Protect Your iPhone 4 and Add Battery Life With A PowerSkin Case
I've dropped enough phones over the years that I'm a big fan of "extreme cases" like the ones that Dave wrote about a few days ago. But if you don't need quite as much protection, and want extra power, you might want to look into the PowerSkin case for the iPhone 4, which the manufacturer recently sent me to try out.
PowerSkin offers a protective flexible case made of 100 percent recycled silicone rubber, but it trades the internal hard plastic shell of extreme cases for an external battery. The outer case is similar to that of the Otterbox and Ballistic cases, but the PowerSkin case doesn't include any covering for the screen; I recommend that you get a separate screen protector. The PowerSkin's case also doesn't overlaps the edge of the screen very much.
The added power is definitely nice, though. The manufacturer says that the 1500mAh apple battery can provide up to 480 hours of talk time and 350 hours on standby beyond the phone's built-in capacity.
The case allows for both charging and syncing with the provided cable. There are LEDs on the bottom of the case that show the Dell Inspiron 1100 battery's status. Not surprisingly, charging time is increased because it's necessary to charge both the phone itself and the external battery. The case charges the internal phone battery first, then the external battery, which makes sense if you don't have time to give both batteries a full charge. But once both are charged, of course, you'll have access to a lot more phone time.
Not surprisingly, the whole assemblage is thicker (0.77 inches) and heavier (around 3 oz.) than most cases, although it's still pretty comfortable to hold and use. Brand new Dell Inspiron 8600 Battery for Dell Inspiron 8600 laptop.
If you need the extra battery capacity, and are willing to live with slightly less protection for your iPhone 4, the PowerSkin is worth looking into. Models for HTC, Samsung and Motorola phones are also available. At present, the manufacturer's web store is offline, but it is selling its products through a number online retailers; prices vary.
Battery Tips for Laptop Battery:
Your new Laptop Battery comes in a discharged condition and must be charged before use (refer to your computer manual for charging instructions). Upon initial use (or after a prolonged storage period) the battery may require two to three charge/discharge cycles before achieving maximum capacity. When charging Laptop Battery for the first time your computer may indicate that charging is complete after just 10 or 15 minutes. This is a normal phenomenon with rechargeable batteries. Simply remove the battery from the computer and repeat the charging procedure. It is important to condition (fully discharge and then fully charge) Laptop Battery every two to three weeks. Failure to do so may significantly shorten the battery's life (this does not apply to Li-ion batteries, which do not require conditioning). To discharge, simply run your device under the battery's power until it shuts down or until you get a low battery warning. Then recharge the battery as instructed in your user's manual. If Laptop Battery will not be in use for a month or longer, it is recommended that it be removed from the device and stored in a cool, dry, clean place. It is normal for Laptop Battery to become warm during charging and discharging. A charged Laptop Battery will eventually lose its charge if unused. It may therefore be necessary to recharge the battery after a storage period.
PowerSkin offers a protective flexible case made of 100 percent recycled silicone rubber, but it trades the internal hard plastic shell of extreme cases for an external battery. The outer case is similar to that of the Otterbox and Ballistic cases, but the PowerSkin case doesn't include any covering for the screen; I recommend that you get a separate screen protector. The PowerSkin's case also doesn't overlaps the edge of the screen very much.
The added power is definitely nice, though. The manufacturer says that the 1500mAh apple battery can provide up to 480 hours of talk time and 350 hours on standby beyond the phone's built-in capacity.
The case allows for both charging and syncing with the provided cable. There are LEDs on the bottom of the case that show the Dell Inspiron 1100 battery's status. Not surprisingly, charging time is increased because it's necessary to charge both the phone itself and the external battery. The case charges the internal phone battery first, then the external battery, which makes sense if you don't have time to give both batteries a full charge. But once both are charged, of course, you'll have access to a lot more phone time.
Not surprisingly, the whole assemblage is thicker (0.77 inches) and heavier (around 3 oz.) than most cases, although it's still pretty comfortable to hold and use. Brand new Dell Inspiron 8600 Battery for Dell Inspiron 8600 laptop.
If you need the extra battery capacity, and are willing to live with slightly less protection for your iPhone 4, the PowerSkin is worth looking into. Models for HTC, Samsung and Motorola phones are also available. At present, the manufacturer's web store is offline, but it is selling its products through a number online retailers; prices vary.
Battery Tips for Laptop Battery:
Your new Laptop Battery comes in a discharged condition and must be charged before use (refer to your computer manual for charging instructions). Upon initial use (or after a prolonged storage period) the battery may require two to three charge/discharge cycles before achieving maximum capacity. When charging Laptop Battery for the first time your computer may indicate that charging is complete after just 10 or 15 minutes. This is a normal phenomenon with rechargeable batteries. Simply remove the battery from the computer and repeat the charging procedure. It is important to condition (fully discharge and then fully charge) Laptop Battery every two to three weeks. Failure to do so may significantly shorten the battery's life (this does not apply to Li-ion batteries, which do not require conditioning). To discharge, simply run your device under the battery's power until it shuts down or until you get a low battery warning. Then recharge the battery as instructed in your user's manual. If Laptop Battery will not be in use for a month or longer, it is recommended that it be removed from the device and stored in a cool, dry, clean place. It is normal for Laptop Battery to become warm during charging and discharging. A charged Laptop Battery will eventually lose its charge if unused. It may therefore be necessary to recharge the battery after a storage period.
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