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| Kensington Mini Battery Extender and Charger for iPod and iPhone 1G, 3G (Black) | 
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| Brand: Kensington
Category: CE
List Price: $49.99
Buy New: $29.99
You Save: $20.00 (40%)
New (23) Used (2) from $20.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  24 reviews
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Fragile: No
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 5.3 x 6 x 1.3
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: K33442US
Model: K33442US
UPC: 085896334422
EAN: 0085896334422
ASIN: B0018DKODQ
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 1-5 of 24 | | NEXT » |
 A must-have for IPhone owners and frequent IPod users November 15, 2008
I own both an iPhone 3G and an iPod Classic. While the Classic holds its charge for a long time, the iPhone's battery can be depleted fairly quickly when I'm using it to retrieve email, run applications, and connect to the internet in addition to talking. When I saw this Kensington battery extender, I knew I had to have it.
The battery was larger than I expected, slightly more than one-third of the length of the iPhone itself. In retrospect, that shouldn't have been a surprise, given that it's an extra battery. Once I got over the disconcerting appendage to my iPhone, I found it invaluable. I keep it charged and carry it with me so I can just plug it into the iPhone, with no interruption to service.
You can charge both the battery and the iPhone together, or you may charge the Kensington separately using a USB port. (You cannot recharge the battery via an electrical outlet.) The charging itself takes a few hours to go from empty to full charge -- too long for new technology, in my opinion -- but the charge it delivers to the iPhone or iPod is immediate. You can operate your device directly from the battery power, or, if you aren't using the iPhone/iPod, you can let the Kensington transfer its charge to the main unit. Although it cannot fully charge the iPhone, any extra battery power is welcome.
The Kensington mini-battery is one of those items that you don't know you need until you have it -- and then you cannot imagine how you did without it.
-- Debbie Lee Wesselmann
 Handy but not very powerful November 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you use your iPhone a lot then you need a battery backup device. I purchased a battery backup that requires a USB cable and it works great, but I was looking for a device that was more compact. The Kensington device is handy because it plugs in directly and takes up little space in your pocket or glove compartment. I was able to attach it without having to remove my phone's protective case. The downside is that it will not completely charge your phone if it is very low. It is great for emergencies but not so great for long games or phone calls. I have not used this device on an iPod, I think it would probably work well on one with low power comsumption.
Must Write - its so good October 30, 2008
I have never reviewed an Amazon product, though I would never purchase an item without reading them. (I know - duh!) I recently purchased the Kensington unit to go with my newly purchased iPhone 3g. It is so useful I must write! I have used it for several weeks. Although I haven't actually timed it, it seems to charge in about the same time to takes to charge my iPhone. I generally plug it in to the iPhone if the phone is between 10 - 20% charge. Within minutes it is up to 75% charge. (in the time it took to write this review it took my iPhone from about 10% to about 80% charge). And in far less than an hour the phone is fully, or nearly fully charged. I can use the iPhone while it is charging. The fact that the Kensington unit uses a mini USB port for its own charging means that I don't have to have the specialty 3g iPhone cord available in order to charge. My camera cord, my old motorola car charger, many cords at my office or friends house, etc. There is always a mini USB cable and a USB charging source. AND you can charge the Kensington and the iPhone at the same time. My wife has the 1g iPhone (BTW, it's cable will not charge the 3g) and she had to buy and keep charging cables everywhere. Office, purse, night table, etc. I can now use pre-existing usb cables :) Because the 3g can be used for so much,it is in use most of the day, so the battery often won't make it thru the day. I charge them both on the night stand at the same time with a mini usb charger. In the morning the Kensington is small enough I drop in my pocket and head out. Appearance and fit are great, although I would not them plugged together in my pocket. Kensington - you did awesome on this one!
Quality Issues Can Be a Concern September 18, 2008
(UPDATED): Kensington finally made good on providing a second battery to replace the defective unit. It took them a month and half to get it to me due to the item being on eternal back order. I can now report that the replacement unit works very well and I am very pleased with the product.
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The Kensington mini battery pack for iPhone is at first glance a nicely designed accessory for iPhone to provide much needed power for the power-hungry iPhone. The battery is sleek and compact and fits well to the phone just as advertised and overall seems to be a decent product.
My final verdict, however, will be determined by the actions of Kensington in how they ultimately resolve the issue that the mini battery pack I purchased is defective. The battery never fully charges even though the power indicator shows a full charge. The instant you plug it into the iPhone the blue indicator light drops to the middle light showing only a 66% charge on the battery. Kensington Tech Support has confirmed that that is not normal and that the battery is defective. They told me they were shipping me a new battery and that it would arrive in 10 to 12 business days. It has now been 15 days and I have not received anything in the mail from them. I have contacted them again and hopefully will get the situation resolved soon. So far they have been very prompt and courteous in every manner, so it is a bit frustrating that they have not fulfilled their promise of delivering a new battery replacement. I will update this post with the final outcome as it unfolds.
To conclude, assuming you pick up a unit that is not defective, it would appear that the mini battery pack lives up to the claims and is indeed a good fit for the iPhone. I still recommend it at this time as I don't think my situation is apparently all that common. Would be interesting to hear if anyone else has had a run in with a defective battery pack.
Butt saving back-up power September 8, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Owning a 3G iPhone is like owning a Ferrari with a two gallon tank. Thankfully, when I'm about to run out of juice at the end of the day, I can plug this compact back-up battery to the phone. Even when attached, the speaker and microphone still work well and you can charge it and the phone at the same time from your USB port. It's not something I use every day, but it's saved my butt on more than one occasion. Until Apple makes a phone with a battery life worthy of it's abundant features, this product is a great solution.
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