The iPWR Battery Pack – The little Wafer that Could
I’ve been lucky enough to get to review three of the most poplular iPhone\iPod battery packs. The Mophie Juice Pack , the Richard Solo 1800 for iPhone and the Fast Mac IV Battery Pack for iPhone.
All of these products are useful and have their place in the space. Of these I use the Fast Mac IV on a daily basis, but a few month ago I received two of the the iPWR SuperPack which not only supports the Iphone 3G and 3Gs, but can also be used with the first generation iPhone, the first and second generation iPod Touch, iPod Video, the third and fourth generation iPod Nano, and iPod Classic. My wife Mary was not using any battery packs for her first generation iPhone and soon found that this $60 device was her back up battery charger of choice.
The iPWR SuperPack is a little square wafer that can be attached to the port at the bottom of the devices listed above. The form factor is the same width and depth as the iPhone and we found it to give the iPhone about twice the battery duration that using the iPhone by itself. Like the Richard Solo 1800 this device makes the iPhone seem too long and a bit awkward, but as an emergency supply of energy for your iPhone it does the job well.
The iPWR uses a standard Mini-USB port that can be found in the majority of handheld devices. This made it very easy to charge on your Macbook or the wall without having to worry that you forgot a special cord. One feature we liked about this unit is that the included USB cable is retractable and therefore always with the device.. The iPRW has the same 1,800mAh type battery that is used on the Richard Solo 1800 and the Mophie Juice Pack
The unit has an on and off switch, which Mary found useful when she was not using it, and it was laying in her purse. the iPRW comes in both a White finish (which I used with my iPhone 3G) and a black finish which Mary has used with both the iPhone first generation and now the iPhone 3GS. Mary actually ended up using both of these units and liked carrying one in her purse and keeps one at work for connivence.
When not attached to an iPhone or an iPod, the iPWR SuperPack has a top lid that covers its connector and USB port. I found this cover easy to lose, but Mary had no problem and she liked having the cap on so that the USB connector would not get caught in items in her purse.
The device has a bright green LED that turns off when the pack is dead, and turns red after a full charge had been completed. This was a convenient way of keeping track of the status of the battery pack at all times. The iPWR is compact, easy to carry and use. It’s affordable, and Mary uses these today as her primary insurance against the Iphone “dead battery syndrome.”
We think for the price this little plastic wafer is hard to beat for a quick and easy way to make sure your iPhone or other “iPod” type device has power when you most need it. You can find the iPWR at www.wirelessinput.com
