. Not only does it charge your iPhone, but it functions as a case, too. Also, you can choose to have it charge your iPhone either first or charge your iPhone after it's run out of power.

[jjk454ss]

Anyone tried this one from Griffin:

Griffin Technology - PowerDuo Reserve (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9461325&st=griffin+charger&lp=8&type=product&cp=1&id=1218108726577)

It looks a little smaller and more compact than the Kensington one. But I also want good charging capacity.

[istinkles]

I like the Griffin Power block. For I think about $30 it charge about 75% of the battery. great to have if your at 20%. But you won't get multiple charges out of it like you might with the Kensington.

[rburly]

I talked to sales man from imaxpower.com. They will have 3rd generation imaxpower battery pack soon, maybe after June, Apple may be launching a new iphone after June. I will look forward to seeing the new one soon.

I've been looking for a battery pack the past two weeks and found one on ebay that looked good, but not for the 3GS. I saw this one and after the things I've read here and the looks of it, I just bought the black one. Thanks you guys for the info!

[Alan64]

look at monoprice.com

battery packs are between $8-14. 1800mAh and 2200mAh. work great

I've used them for inexpensive cables and I've always been happy. That 2200mAh is Li-ion (a plus IMO) and it's amazingly inexpensive. I'd be a bit afraid if I wasn't already familiar with monoprice. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Applejuiced]

Im also using monoprice external battery.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10831&cs_id=1083110&p_id=5480&seq=1&format=2
I highly suggest it.

[Djroids]

I love using my SOLIO solar charger.
It can be recharged by a computer or by the sun.
Can recharge tons of other things.
Looks pretty cool.
Last fairly long.
Going green is always good.

[E3BK]

I got this one (http://u2oglobal.com/ProShow_en.asp?NUM=66) from Amazon for $25 and it works great. Small enough to fit in my small purse without adding too much bulk or weight. I used it on an 8 1/2 hour flight from Paris and use it when I'm out and about all day. I've even rescued a few other iPhones from dying while out. It's been fantastic.

[Guruclub04]

www.bestiphonebattery.com

[idigfan]

I will vote imp500, imp700 in the market. I don't care how fancy the battery pack looks, only the battery juice count. Believe me, if you are in the road and your iphone battery run out of juice, you will cry like a baby and need a huge capacity battery pack as a back up. Read this article

http://www.myheatingcooling.com/article/the-lifespan-of-an-iphone-battery-revealed

:cool:

[ZipZap]

Zagg sparq on sale now...looks pretty nice

[Robbietaylor]

Richard solo 1800

[DeDoFeDo]

Very nice one

[ZipZap]

I picked up the IMP500.

What does anyone really know about this unit. The reseller claims the battery comes from the same OEM that apple uses...what proof of this is there?

The package does not mention 3GS nor does it mention the unit is a second generation product.

It only has a 6 month warranty which seems short...even apple covers the battery for a year.

The size is right, but it feels really light. Anyone have some stats on whether this unit will charge as advertised?

The only issues I found so far:
1. It took over six hours to charge the unit when 3 led's were already displayed (meaning the blinking did not stop for 6 hours). AC charge...wonder how long it will really take when the things dead.
2. The Leds do not line up

[fredf]

I just had someone in my office a couple of hours ago and he has this one from monoprice:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10831&cs_id=1083110&p_id=5866&seq=1&format=2

it is item # 5866 (in case the link doesn't work).
It is $20 and he says it works great. As a case it may not be your cup of tea, but you can cut the leather cover off if you wish and it's a fraction of the price of the Mophie and, apparently, it works really well.
And, it even has an on/off switch!

[sparrky]

I'm sure this will have a high price tag, but I'm anxious to hear reviews on this: FloTV Mophie Juice Pack (http://www.mophie.com/Juice-Pack-3G-3GS-p/1106_jptv-a0-ip3gs-blk.htm).

