mophie Juice Pack Air hands-on and impressions

mophie's Juice Pack Air -- better known as the planet's thinnest iPhone 3G extended battery and case -- doesn't officially go on sale until Tuesday, but we've been toying with one over the weekend in order to share with you whether or not it's a solid buy. We have to say, our early impressions are pretty positive, and if you're hankering to know more, follow us past the break for a few more details.

Gallery: mophie Juice Pack Air hands-on and impressions

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From a design and build quality perspective, the device is truly top notch. The hard plastic shell is sturdy, it fits our 8GB iPhone 3G like a glove and it doesn't impede access to the volume rocker, power button and vibrate / ring switch. The only shortfall we noticed was the proprietary Mini Dock Connector port at the bottom; in other words, you can forget about using this in your Dock Connector peripherals without first removing your handset from the case. On the bright side (literally, in fact), there are four LED indicators on the rear that show remaining Juice Pack life with a simple button press, and activating the built-in battery is as simple as flipping a toggle switch on the unit's bottom.

mophie claims that this extended battery can provide up to 4.5 additional hours of 3G talk time, 9 hours of 2G talk time, 4.5 hours of 3G web surfing and up to 5.4 hours of WiFi surfing. Additionally, it supposedly adds up to 20 extra hours of audio playback and up to 6 more hours of video playback. We couldn't bring ourselves to hanging around on the iPhone (and resisting the urge to hit up a nearby laser-filled rave, since we're being candid) to find out if this thing really could stretch to those lengths, but we can safely say that the Juice Pack Air will definitely add at least another full day of usage under what we'd consider to be "average" circumstances. Bottom line? We found no reason to not believe the claims, and found ourselves wondering if we'd ever see the meter drop.

The case does add a wee bit of bulk around back, but to us, it's hardly a deal killer. For giving users the ability to rely on heavy 3G web surfing without fear of running the battery dry within 24 hours, we feel the added bulge is a fair trade. With the phone installed, you're looking at a total depth of 0.75-inches, a height of 4.9-inches and a width of 2.59-inches. So, is it worth the $79.95? That'll largely depend on just how heavy a user you are. If you routinely find yourself struggling to minimize your iPhone 3G usage in order to savor that final 20 percent of life, this will definitely relieve those stresses. If you can't recall the last time you pushed your phone hard enough to run it dry within a day, you're probably just burning money.

[Temmy @ Apr 19th 2009 1:38PM]

$79.95?

No.

[Brazen521 @ Apr 19th 2009 1:43PM]

It's a case AND an extra battery. $80 isn't a bad deal.

[Phoenix @ Apr 19th 2009 1:46PM]

A case that doesn't protect the screen, the most vulnerable part.

[Temmy @ Apr 19th 2009 1:46PM]

DealExtreme still exists.

[Quantumphysics @ Apr 19th 2009 1:47PM]

Ebay has had an external 1900mAh battery add on for a while, for $20

http://cgi.ebay.com/1900mAh-External-Battery-Charger-for-iPhone-3G-2G-ipod_W0QQitemZ370133403156QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPDA_Accessories?hash=item370133403156&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

I was concidering getting one, but if I did, I'd perfer one with this form factor -like a case, rather than an attachment. I'd also need guarrantee that it would work with the next iPhone since I know I'll be upgrading to it.

[catachip @ Apr 19th 2009 1:57PM]

@Phoenix

The screen on the iPhone is glass, it's virtually impossible to scratch unless you have diamonds in your pocket.

[Phoenix @ Apr 19th 2009 1:59PM]

Glass smashes. I'm talking about dropping and things, not just scratching.

[Greg @ Apr 19th 2009 2:02PM]

Name one case that protects the screen, without something that flips over it when you're not using it (which in my opinion sucks).

Most cases provide a screen protector to protect the screen; my iPhone case came with one, and it's great, no problems with the screen whatsoever. The screen is exactly as functional and visible as before, and as a plus, the screen protector is matte, so there's no glare whatsoever using it in very light situations, such as outside.

Dismissing this as not being a good case because it doesn't protect the screen is completely unjustified.

Anyways, since I'm not an extremely heavy user of my iPhone, but sometimes forget to charge it or can't for a day or two, I think this is unnecessary for this price range; if need be, probably before I travel this summer I'd just get one of those iPod chargers that just plugs in a battery. On a plane, subway or bus it would be fine without the premium. However, I can understand heavy gamers or business users getting this, as some applications on the App store drain the battery fast (mostly 3D games, apps that constantly use the GPS and streaming apps like internet radio, etc.)

[iphonerulez @ Apr 19th 2009 2:06PM]

Wow! And they said perfection couldn't get any better. But it did. Now I can flash my iPhone in everyone's face for a full 24 hours. Eat your heart out Palm Pre with your four-hour battery.

[Templarian @ Apr 19th 2009 2:14PM]

@iphonerulez, yea we can replace our battery. Plus even without the battery pack on the Iphone the Pre is smaller.

[Worth Baker @ Apr 19th 2009 2:28PM]

@iphonerulez and Templarian

wow, didn't know that the Pre had been released yet. good to hear you guys have had so much time to play with it and test out the battery life. can't wait for the rest of the world to get it, besides you two.

