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Mophie Juice Pack for Galaxy S 4 now shipping, brings an extra 2,300mAh battery for $99
Galaxy S 4 users already benefit from solid battery life, but if your Life Companion has become more of a compulsion, you're probably in need of a power solution that can go the distance. Naturally, one option is to swap out batteries, but a new charging case from Mophie could be a simpler route. The Juice Pack -- also available for the HTC One and iPhone 5 -- wraps around the phone and connects via micro-USB, adding an additional 2,300mAh cell to the 2,600mAh battery within the GS4. The Mophie Juice Pack is available now for $99, and is currently offered in black or white (with pink and red versions to follow). As an unfortunate consequence, the extra bulk prevents NFC functionality, but it could be a minor sacrifice if your phone's battery life regularly comes up short.
Mophie Juice Pack for the HTC One now available
If you picked up an HTC One and found that its battery isn't quite cutting it, Mophie may have a solution for your dilemma. The accessory maker is now offering its popular extended battery line for HTC's crown jewel. In addition to its slim protective casing, the freshly minted Juice Pack keeps the party going with an embedded 2,500mAh backup cell. Mophie claims that its added pick me up can increase the One's battery life by two-fold, placing its performance on a par with the marathon-ready RAZR MAXX HD. Available in two colors to match whichever hue you're sporting, the $100 Juice Pack is a surprisingly attractive backup plan for HTC's aluminum marvel.
Nyko's Power Grip Pro gets cozy with the Nintendo 3DS, comfortably extends mobile gaming sessions
Looking to get a bit more longevity out of your 3DS gaming sessions before needing to recharge? If so, Nyko is looking to oblige with its Power Grip Pro case for the aforementioned Nintendo handheld. The outfit boasts that the peripheral will triple your battery life alongside the added functionality of an analog slider control. As you might expect, the unit sports a comfy ergonomic design that should keep you and your device quite cozy. Of course, we'll be the judge of that ourselves when we give the Power Grip Pro the hands-on treatment later this week. No word on pricing yet, but the accessory is slated hit shelves this October -- in plenty of time to snag one for the holiday season. For a look at the kit when from another angle (closed for transport), head on past the break.
Samsung throws in free extended battery with VZW Galaxy Nexus, applies to new purchases only
Samsung must be keenly aware that the Galaxy Nexus' battery life takes a hit on Verizon's LTE network: for a limited time, the outfit's throwing in a free 2,100mAh extended battery for first-time buyers (sorry, current Nexus owners are out of luck). To take advantage of the promotion, you'll have to purchase it through Samsung Direct (link below), which means you'll be paying $300 for the device and agreeing to a two-year contract. As Android and Me notes, though, you'd save quite a bit of money picking up the VZW Nexus and accompanying battery pack at Amazon for a combined $134. Suffice to say, then, this isn't a stellar deal, but those of you who disagree can avail yourselves through May 10, or while supplies last.
Motorola Droid Razr Maxx hands-on (video)
Its showing wasn't as noteworthy as it was last year, but Motorola still at least brought a few new goodies to put on display. The latest major addition to Verizon's Droid Razr family, the Razr Maxx, was on hand, as were the white and purple variants of the original version. So what makes the $300 subsidized Maxx so different from its predecessor? Simply enough, the name is a direct reflection of the phone's battery life, as it sports a thicker (translating to a thickness of 8.99mm, a couple millimeters thicker than the original) 3,300 mAh juicepack that promises an out-of-this-world 21 hour talk time. Sadly, we didn't have 21 full hours to dedicate to testing this claim, but we did have enough time to get a few pictures and a video of the entire Droid Razr family together at last below the break. Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
Verizon Galaxy Nexus extended battery makes blurrycam debut, shows off its hump
LTE's dirty secret is also an open one -- it's a juice hog. So, if you're planning on snatching up a Big Red-branded Samsung Galaxy Nexus, you'll probably want to leapfrog that stock 1,850mAh battery for an extended one. Good thing, then, that Mr. Blurrycam stopped by Droid Life to give prospective owners a cure for what's about to ail them. The heftier battery only ups the ante to 2100mAh -- a far cry from the Droid Bionic's 2760mAh -- but, hey, it's better than the alternative. And for the style-obsessed mobile maven, it appears that de rigeur unsightly hump is less severe than you'd expect. You can check it out in the video after the break or in-store -- whenever that is.