[sjinsjca]

I just had someone in my office a couple of hours ago and he has this one from monoprice:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10831&cs_id=1083110&p_id=5866&seq=1&format=2

it is item # 5866 (in case the link doesn't work).
It is $20 and he says it works great. As a case it may not be your cup of tea, but you can cut the leather cover off if you wish and it's a fraction of the price of the Mophie and, apparently, it works really well.
And, it even has an on/off switch!

Hey, thanks for that. I've dealt with Monoprice before, and they are a great group to work with. Their prices are superb, and they have fantastic customer service. I just ordered one of these cases-- I have a nice leather flip case already, but the battery is a very nice attraction. This will be great for long flights and will ensure I arrive with my iPhone still working.

[V4705]

what about MiLi (phonesuit) ?
similar to the juice pack (not air) but with 2000mah battery.

[okiiii]

I just back from china and purchased the external battery its so cheap and ok like this
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4011/1222432396633ip3gextend.jpg (http://bit.ly/9KTjnZ)

[psipsina]

I'm using the Just Mobile Gum Pro and it works great.

I have this and I love it. I work 30+ hour shifts and this battery pack recharges me AND my co-workers through that time with battery to spare. Its very fast, small and user friendly. I was really impressed with the amount of charges you can get out of one recharge of the battery.

[BIG BOSS]

Check this one out. I really like it a lot. Go to luckypacks.com and check out the I-UP 5400.
I like it alot better than the Imax IMP500.

[SFStateStudent]

I went on the recommendation of this particular thread and purchased the Kensington Battery Pack at $75 plus tax. Used it two times since 2008, and it just quit working. Contacted Kensington Tech Support and they'll send a replacement free of charge one year and five months from the purchase date. :cool:

In the meantime, I purchased two Richard Solo 1800 Battery Packs at Macworld San Francisco 2010, 2 for $15 each. They've been used extensively with our 3GS iPhones, since it seems we are seeing more battery usage than with our previous iPhones.

I recommend BOTH Battery Packs, but for the price, I would go with the Richard Solo 1800, despite the awesome customer service offered by Kensington... :cool:

[KateSorensen]

I like the iwpr battery for backup to my iPhone. It seems iwpr does not have a web site any more. I use to go there for the FAQ page if I had any questions.

I'm kinda old and forgetful so I need to know:

When I recharge the iwpr, what do I set it on: Off or On?

I don't want to wreck the thing because it is really the best thing I ever bought for recharging iPods and iPhone.

[KateSorensen]

I like the iwpr battery . . .

Ugh! Told ya I was old! I spelled iPWR wrong wrong wrong.

Just wanted to let you know that I got a response in the AppleDiscussionForums that the proper way to recharge the iPWR unit is using the OFF setting.

This was also confirmed by a Chicago firm who sells them and I emailed, http://www.wirelessinput.com/iphoneipod-backup-battery.html

Meanwhile, I've discovered this forum and much helpful info. [smile]

[ngenerator]

My vote again goes for the RichardSolo 1800 external battery charger. It's on Richardsolo.com and since I'm a Macworld reader I found a discount code for $30 off. It's originally $69.95 (which is what I bought it for and found it's worth every penny) and $39.95 after you enter "macw" as a coupon code. It's good through June 30, 2010.

And no, I know I sound like a shill for RS but I'm not :)

[allycat]

i agree with the kensington mini battery! it has pretty good power and it lasts a while, honestly i havent tried it on my iPod for some reason but i might check that out and update you back on that!:confused:

[anthdci]

im looking at the kensington battery pack at the moment. I am planning on cycling the coast to coast (UK) at the end of next month which is 140miles over 3 days. I want to be able to track it using runkeeper, but I can only get about 2 hours from a full charge and ill be doing about 6 hours a day. The iphone will be in my arm strap so i cannot use a unit that is molded to the bottom, i has to have a cable to it so i can store the battery in my backpack. Id like to keep that charged up aswel so im also going to purchase a cheap solar usb charger to stick to my backpack so the battery must have a usb input.