Hypermac Mini External battery and iPad?

Full size works, with caveat

I recently used the MBP-100 (one of their full-size batteries intended for use with a Macbook) with an iPad on a long plane flight. I plugged a USB dock cable into the USB port and connected it to the iPad.

The iPad said "Not Charging" at the top of the screen, but the battery percentage never went down. So it will draw the power it needs from the external battery, but I guess it can't replenish the internal battery at the same time. The USB port is probably 5V/1A, just like the USB ports on the smaller batteries they released earlier this year. The iPad charger is labeled as 5.1V/2.1A.

Do you really need a battery back up for the iPad? For the iPhone i see the reason but with the iPads fantastic battery life i don't see the point. Unless you going to a remote place for a few days without a car.

Hi,

I found this on a MACWorld article:

"If you’re getting the “Not Charging” message, try leaving your iPad plugged in anyway, and see if the charge is greater when you return."
http://www.macworld.com/article/150675/2010/04/ipad_tips.html

So I did just that with my HyperMac battery (MBP-060) using the USB port on the battery to connect to the iPad. The iPad was off when I plugged it in and at 84% charge. I saw the following message at the top right of the screen:

"Not Charging"

The indicator on the HyperMac battery indicated it was 'on'. I turned off the iPad as per the recommendation above and waited 15 minutes. I then unplugged the cable and turned the iPad on. The battery level went up from 84% to 86%. So the HyperMac battery DID appear to charge the iPad.

I then tried keeping the unit 'on' while it was plugged into the HyperMac battery by playing a video followed by an audiobook for a total of 60 minutes. The initial battery charge read 86%. I let the video play for 30 minutes (charge at 87% so an increase of 1% after 30 minutes) then I switched to playing an audiobook for another 30 minutes. The battery level remained at 87% after 60 minutes of total running time plugged into the external battery. I am not sure that I can definitively say that the external battery did charge the iPad when the unit was 'on' but I can say that the iPad lost no battery charge in that time frame even when the iPad was registering a "Not Charging" message.

The specs on the HyperMac battery I use are:

Model: MBP-060
Capacity: 60-watt-hour
Length: 4.92" (12.5cm
Width: 3.78" (9.6cm)
Thickness: 0.83" (2.1cm)
Weight: 0.8 lb (0.36 kg
Price: $199 USD
*I purchased this a year ago for my MACBook Air, NOT for the iPad.

I only did this to attempt to answer the question. I doubt I will use or need an external battery for the iPad. Plus the iPad has very impressive battery life with proper management. However, the new HyperMac Mini and Micro battery may offer an interesting possibility for those requiring LONGER battery life and they are in the $60-$100 USD price range.

http://www.hypershop.com/HyperMac-External-MacBook-Battery-and-Car-Charger-s/91.htm


Joe

According to a HyperMac tweet from a couple of weeks ago:

"HyperMac @smartygus We are in the process of upgrading all HyperMac USB ports to high power 10W & should be ready by the time iPad 3G hits the market"

They also said that while the Mini and Micro would be included in the upgra, the Nano would not because it's too small.

Jeff