Nyko Power Grip review
There have been more than a few third-party responses to the Nintendo 3DS' notably short battery life, from grips to clips, to full-on battery replacements. Despite their best efforts, these products still fall short of making the fledgling handheld international flight-ready, leaving globetrotting gamers with idle thumbs. Can't we do better? Nyko thinks so, and promises to triple the battery life of a standard 3DS with its latest accessory, the Nyko Power Grip. Other products have boasted double, but three times the play time? Now we're interested. We gave the Grip a run for its money -- read on if you want to know if it is worth yours. %Gallery-139504%
Droid Bionic gets extended battery treatment, proudly struts its freshman 15 (video)
As you're aware, the Droid Bionic features a 1735mAh battery that provides a slight bump in capacity over its competition -- namely the Droid Charge and Thunderbolt. Still, if you plan to push this LTE powerhouse beyond moderate usage, you'll likely find yourself in a feverish hunt for wall outlets before the day is through. Now, Android Central gives us a peek at the Bionic's extended battery, and so long as you're willing to live with the (super obvious) protrusion, you'll find the latest Droid riding high with a 2760mAh cell. Perhaps it's not the sleekest solution in the world, but hey, at least it's not quite so insulting as the extended battery on Verizon's first LTE handset -- take a peek at the video after the break for a comparison.
Droid 3 accessories leaked, Moto's new slider gets wireless charging back plate and more
So, you've read the rumors, scoped out the leaks, and circled multiple dates on your calendar -- just to cover all of your Droid 3 bases. You can now add a catalog of accessories to the stack of intel for this Motorola slider, including an inductive battery door (most likely harnessing the power of Qi), and a smattering of cases and screen protectors. Also thrown in the mix is a 1930mAh extended battery so you can fuel a marathon of South Park reruns and take full advantage of the last week of unlimited data from Verizon. Although knowing about the accessories is nice, we'd prefer to find out the important stuff... ya know, like how much Big Red's new Droid will cost.
Hands-on with Nyko's Zoom Kinect and extended battery packs for the 3DS
We gave you a glimpse of Nyko's 2011 accessories lineup earlier this week, and today we got some quality time with the company's gear at E3 2011. We tried out Zoom Kinect, a set of lenses for Microsoft's favorite sensor bar that lets those residing in diminutive domiciles be the controller without rearranging their furniture. The add-on worked flawlessly when we gave it a go on Kinect Adventures -- Kinect had no trouble tracking our movements even though we were a few feet closer to the sensor than recommended. Zoom Kinect is slated for an August 16th release and will cost $29.99, a paltry sum compared to the price of buying a bigger living room. But wait, there's more! See our impressions of Nyko's other new products after the break. %Gallery-125855%
Nyko cures Kinect's farsightedness, brings bountiful battery life and alarm clock capability to the 3DS
E3 2011 is upon us, and you know what that means, a heaping helping of new gaming gear from Nyko. Zoom for Kinect is a set of clip-on specs that lets you get 40 percent closer to the sensor bar with no loss of function -- so the studio apartment set can get in on the gesture gaming craze. Nyko's Play Clock is a charging dock for Nintendo's 3DS that doubles as an alarm clock, because you always wanted to turn your 3DS into an alarm clock. Nintendo's new handheld could definitely use some longer battery life, however, so the company's also rolling out three new extended battery packs for the 3DS. There's the Shock n' Rock that brings thrice the juice, "added vibration feedback," and four speakers to your personal gaming party, while the Power Grip is an ergonomic external battery that also triples the 3DS' battery life. Lastly, the Game Boost battery simply snaps on for an extra hour or two of gameplay. Prices and availability remain unsaid, but there's eye candy in the gallery below and PR's after the break. %Gallery-125407%
Ask Engadget: best extended battery for power-hungry smartphones?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Chuck, who seems to be having an unusual level of difficulty getting his phone through an entire day on a single charge. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I have the HTC Evo, which has terrible battery life. I've gone through many steps, including rooting it and using SetCPU, however I'm still not getting as much out of it as I would like. I am looking to buy an extended battery, but after researching them I have found prices and reviews to be all over the map. What brand / model has the best results? Thanks!" So, superphone users -- which USB battery pack serves you best? Feel free to toss out Evo-specific solutions, but universal ones could help the masses. And it feels good to help the masses.
