Accessories

iON Mobile Power Bank: Backup Battery for iPhone [Video Review]

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iON Mobile Power Bank

The iON Universal Mobile Power Bank by FSP Group is a credit-card sized rechargeable portable backup battery for iPhone and other devices.

FSP Group sent me an iON Mobile Power Bank a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve had the opportunity to test it out briefly with my iPhone 3G S.

Contents

The iON Universal Mobile Power Bank is $29.99 as of this writing. You can purchase it at the FSP direct site. For the price, you get:

  • The USB-powered iON Mobile Power Bank
  • 2 adapters — one for charging your iPhone or iPod Touch and the other for other USB-powered devices
  • A carrying pouch with two compartments — one for the battery and one for the cables

iON Mobile Power Bank contents

Watch my video review of the iON Universal Mobile Power Bank below:

Overview

Pros

  • It’s portable. You can extend your iPhone battery life anywhere you go.
  • It’s small. It’s about the size of a credit card and weighs only 50g.
  • It provides several additional hours of battery life to your iPhone – depending on how you use it
  • It’s got a nifty carrying pouch with two compartments for the battery and cables.

Cons

  • When the Power Bank is plugged in via USB, the charging indicator lights are on the underside of the device when it’s laid flat. In the future, could the USB input and the charging indicator lights be placed on the top of the device?
    Update: FSP Group has informed me that they have resolved this issue for the next edition of the iON battery: “We have modified the design for the 2nd generation iON power pack, and it’s now facing up after plugging in to the laptop USB hub to charge.”
  • The adapter and cable are a bit bulky. Could they be simplified so as not to take up so much pocket space?
  • The adapter head is made of plastic. Could it be made of metal like the iPhone adapter?

Additional Power Specs

According to FSP Group, this is how much power you can expect to get out of your iPhone, iPhone 3G and other devices (image below). The battery extension for the 3G S is not specified, however this review is based on using the iON Mobile Power Bank with my iPhone 3G S.

Addition power provided by iON Mobile Power Bank

I hope my readers and FSP group will benefit from this review. These are just my initial impressions of the iON Mobile Power Bank, so please share YOUR experience with this or any other iPhone backup battery in the comments.


iON MOBILE POWER BANK FOR iPHONE

Buy on Amazon: FSP iON C2200 PB4 Power Pack
Manufacturer: FSP Group

Pogo Stylus for iPhone: Great for Winter

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Pogo Stylus

I thought I’d resurface this Pogo Stylus video review I did about a year ago because I’ve found the stylus to be particularly handy lately, since we’ve had some cold days in Gainesville, Florida where I live.

It can be really frustrating to not be able to use your iPhone with gloves on, so I’ve been carrying my Pogo Stylus around in my pocket. Works like a charm.

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Griffin iTrip AutoPilot: FM Transmitter for iPhone [Review]

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Griffin FM Transmitter for iPhone

I was really excited to receive Griffin’s first iPhone FM transmitter in the mail because up until a few months ago I had no way to listen to my music on the road… except by burning CDs, and who does that anymore?

I first used the Griffin FM transmitter while traveling down from north Florida to Miami, a six-hour drive. I was in the passenger seat so I had a chance to mess around with all the controls and devote my full attention to it.

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$1 Headphone Adapter for iPhone

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I’ve just reviewed the iMetal Isolation Headset for iPhone, a pair of iPhone earphones I enjoyed. But good sound quality and iPhone-compatibility come at a price. In the case of the iMetal headset, $70.

Cheap iPhone headphone adapter

If you’ve already got a pair of headphones you like, but which are not iPhone-compatible because they don’t reach into the iPhone’s recessed headphone input, then you might be better off getting a cable adapter instead of new headphones.

I’ve reviewed Griffin’s iPhone headphone adapter, a product I recommend, but I read in a MacRumors forum thread today that you can get an iPhone headphone adapter for dirt cheap. I’m sure this is one of the cheapest iPhone headphone adapters out there: for $1 at MonoPrice.com.

I haven’t tested this adapter, but if you need one, what have you got to lose? That is, except for $1.


HEADPHONE ADAPTER CABLE – 3.5 INCH

Buy on MonoPrice: iPhone Headphone Adapter Cable

iMetal Isolation Headset for iPhone [Review]

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iMetal Isolation Headset for iPhone

I’m listening to The Beatles’ Abbey Road on my iPhone right now, but I’m enjoying it more than usual because I’m using the iMetal Isolation Headset for iPhone that Maximo sent me.

I have to be honest: I’m not the best judge of these earphones because I’ve never owned an isolation headset before. I’d only briefly listened to isolation headphones one other time before first trying the Maximo ones a week ago.

But I can honestly say when listening to these vs. listening to Apple’s $30 white ear buds, that it’s instantly clear that the iMetal headset puts out a more full, encapsulating sound than do the white ear buds.

The iMetal headset has a more bass-prominent sound, and you hear small details in music that you might have missed while you used lower-end ear buds. But is the Maximo headset worth $70?

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