/s

[Templarian @ Apr 19th 2009 3:10PM]

@Worth Baker, No one said we had them, only the developers and a few outside the company have the Pre. The size comparisons come from photos and videos. And the replaceable battery is a feature.

But yea, I presume the Iphonerules guy is going off the rumored 4.5 hours which is close.

Also, quit being so cynical in your tone.

[boss-hogg @ Apr 19th 2009 3:13PM]

why not just buy a phone that has good battery life?!?!

[loginatnine @ Apr 19th 2009 3:39PM]

@catachip
"virtually impossible to scratch unless you have diamonds in your pocket."
Hahaha, you clearly failed your science class in high school

[utahnkid @ Apr 19th 2009 5:38PM]

Coming from someone who's had an iPhone since day one, you do NOT need something covering your screen to protect it from damage. I currently own the 3G iPhone with the "Incase Slider" case and even if I drop it flat on the screen side, the tiny lip protects it every time (and I've dropped it plenty of times, mostly on hard cement or road). The screen is glass and that offers more than enough protection from scratching so the combination of the two makes for a perfectly protected phone. When I take it out of the case, you have a hard time telling it's not brand new.

Just two cents from someone that's actually speaking from an unbiased (I also carry a Palm Treo 755p on Sprint), first person point of view. A break from the usual hateful/uneducated/asinine comments on here.

[Patriks7 @ Apr 19th 2009 6:32PM]

"A case that doesn't protect the screen, the most vulnerable part."
The screen doesn't scratch no matter what you do to it, and unless you dropped it from a big height it won't shatter either, in which case a protector won't help anyway.

[Brad H. @ Apr 19th 2009 8:39PM]

Wrong. My 3G's screen has many scratches on it. Glass DOES scratch, it's just a bit harder to do when compared to a standard phone's plastic screen case.

[polobunny @ Apr 19th 2009 10:09PM]

@catachip: Sure. Unless you have quartz, topaz, hardened steel or tungsten in your pockets. A steel file can scratch an iPhone screen, for instance. ;)

[Linhares @ Apr 20th 2009 6:57AM]

CONGRATULATIONS to the Apple Design Team and Steve Jobs for the insanely greatly beautiful thing we have here.

[Patriks7 @ Apr 21st 2009 6:30PM]

Well Brad H. you must be doing something wrong, as I am not babying mine in no way whatsoever and it has only a couple hardly visible scratches on the back (mainly on the logo).

[grace @ Apr 22nd 2009 5:48PM]

@catachip, @patriks7, I have discovered a couple everyday things that will scratch the screen. 1) the edge of glass eyeglasses lenses, the part that hangs over the edge of "invisible" or very thin frames with thick lenses. Be careful bringing the phone to and from your ear if you wear these kinds of glasses. 2) Fingernails: at the wrong angle (like if you're using your touchscreen through a hole in your glove when it's cold) a fingernail can scratch it. 3) I know, I need to get a screen protector. I'm too cheap and lazy. I have a case (incase slider) that protects the rest of it. Two little scratches in 9 months isn't too bad.

[james @ Apr 19th 2009 1:41PM]

considering i have to use two chargers, one at home and one at work, and paid $30 for the 2nd charger i would have gladly paid $80 for this.

[Quantumphysics @ Apr 19th 2009 1:55PM]

This is stupid. They should have used the standard iPhone charger rather than the mini USB. This way you could charge both the phone and the battery through pass-through charging - as well as being able to synch the phone through the battery add-on.


Hopefully Apple will build the next iPhone with a more powerful battery even at the expense of making it thicker. The thickness of the addon up top is not bad considering how much longer the battery life would be.

[BigDaddyM @ Apr 19th 2009 1:58PM]

If that connector is a proprietary connector (as the article calls it) and not just a standard miniUSB then this is a no go. Why do I want to change the proprietary connector for another? I would rather keep the one I have to work with the chargers/devces I already have without having to take it in and out. Granted the extra battery life in a very thin form factor is very cool but then this is not just 80 bucks because now I need more cables or a big hassle to use it...
M

[Phoenix @ Apr 19th 2009 2:03PM]

it IS just miniUSB. I think what they were saying is that the proprietary point is Apple's, and it is what's being replaced.

[Vader582 @ Apr 21st 2009 4:43PM]

I don't know. If you look at the gallery pic, that connection doesn't look like a standard mini USB to me. Can we get a clarification from the reviewer?
If this is a proprietary connector from Mophie, that is definitely a deal-killer.

[shakeboy2k @ Apr 23rd 2009 8:34PM]

The answer, unfortunately, is no. It's microUSB not miniUSB. See c|net's review: http://reviews.cnet.com/power-devices-batteries/mophie-juice-pack-air/4505-3509_7-33628148.html

[grull27 @ Apr 19th 2009 1:41PM]

Time for a new screen protector Darren. :D

[Darren @ Apr 19th 2009 1:51PM]

Tell me about it -- it's rough out there for screen protectors these days.

