Comments on: Tip o’ the Week: iPhone Power

By: Joel

Joel — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:51:28 +0000

The Duracell Mobile Charger, in spite of saying that it will charge devices which charge over USB, will not charge an iPhone 3G.

By: scottb

scottb — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:54:54 +0000

OJ’s iPhone is bigger than my Newtons! Wait, did that sound bad?

By: iphone miser

iphone miser — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:14:07 +0000

i turn on airplane mode if i’m using apps that don’t require internet (like most games). also turn on airplane mode if i’m in a spot i know has no reception for extended periods of time like the subway.

By: firesign

firesign — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:05:46 +0000

also, turn off wifi if you don’t need it.

By: Ian

Ian — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:44:59 +0000

Disabling the GPS/location gives me the biggest boost to battery life.

By: Raphael Pungin

Raphael Pungin — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:39:49 +0000

I ordered this AA battery charger, but have not tried it yet: http://www.thepocketsolution.com/PSI-45407/3g+iPhone+AA+Battery+Booster.html

By: Dalekkiller

Dalekkiller — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:37:27 +0000

I’ve got a few external battery packs. The most convenient one is the iPhone Power Station from dealextreme as it’s small enough for me to have 2 in a side pocket of my gadget bag. As it plugs straight into the bottom of the iphone without any need for connecting wires it means I can use my slightly elongated iphone easily.

By: Stan Shire

Stan Shire — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:05:41 +0000

The Kensington Battery Pack and Charger is smaller and lighter than the iPhone, can completely recharge the iPhone or add 4hrs talk and 100hrs of music. I’ve replaced my Duracell Charger with this because the Duracell was too heavy. Additionally, this is a charger (one less thing to carry on trips).

By: Charles

Charles — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:01:24 +0000

I would suggest the Duracell Mobile Charger. It is designed to:

Charge AA and AAA NiMH batteries from the wall, or the cigarette lighter of an automobile.
Provide a USB-out charging capability, powered by the wall, the cigarette lighter, or NiMH batteries.

The official word is that you should only use NiMH batteries, but that is oriented around charging. In a pinch, I've used non-rechargables in a pinch to charge my phone.

I used it successfully with my iPhone, as well as a Garmin GPS-based cycle computer. The fact that it is USB out means it can afford this flexibility. I also like that it offers several choices. I refer to it as the "uber-charger," as it offers several options for several devices.

Details at http://www.duracell.com/precharged/

By: cherryhead25

cherryhead25 — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:59:24 +0000

You guys should do a smackdown on external power. Morphine has a cool looking one out for 3g now and I’ve seen some others. I’d even consider buying one of those 9-volt chargers if I knew it wouldnt jack up my phone.