Monoprice iPhone/iPod Battery Backup: Such a deal

I have the 2400 mAh capacity Lenmar PPU2100B kit that I purchased from my local Fry's Electronics for $39.99 years ago for my Treo 650. Nowadays I use it with my 3gs. You can get it for $30 incl. shipping online.

The iPhone adapter cable connector it came with initially charged my 3gs without complaints but then it eventually stopped. Undaunted, I turned to using Apple's iPhone cable and somehow that workaround allows me to charge my 3gs from totally dead to 100%. That additional 3-5 hours of power can make a difference -- except for the part where I now have to recharge it.

I am so going to get that 5000 mAh battery pack (Sanyo Eneloop KBC-L2 battery pack for $40-$50 w/shipping) and then I'll be set!

I bought the musicPower Encore 2-in-1 USB/AC/Battery but have no idea what the mAh capacity is. For $16 (geeks.com) w/shipping, it'll temporarily supplement my Lenmar until my Sanyo Eneloop arrives!

Thing doesn't work at all. Oh, the pretty blue lights come on, and sometimes they flash, but it's no good for charging an iPhone. Waste of money.

As a Monoprice customer, I love their product. They do great cables and basic products.
When it comes to more complicated products, I think the quality goes down...

In my opinion, this product is overrated.
This is a quick and comprehensive review of 3 units I ordered at the beginning of March 2010.

I am a road warrior always on the move, I had to cope with the bad battery of the iPhone 3GS in heavy usage (phone/GPS/data/mail…).
After seeing on TUAW the excellent review of this product I decided to purchase 3 of them to be sure to have always a way to power my iPhone.

First impression : Pretty good !
- the product is well build, with good quality plastic, and is lighter than I expected.
- there is a little cap to protect the dock connector but it's loose and I already lost 2 of them.
- It is written "Li-Polymer battery" on the box whereas Monoprice says "Li-Ion" - strange to me...
- The bright LED can be turned off, great because they are very bright.
- Docks itself very properly on the Apple universal dock.
- NO USB DATA pass through : this prevent to sync the iPhone on the computer with the Monoprice battery attached to it (and recharging), huge disadvantage for me.

Second impression : great deception !
- After reading almost all the review on Monoprice, I figured out that the device had to charge for at least 24h for the first charge.
I also discovered that they were some defective units out there that wouldn't charge properly. I hopped I had good ones.
- The Monoprice battery could charge my iPhone from 20% to 75% in a quick time while using 3/4 of its capacity. After that, it stopped charging the iPhone (the iPhone doesn't "beep" when connected to the battery) and the iPhone didn't display a "charging" icon. I tried to restart the iPhone. I tried with other iPhones (2G, 3G and 3GS). But still, I had 1 bar of battery remaining and couldn't charge anything with it. I fully recharged the battery anew and same thing occurred. I could only charge my iPhone from 15% to 80% with the battery (while not using the iPhone at the same time). I unpacked the 2 other battery pack with pretty much the same results. Very deceiving. I once charged the iPhone while used it, and after a while battery percentage started to go down. The Monoprice battery pack can simply not supply enough power.
- Therefore, I ENVY SO MUCH the persons who say in review that they can charge 2 times and a half they iPhone… In that case, that worth it. I my case, it's useless and I cannot rely on this battery.

Third impression : can be improved !
- You have to be aware that this battery will only charge over "USB". It won't charge with old Firewire charger. In my two cars, I have old iPod system to connect to the radio but the power is only via the FireWire pin (like first iPhone and previous iPod). In that case the Monoprice battery is useless as it won't charge neither its battery, nor the iPhone.
- That would have been a great solution to make it as a "Griffin Charge converter" (http://www.amazon.com/Griffin-Charge-Converter-Adapter-iPhones/dp/B001OI2VGI), doubled with a battery : too sad.
- No sound / control pass through : this Monoprice battery unit doesn't allow the sound to output via the dock connector. Its a shame when I wanted to output the sound on my car radio while charging my iPhone with it, or when I simply wanted to dock my iPhone on a stereo system with dock (that doesn't provide power) and do not have sufficient battery.
- The dock connector of the battery could be more in plane with the iPhone when it is on a table face up instead of being in plane when the screen is face down (not useful to type).


Conclusion :
- I wish I had proper units. But with a number of 3 purchased and 3 defective (I assume they are defective regarding the other reviews)
- I think it is a bigger problem than simply a bad production batch (bad design or low manufacturing quality).
- USB pass-through should be standard
- I would pay more (up to 25 USD) for a units of better quality that would provide the improvements that I mentioned.

Can someone email me if they understand how the lights work on this thing...I understand you can shut the lights off but does that defeat the charging?
I also don't understand when it's fully charged what it reads or anything about it.

it's rather confusing to me as it didn't come with any documentation at all.

stvp2000@yahoo.com

thanks in advance!!!

Check out this gizmo, I just submitted it to TUAW:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LWZ4BG

I own one after previously owning (and breaking) the Richard Solo portable charger. Connect the iPhone to your own USB sync cable, press the charge button and it charges your iPhone pretty quickly. The battery is a 3.7V/5000mAh lithium ion battery, and I've recharged my iPhone from below 20% 3 times in a single day and it kept going.

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Try this one instead:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5750793&findingMethod=rr

I’ve had it for a year. It has a lithium polymer battery. The whole thing is about the size of a modern LG or Samsung flip phone. The 110 outlet prong hinges so it tucks flat and fits nicely into a backpack or laptop case or a pocket.

It plugs into the wall to charge, it has colored LEDs to indicate charge state, and if you're charging devices on battery, hit the button and it will show how much juice it has left. It has 2 USB ports so you can charge anything that has a USB cable.
Frankly, I have the $50 Brookstone battery, and the design of most of the battery attachments makes me feel like the battery is going to snap off, leaving a broken connector stuck in my iPhone, and the Brookstone battery has less juice than the Music Power Encore.
I just put a cable on the phone, and put the battery in your pocket, and it will charge the phone at least twice before the battery needs a charge. It’s $16.88, and it’s available at most Walmart stores. It got me from Atlanta to Taipei, 26 hours in the air and waiting in airports. And the battery is LiPoly, so it weighs very little. In fact, the battery is very much like a cordless phone battery and is replaceable, though I bet a replacement would likely cost more than $17.

Sanyo Eneloop KBC-L2 battery pack
Costco for $24.97 (Item# 339891)
5000 mAh

Best money you'll ever spend. Standard USB ports and very well built.

BTW, you can find these things for bunches @ dealextreme.com

I burned two iphones with external batteries like that (not this brand though). You have been warned.