The Jolly Gamesman and His Many Toys
Mophie Juice Pack Air
Protection and performance are two very important issues when it comes to an iPhone. With such a high price tag, you want to have a case that could potentially absorb the death blow to your device. Also, with all the fun things the iPhone can do, you want to make sure it will last a day of movies, music and games.
The Juice Pack Air by Mophie helps with both.
A point of contention with a lot of iPhone owners is having a case that takes away from the svelteness of the device in their pockets. Seeing as it has a battery built into its bottom, the Juice Pack Air does makes your iPhone bulkier and heavier, so you really need to decide if the bump in time afforded to you is worth the bump in size. Also, it will protect the back and sides of your iPhone but it has nothing to protect the front screen.
The case comes in two pieces, and your iPhone slides into the bottom of the device, where the battery is stored, and snaps into place with the top housing. While this helps keep the unit together, it does make it pretty difficult to remove the two from each other. Luckily, you don’t need to remove the iPhone from the Juice Pack Air to have it communicate with your computer.
On the back of the case are a button and four blue LED indicators showing the Juice Pack Air’s current charge. Going from 0 to 65% battery at the flick of a switch will be a boon for heavy-duty iPhone users. You can rock your music for 20 hours longer, watch 6 more hours of video and talk for an additional 4.5 hours.
Using the included Micro-USB cable, you can charge and sync your device just as you would with the dock connector that came with your phone. It does take longer to charge your phone with the case on, as it charges both the case and iPhone at the same time. Unfortunately, the Micro-USB connector is not as common as the Mini-USB connector found on most digital cameras and bluetooth headsets, so if you lose the cable, it’s going to be very inconvenient to purchase a replacement for just one device.
After a few weeks of use, I find that I am using the Juice Pack Air with the top off. This lets me leave it in my bag while keeping the phone in my pocket, only connecting the two if I find I have used more battery during the day than I had intended.
Anyone with a commute or a constant talker will definitely benefit from this device. If you are more concerned about the look and feel of your phone, you may want to find another solution.
~The Fine Print~
Available for the iPhone 3G and 3GS in black, white, purple and red
Priced at $99.95 at publish date
