This battery / case about doubles the thickness of your iPhone 3G. It adds a little weight, not really a significant amount. Battery time is just about doubled. I have the black model.
The good - this is an excellent case for the back and sides of your iPhone. It does not protect the screen (use this protector invisibleSHIELD for the Apple iPhone 3G (Front)). The new charge time is impressive, actually a usable phone now. Whatever time you've gotten with your iPhone, this will just about double that time. For me personally, I used to get right around 24 hours until the red light (<20% charge) came on. Now I can go 2 days before the red light. The plastic is very nice, glossy and looks just about like the iPhone body.
The bad - dump your iPhone connector, you will now use one of those micro-USB connectors to charge and connect your iPhone to your computer. No this is not the small USB connector used by digital cameras (you probably have about 50 of these standard cables laying around), this is that new flat connector that is very easy to flip upside down and have no idea you are ruining the connector. It's actually a pain in the rear to use. In addition the connector is recessed pretty deeply into the Mophie case, so some micro-USB connectors won't work. You can sync the phone with this connector.
The mediocre, or of no real consequence. The microphone and speaker are covered up by the bottom of the Mophie. There are slots that redirect the sound (down toward the microphone and out toward you for the speaker). The slots don't change the sound at all. This is a two piece device, the battery is in the bottom 3/4 with a plastic cap on the top 1/4. All the controls are now recessed - so it's not super easy to reach the mute switch. All others are easy to get at.
This is much much better and thinner than the incase version (Incase Power Slider for iPhone 3G - Black (EC20003)). It looks much better than the other Mophies.
There are 4 blue LED's on the back that show how much charge is in the battery. There's also a switch to turn off the battery.
Overall, a good case and a very good battery extender. Given that my iPhone now has a useable charge, I don't mind the extra thickness and weight.
August 3, 2009 Update - Thank you to Esanta for their comment that I originally called the connector a mini-USB. The connector the Mophie uses is in fact a micro-USB connector (I have corrected the review). Still a pain in the rear, and a lot less common than the mini-USB connector. Mophie Juice Pack Air Case and Rechargeable Battery for iPhone 3G, 3GS (Black)
I owned this product (past tense) for one week; purchased at the same time as my new iPhone 3GS. It was so tightly fitted that I had to take it back to the Apple store at one point to get them to pry it off.
This pack *does* increase the battery life of the iPhone, and it *is* pretty well thought out in that regard - power meter on the back, ability to turn the battery on and off with a physical switch (the iPhone will use more energy to keep itself at a full charge than if it's just using battery power, so this actually increases life a bit more), and you never have to take the case off to charge or sync.
Unfortunately, in my experience, it KILLED the signal strength on my phone. In my house, I normally get 3-5 bars, depending on where I'm standing. With this case, it would fluctuate wildly between 1 and 5 bars - even when I wasn't moving around - and it had a tendency to be at 1 or 2 bars most of the time. As the case was too tight to get off, for the first week I had the iPhone, I thought my AT&T reception was just that bad.
The separate cable that some other users have mentioned wasn't too bad in my experience, but this case does preclude the use of any docks you may have - could be more of a hassle for others.
The cost is also a bit on the high side, although if signal isn't ever an issue for you and you tend to be out of power a lot, it might be worth considering.
I purchased the Juice Pack Air at my local Apple store for added battery life for my iPhone 3G. If you're like me, I find I could use a little more batter life during the day.
PROS:
- Slick design, looks like part of the iPhone
- Standby mode is extremely useful - Use battery when needed
- Cutouts are positioned correctly (Camera, volume, ringer silence switch)
- Easy installation
- Can sync while installed (must use micro USB cable)
- Can use the Apple compact wall charger that came with the phone
CONS:
- Uses micro USB charging cable (not standard Apple 20 pin connector)
- Cannot dock iphone with Juice Pack Air installed
- Adds a little bulk and weight
- Limits use of cases/shields (relatively new someone should make a case soon I hope)
I rarely dock my iPhone so this is not a problem for me. If you are a person who dock's their phone regularly in a docking station/iPhone compatible clock radio to charge at night then this item may not be for you. In order to dock your iPhone the juice pack air must be removed.
There are four LED lights on the back with a status button to let you know the charge level of the battery pack. When activated, the Juice Pack Air actually charges your iPhone and the phone will display and chirp that it is charging. When charging and when you place the battery pack in active mode, the iPhone and battery pack get warm on one side.
I have seen some reduction in signal strength in weaker cell signal areas (especially on the edge network) but works well in areas with stronger cell signal. I live in a major metropolitan where you would expect cell service to be exceptional, however at time my iPhone 3G would display searching or no service (strange).
As many of you may have experienced, surfing the Internet or using applications can cause the iPhone to generate heat and I'm not too sure placing an external battery pack on the back will help dissipate the heat.
Overall, it does what it claims. I would have like Mophie to stick with the standard Apple 20 pin connector or provided an adapter for docking the iPhone with the juice pack air installed. Additionally, for those who like a full body skin or protector (like me)it would have been nice to have one included or one available on the mophie website. - External Battery Packs - Iphone Battery - Iphone - External Battery'
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