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This power pack can charge your iPhone 6 in 15 minutes
We lamented the iPhone 6's battery in our review, but the folks at ibattz have a solution for when Apple's handset loses juice when you need it most. The company says its ASAP Charger's 20-volt, two-amp power pack can fully charge an iPhone 6 within 15 minutes. Think about it this way: That's less time than it'd take to watch an episode of 30 Rock on Netflix. Your typical five-volt, one-amp charger, on the other hand, needs an hour or more to do the same task. The ASAP comes in 5,600mAh and 11,200mAh sizes, but, sadly, the company hasn't said anything yet about pricing or availability. Blerg, indeed.
The iBattz Mojo Refuel attempts to beat Mophie at its own game
If you're not happy with the battery life of your iPhone, you have two options: an external battery booster that you plug in only when you need it, or a battery case that remains strapped to your device and can be activated whenever you need some extra juice. The iBattz Mojo Refuel falls into the latter category, which is pretty thoroughly dominated by Mophie and its Juice Pack line, but the Mojo performs quite admirably and for a significantly cheaper price. Specs Dimensions: 140 x 63 x 15.7 mm Weight: 75 g (2.6 oz.) Capacity: 2200 mAh Price: US$74.95 Design The Mojo Refuel consists of two parts: a back section that houses the battery and features a small LED strip battery indicator, and an outer ring that clips into the back and secures the iPhone in place. There is a single button on the side of the pack that both activates the charging feature and shows how much spare power it has left. The pack itself is a matte, textured plastic that feels great and keeps the device from being slippery, while the outer ring has a glossy finish with small, indented lightning bolts that give grip on the sides. There are cutouts for the power button, volume buttons and sliding lock, as well as a hole for the audio jack. Because of how deep and narrow the audio jack hole is, the unit comes with a long, thin adapter that makes plugging in your headphones a lot easier. When the case is equipped, you can say goodbye to your Apple Lightning cables; the Mojo Refuel recharges using micro-USB, and the pack will recharge the phone itself before charging its battery backup. Functionality Using the Mojo Refuel is pretty straightforward: Once your phone is close to dying, simply pushing the pack's activation button recharges the device. That's it! In my testing, I typically got at least one full recharge out of the device, even during extensive outdoor activity in sub-zero weather. Recharging was relatively quick, though I did experience some issues with getting the device to charge my phone immediately when both the extra battery and the phone were completely dead. The pack had a tendency to just recharge itself when the phone was near death, and required a few re-plugs before it started charging the phone. I couldn't pinpoint a cause, as it all seemed pretty random. The other issue I had was that after about a week of use, the outer ring that secures the iPhone in place developed a bit of a wiggle. A bit of give was noticeable when squeezing the sides of the ring, which didn't affect the functionality of the battery, but might bother some users strictly from a quality standpoint. Conclusion As a spare-battery solution, the iBattz Mojo Refuel is solid. It can be finicky at times, but nothing that leads to long-term frustration. The fit-and-finish was good for the most part, with only the slightly loose outer ring leading to any concern. After several months of use, it might become more of an issue. For about three-fourths the cost of a Mophie case, it's definitely a consideration if you're looking to save a few bucks. Rating: 3 out of a possible 4 stars
IRL: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 and iBattz's iPhone 5s cases
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. We didn't mean for this week's "IRL" to be all about ruggedized products, but hey, these things happen. After the break, Edgar talks about trading his PowerShot D20 for a Panasonic Lumix TS5, while Darren tests out not one, but two cases designed for the iPhone 5s.
iBattz beats Mophie to iPhone 5 charging case, ups the ante using interchangeable i9300 batteries
It's usually a no-brainer -- Mophie exits quickly out of the gate with a battery-equipped case soon after a new iDevice gets announced. This year, however, it appears iBattz is poised to hit it out of the park faster with two of its own iPhone 5 cases. Notably, each case comes packed with two swappable i9300 Li-ion battery packs (the same kind for Samsung's rival Galaxy S III, seriously). The cells are rated at 2,200mAh each, which is notably larger in capacity than the iPhone's roughly 1,400mAh batts. The streamlined Mojo Fuel (pictured) will set you back $90 come February, while argonauts can sang the ruggedized Mojo Armor for $100 in March. The cases charge via microUSB, and an external battery charger will also be included with each. The company has also detailed its waterproof AquaSeal Hi5, featuring a detachable 2,500mAh aluminium battery back -- no further details just yet. We'll be sure to report back if we catch 'em on the show floor here at CES. Find the full press release after the break.