HTC Thunderbolt inductive charging back appears in Verizon online store, sort of
While not a complete mess in terms to battery life, Verizon's HTC Thunderbolt certainly doesn't win any awards in the longetivity department. As we'd mentioned a while back, help is near with at least a simpler charging experience courtesy of a Qi-compatible inductive back for this already chubby device. To add a bit of intrigue to that story, the Verizon store link recently changed -- with the pic and $39 price tag being stripped out -- and we're seeing a part now named "ThunderBolttrade Inductive Battery Cover." Of course, our whirling, cell-addicted minds may simply be reading something where nothing exists, but we're feeling it's at least remotely possible that this inductive back may become some sort of trade-in dealio. So tell us, if this turns out to be rooted more in fact than in fiction, would a trade-in program lure you toward the dark magic of inductive charging or are you happy with that little plug you're using now?
Verizon and HTC offer Thunderbolt extended battery, give your phone dumps like a truck
Though never confirmed by Verizon, it seems likely that battery life (or more accurately, the lack thereof) played a part in the series of delays preceding the Thunderbolt's launch. To combat this problem, Big Red and HTC are offering a rather unsightly extended battery pack that nearly doubles the handset's capacity from 1400mAh to 2750mAh. All that extra juice will certainly come in handy for folks leaning heavily on the phone's LTE radio. However, the device costs $50 and adds an ounce of junk in the trunk -- on a device that isn't svelte to begin with -- so why not buy another standard battery for ten bucks less instead? Then you can use the Qi-compatible back and induction charging station Verizon's releasing in April -- both are pictured after the break. It's just under $100 ($29 for the back and $69 for the pad) for those who want to cut the cord and don't mind the expanded waistline we assume comes with the privilege.
Lenovo ThinkPad X220 review
Admit it, when you look at the picture above, all you really see is a laptop with a design that hasn't changed much in the last ten years. It's true, based on its professional aesthetic alone, the ThinkPad X220 can't really be distinguished from the other X Series laptops Lenovo's released pretty much on an annual cycle, but there's much more than meets the eye with that there ultraportable. The 12.5-inch machine is filled to the brim with the latest and greatest technology, including a new Intel Sandy Bridge Core i5 processor, an IPS display, and a six-cell battery. And if you look even closer, Lenovo's made some small tweaks to the touchpad and keyboard, which make more difference than you'd ever think. The point is, that all-too-familiar ThinkPad can deceive you with its boring business looks, but it's arguably one of the best laptops we've ever tested. Hit the break to find out why we think it's so laudable.
Sony VAIO S arrives stateside, brings along an advanced extended battery
Oh, you were worried Sony wasn't going to release its new VAIO S ultraportable in the US? Okay, so it has taken the company a bit longer to prep the 13.3-inch laptop for its American debut, but it's here and it looks like it was well worth the wait. While Sony is holding that it will not replace the VAIO Z Series, which has just recently gone out of stock on Sony's website, there's no denying that it fills a similar high-end ultraportable spot. Don't be fooled by its inch-thick profile, it packs a serious amount of horsepower -- like the UK version, it will be configurable with Sandy Bridge Core i5 and i7 processors, AMD Radeon HD 6630 graphics with 1GB of VRAM (sadly, there's still a physical toggle for switching), Blu-ray, and a range of SSDs. As you can tell from the image above, the design drops the circular hinge of previous VAIOs, but the 3.8-pound machine is still made of magnesium and aluminum, has a backlit keyboard, while also sporting the option of a unique slice battery that meshes with the overall aesthetic. However, that $150 extended cell isn't just any old battery -- it's said to provide a total of 15 hours of battery life when latched onto the bottom of the system and additionally it comes with its own adapter so it can be charged separately from the entire rig. Yep, this one is filled to the brim with the latest and greatest, and even better it doesn't seem terribly overpriced -- the $979 starting model packs a Core i5-2410 processor, those aforementioned AMD graphics, and a 320GB hard drive. It should be available for pre-order later today and we're hoping to bring you a full review of it soon, but until then we have a few hands-on shots of the laptop back at CES below.