[aMac @ Apr 19th 2009 1:59PM]

Looks to me like the thin piece of plastic that comes attached to all new electronics out of the box.
I guess Darren just never took his off?

[Oleg Prosalov @ Apr 19th 2009 5:00PM]

Zagg all the way!!

[ALCie @ Apr 19th 2009 11:05PM]

Yep, I agree. Time to get Zagg. You might be able to find deals if you follow zaggdaily on twitter.

This extended battery looks pretty good and doesn't add too much thickness. If this can make your phone last twice as long I say it's worth it.

[Brian Z Jones @ Apr 19th 2009 1:45PM]

34 pictures for a battery? Obsess much?

-bZj

[grull27 @ Apr 19th 2009 1:53PM]

You mean 34 pictures of Jesus. ;)

[jason @ Apr 19th 2009 1:46PM]

woah, look at that screen protector! wtf. that is a POS.

invisible shield FTW!

[Phoenix @ Apr 19th 2009 1:47PM]

Has Engadget ever reviewed another extended battery for a phone? Ever even talked about one? I'm asking seriously, since I don't know. >.>

[Phoenix @ Apr 19th 2009 1:55PM]

especially featuring it, jesus....

[Bananarama @ Apr 19th 2009 1:59PM]

Probably not, since most phones have replaceable batteries.

And seriously? you're going to complain about Engadget reviewing a very useful add on for a phone that I would assume at least 25%, maybe even as high as 50% of the readers of the site has? I'm not a fan of the iPhone myself, but I can totally see why they would post this.

[redcard @ Apr 19th 2009 2:06PM]

If idiots like you post 4 comments on something you know nothing about, then of course they will keep posting iphone stories! Dimwit.

[Phoenix @ Apr 19th 2009 2:16PM]

I know about the story. Just not EVERY SINGLE THING ENGADGET HAS EVER SAID.

[jimmy @ Apr 19th 2009 5:26PM]

not to defend engadget, who obviously has an iPhone-tilted bias, but maybe they're just following the numbers. There are more iPhones in the world than any other single phone. Period. (I'm talking about a single device, not "WinMo" or "Blackberry" which each have several different phones that run them.) To talk about a battery that fits a G1 or a Blackberry Storm is stupid because: A. These devices have replaceable batteries, so an add-on battery is a useless accessory, and B. Any other single device is a small portion of the phone market. The iPhone is statistically huge.

Your question should be "Has engadget ever posted a story about a n extended battery for a device which has a non-replaceable battery"

And to that, I would guess No.

PS -- speaking from experience, things that definitely will scratch an iPhone screen are the teeth of a Boston Terrier.

[utahnkid @ Apr 19th 2009 5:48PM]

Jimmy, where in the world are you getting the idea that they have a pro-iPhone tilted bias?? I mean seriously, point me towards ANY article that supports your idea. If anything, I usually see more smart ass, snide remarks from Engadget when they post about ANYTHING Apple, than biased support. In fact the only device that comes to mind when I think of biased support is the Palm Pre (which I intend on purchasing BTW). They openly tell about their giddy anticipation whenever a story is written about ANY aspect of it and I can't think of one story that mentions ANY downsides of it, much unlike the iPhone which is CONSTANTLY berated.

[nuffinatall @ Apr 19th 2009 6:28PM]

@Jimmy,

Seriously? iphone sales numbers dont even come close to the 1100. Not at all. http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/07/nokias-1100-handset-over-200-million-served/

[pshirley1 @ Apr 19th 2009 1:55PM]

I've used the Incase portable battery pack now for almost two months. I absolutely love it. The pix above show a design that appears to suffer from some miss-aligned parts (near the bottom). The Incase unit is a bit bulkier, but that also affords more protection.

One should also consider that lithium-ion polymer batteries don't like to be dropped and if the case is to provide protection and extended battery life, it might be a sacrificial element in such a mishap as dropping the phone.

[Tyrus @ Apr 19th 2009 5:24PM]

You know HP and Apple have been implementing new battery technology. Apple's been advertising the heck out of it. You think it is compatable tech to be adapted to a phone? Perhaps it will be in the next iPhone

@pshirley is that the kind of battery not conducive to dropping?

@boss-hogg

I do have a tank of a phone that has a long life on the battery, but it's a basic phone. If you want a usefull PDA/smartphone/computer you gotta use the iPhone. Btw I also split the networks CDMA & gsm.

[Mark Anderson @ Apr 19th 2009 2:01PM]

*Slots small replaceable battery into his phone*

Sorry, you guys were saying?

[Bloo @ Apr 19th 2009 2:06PM]

*Downloads fart app onto his iphone*

Sorry, you were saying?

[redcard @ Apr 19th 2009 2:08PM]

Yes, cos being away from a wall socket for more than 2 days is a big issue for most people.

Keep enjoying that 2nd rate cellphone you have

[Mark Anderson @ Apr 19th 2009 2:14PM]

@redcard

It's such a huge issue that the iPhone needs an external battery which is what this article is about.

As for second rate; let's just say I didn't buy an iPhone and leave it at that.

[superhobo @ Apr 19th 2009 3:43PM]

*Uses his smart phone for 5 days on a single charge*

Huh?