CES 2013: iBattz announces 12,000 mAh BattStation Tough Pro, new iPhone 5 battery cases
Just last week we reviewed some powerful iPhone cases from iBattz, including the Mojo Hi5 Powerbank Case. Now the company, exhibiting at CES 2013 this week, has announced three new iPhone 5 battery cases and a new "über-battery" for keeping your iOS devices fully charged. That latter item (seen above) is the iBattz BattStation Tough Pro 12000 (US$49.90), with a huge 12,000 mAh of power that can charge a single iPhone up to eight times or charge a dead iPad with Retina display. It has a silicone shell to protect the battery from drops and water splashes, perfect for taking on hiking and camping trips. There's no word on whether the BattStation is used to power the Batmobile or Bat-Signal... All joking aside, iBattz also has a stash of iPhone 5 battery packs that will be shipping soon. The Mojo Refuel ($89.90, seen above) comes with two 2200 mAh batteries that can be switched out, and the Mojo Armor ($99.90) adds rugged construction to those two batteries in a dual-material case. The Refuel should hit stores next month, while the Armor is scheduled for March. Finally, iBattz wants to make sure that your iPhone 5 not only gets enough power, but can also survive a dunking. The new AquaSeal Hi5 Powerbank Case for iPhone 5 (price and availability to be announced) is a two part solution -- there's a waterproof case for the iPhone 5 and an attachable 2500 mAh battery.
iBattz Mojo battery cases keep your iPhone 4/4S/5 going strong
It's always nice to see a new player in the iPhone battery case market, especially when the entrant brings something really desirable -- an iPhone 5 battery case -- to the market. That's the situation with iBattz, which has a full line of battery cases to keep your iPhones running and running and ... you get the picture. In this review, I'll take a look at the company's line of cases and then give readers an opportunity to win one of these portable powerhouses. Mojo Hi5 Powerbank Case The case of most interest to our readership is probably the Mojo Hi5 Powerbank Case (US$79.90), which as far as we know is the first battery case for the iPhone 5. It does not carry the "Made For iPhone" certification from Apple, which means that the device would have to meet all of Apple's stringent design and compatibility requirements. As a result, the Mojo Hi5 Powerbank doesn't feature a seamless design with a Lightning connector in the bottom of the unit. Instead, you'll still need to buy one of Apple's Lightning to micro-USB adapters ($19) to connect the included USB to micro-USB cable from the battery pack to the iPhone 5 (note that one is included with the giveaway case). %Gallery-174570% The Mojo Hi5 comes with two polyurethane cases, one black and one white, and an aluminum-encased 2500 mAh battery pack. The cases have three small locking "keyholes" in them that match three little prongs on the back of the battery pack, so you can slide the iPhone 5 on and off quite easily. That's a good thing, since you won't be able to take photos with the iPhone's back camera with the battery pack attached. Unlike Mophie's Juice Pack line of battery cases, this isn't a slide-on case that looks like it's part of the iPhone. Instead, you'll have to carry cables and adapters with you at all times. On the other hand, if you're blasting through a full charge in less than a day on an iPhone 5, this may be your only answer for awhile. Pros Possibly the only iPhone 5 battery case at this time Easy to remove battery pack Cons Requires separate purchase of Apple Lightning to micro-USB adapter Must carry cable and adapter to connect the battery pack and iPhone Does not carry Apple "Made For iPhone" certification Who is is for? iPhone 5 users who can't wait for MFi-certified battery cases to appear on the market Mojo Classic Removable Battery Case for iPhone 4/4S Unlike the Mojo Hi5, the iBattz Mojo Classic Removable Battery Pack for iPhone 4/4S ($79.90) is an all-in-one design and it also bears the MFi blessing from Apple. While the battery pack sports a 1500 mAh rating, you could actually say that it has infinite capacity since you can swap out the