Powermat's 2011 product roadmap: colorful iPhone cases, extended batteries, and more
Much of this stuff was shown off publicly for the first time at CES last week, but we thought it might be interesting to get everything that wireless charging company Powermat has planned for 2011 into one convenient place -- and that's exactly what this here slide deck has done for us. The first products in the pipeline for this year include a charging case for the Nokia N8, targeted for early Q2, along with a two-device portable charging mat that includes a built-in battery (7,800mAh!) that promises up to four full smartphone charges while staying completely off the grid; look for those to run $40 and $130, respectively. Later in the quarter, you'll get a white two-unit mat (all of Powermat's gear is black right now, so it's a nice change of pace), several colored iPhone 4 cases, a BlackBerry Torch case, and an $80 so-called Power! Case for the iPhone 4 that integrates an external 1,800mAh battery for extra juice on the go. Moving on to the third quarter of the year, you'll see a dual-power one-device mat that can be powered either from the wall or a USB port for $40, a car mount that inductively charges your Powermat-enabled device, and an iPod touch case. Finally, the 1X Rechargeable Mat comes late in Q3, packing some undetermined (or at least unlisted) amount of juice into a mat that looks roughly similar to the existing one-device mat that's already on the market; like Powermat's other battery-powered mats, this one lets you juice devices when you're not near an outlet, and it'll be available for $70. Hit up the gallery for the full deck! %Gallery-114400%
Mophie Juice Pack Plus 'more than doubles' iPhone 4 battery life
Fan of the original 1,500mAh Mophie Juice pack for the iPhone 4? Sure, we certainly were when we reviewed it a few months back. So let us introduce you to the new Mophie Juice Pack Plus featuring a bigger 2,000mAh battery that more than doubles the life of Apple's non-removable iPhone 4 battery. Unfortunately, the extra oomph bumps the price from $79.95 to $99.95 and adds another 1mm of bulk to the pack -- not that a minor size bump should matter too much when you're already strapping your svelte phone to a battery sled. It's available now in black with yellow, Engadget Mobile magenta, and classic Engadget cyan coming soon.
Mophie's $80 Juice Pack Air ships to power-hungry iPhone 4 owners
My, how far we've come. Believe it or not, Mophie's Juice Pack pack is in its seventh generation of product development, with the latest 'Air' supporting Apple's polarizing iPhone 4. For those unaware, these cases nearly double the battery life of the phone they're wrapped around, and better still, it acts as protection against drops and dropped calls. Fancy that! This little guy is said to provide up to six extra hours of 3G talk time, 36 hours of bonus audio playback or nine hours of video playback. It's shipping now, just like we said, to those willing to part ways with $79.95, and it's available in any color you want, so long as it's black.
Mili PowerSpring 4 doubles the battery life of your iPhone 4
There's a big difference between the iPhone 4 and Galaxy S. No, not iOS vs. Android 2.1 or even Retina vs. Super AMOLED. We're talking batteries: one is removable and one isn't -- guess which is which? This perennial iPhone "feature" has spawned as entire industry of device-specific accessories that sate the need for more juice while simultaneously killing the form (and aesthetic) of an otherwise pocketable gadget. But hey, it's your only choice when you're either too busy (CES) or unable (intercontinental flights) to tether yourself to a power socket. And guess what? Those curvy battery packs that hugged your iPhone 3G/3GS won't work with the boxy iPhone 4. So, here's the latest, and one of the first iPhone 4 cases with an extended battery pack to ship. The Mili PowerSpring 4 starts shipping today for £54.99 (or $85 on Amazon). It claims to be the world's thinnest iPhone 4 battery pack to double your battery life thanks to a 1600mAh capacity Li-Pol battery. That makes this roadwarrior necessity just a bit less evil.