standard BP-4L battery pack that's inside the case. If you're planning on a long journey somewhere and won't have a way to recharge, you can stock up on the BP-4L's at about $20 a pop, charge them up before your trip, and then swap 'em out as necessary. %Gallery-174571% The case itself consists of a silver bumper that holds the iPhone 4 or 4S, and the removable battery case that attaches to the bumper and your iPhone. There's a camera hole in the case, so you can easily shoot photos or video. You'll get about another six hours of talk time with the Mojo Classic. Pros "Infinite capacity" through exchangeable BP-4L battery packs Certified as Made For iPhone Fairly lightweight at just 80 grams Cons None to speak of; very well designed and constructed Who is it for? Anyone who needs the ability to swap out battery packs to keep their iPhone 4/4S going for an extended period of time away from power outlets Mojo Armor Removable Battery Case for iPhone 4/4S What's better than a removable battery case for the iPhone 4 and 4S? How about a removable battery case that's designed for excellent protection of your iPhone and comes with not one, but two removable battery packs? That's the iBattz Mojo Armor Removable Battery Case for iPhone 4/4S ($99.90) in a nutshell. %Gallery-174573% It features a pair of 1700 mAh battery packs that can be swapped out, and as with the Mojo Classic, you can buy more to pop into the case for extra iPhone duration. The big difference with the Mojo Armor is the case -- it features a silicon outer cover (available in black, violet, or grey) and a polycarbonate front cover with a built-in screen protector. The back of the case has a clear plastic window for shooting pictures, although we would not recommend taking flash shots since the flash will most likely reflect on that window. The nearest competitor for the Mojo Armor is Mophie's juice pack PRO Outdoor Edition, which features a MIL-STD 810G toughness rating but also comes with a $149.95 price tag and a single non-removable 2500 mAh battery. Pros Comes with a pair of 1700 mAh lithium-ion battery packs "Infinite capacity" through exchangeable battery packs Rugged two-layer construction Reasonable price Certified as Made For iPhone Cons Doesn't have MIL-STD certification for toughness Not listed as water resistant Who is it for? Anyone who needs the unbeatable combination of extra battery life and a rugged case Mojo Vogue Removable Battery Case for iPhone 4/4S As you'd expect with a name like "Vogue", the Mojo Vogue Removable Battery Case for iPhone 4/4S ($89.90) is the good-looking member of the Mojo cases. %Gallery-174572% Like the Mojo Armor, the Vogue comes with a pair of 1700 mAh lithium-ion battery packs that can be swapped out. So what makes the Vogue different? It comes with three exterior shells and a pair of interchangeable bumpers. That provides six different looks for the Mojo Vogue. For example, the Vogue we received for testing has black, red, and blue shells and purple and silver grooved bumpers. Another model comes with pink, purple and white shells with the same color of bumpers. The grooved bumpers provide a nice grip to the case Pros Comes with a pair of 1700 mAh lithium-ion battery packs "Infinite capacity" through exchangeable battery packs Customizable through interchangeable bumpers and shells Certified as Made For iPhone Cons None to speak of Who is it for? Anyone who'd like a variety of case colors and extra battery life Giveaway As with many of the items that we review here on TUAW, we'd like to make sure that our readers get the opportunity to win an iBattz Mojo battery case. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before January 6, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. Four winners will be selected. One will receive an iBattz Mojo Hi5 Powerbank Case valued at $79.90, one will receive an iBattz Mojo Classic Removable Battery Case for iPhone 4/4S valued at $79.90, one will receive an iBattz Mojo Armor Removable Battery Case for iPhone 4/4S valued at $99.90, and one will receive an iBattz Mojo Vogue Removable Battery Case for iPhone 4/4S valued at $89.90 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
