Related
Pictures are ordered chronologically
This is the 3600 mAh Mugen Power extended battery for the SE Xperia X1
Battery Test Coming Soon
Part 0 – Shipment and Delivery
The package came in bubble wrap envelope.
Pre-ordered it before May 1 release date, and the battery dispatched May 1.
No tracking number provided. Received it May 11, 2009.
The shipping distance is from the Netherlands to the California of the US of A.
Signature confirmation required, so you don’t call the company and lie to them that you didn’t fraudulently ask them to send you a replacement. I was seriously considering about doing this because they didn’t tell me about signature confirmation, and they didn’t give me delivery confirmation.
BTW, I have complained to eBay sellers before that I haven’t received item, and I received second helpings.
Part 1 - X1 3MP Captures
01 – Front Packaging
For 100 dollars + free shipping you get the worst packaging ever from such a “well respected” 3rd party battery maker. At least they awkwardly put some foam/padding inside the package.
02 – Back Packaging
The back packaging is also nothing special, but it’s so cheap. But the good (or maybe bad) part is that they didn’t fuse the back and front seams together like most companies do for these types of packages. This makes it so easy to open the package without damaging. There isn’t even tape to seal it up. Just open it up like a bag of chips.
03 – Model Number
Model NO. HLI-BST41XL
04 – Major Disappointment
Please read the text in this picture. It’s very important if you own this battery. Anyways, I don’t know who to be mad at… should I be mad at Sony/HTC or should I be mad at Mugen? Seriously…is this inevitable? Can anyone tell me?
05 – Easy to Open
See, you can open this with no hassle, unlike other packaging. There will be no damages to the package, and scissors are not required unless you are a kindergartner, a noob, or a drunk.
06 – Unimportant Picture
No comments
07 – Suggestions
No comments
08 - Warnings
No comments
09 - Terrible Warranty Sticker
The warranty message is apparently a sticker with misaligned text. Mugen doesn’t really care about packaging; I tell you that.
10 - Front of Reflective Plastic Cover and Battery
There is a transparent cover/sticker on the front of the battery cover. I took the sticky cover off and the plastic cover is like a mirror but it’s plastic! The typo is still on the battery; it looks exactly like the commercial stock image with the same typo. Way to go Mugen, you’re almost like a Chinese replica phone manufacturer.
11 - Back of Reflective Plastic Cover and Battery.
The plastic feels cheap and looks cheap, especially the interior.
12 - Battery Still Has Typo
I have already covered this dissapointment in a previous photo.
13 - Do Not Do This to Battery
No comments
Part 2 - Canon 7MP Captures
14 - Good Quality Picture of Battery
Look at the bottom, you see that long slit? Guess what it is…it’s electrical tape (I think, correct me if I am wrong). It reminds me of those cheap generic batteries.
15 - Electrical Tape on the Bottom
This is how the tape looks at the bottom of the battery. It looks like it’s going to peel off on its own. Can someone explain to me why this is necessary? Should I peel it off?
16 - Electrical Tape on the Top
This is how the tape looks at the top of the battery. No other comment, but please answer my question from photo 15.
17 - Phone Starting Up With New Battery
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18 - Nice Reflection A
If you don’t have a mirror screen protector installed on your phone, you can install this extended battery cover to use as a mirror alternative.
19 - Nice Reflection B
No comments
20 - Shiny Corner
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21 - Battery Cover Sucks
The battery cover does not fit perfectly.
22 - Battery Cover Off
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23 - Just Learned That The Chrome Finish of My Phone Is Plastic and Peels Off
Off topic but while I took these pictures, I encountered another disappointment. This time I am disappointed with the Sony Ericsson’s build quality. I always thought that the chrome finish of the Xperia X1 was metal. It’s actually plastic and I just peeled a chunk of it off. Prior to this I thought that the raised bump that used to be there was a minor product defect. I thought that because metal was malleable, maybe it had to bend up a bit. But I am wrong, the chrome is made of cheap plastic. However, the Sony Xperia still has the best build quality compared to most phones that I have ever touched.
24 - So That You Can See
If you can’t see it, here is the square box that will help you locate the damage.
Also, I do not have an image prior to the peeling off of the chrome. And I lost the little piece that broke off.
Part 3 - X1 3MP Captures
25 - Pointless Mugen Screenshot
Why do they even have this picture? Are we so stupid that we don’t know what full charge is? Or are stupid to think that most people are this stupid? Or are they smart that they know most of us are stupid?
26 – Operating Instructions
No comments
27 - Operating Instructions Zoomed Out
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So How Much Thicker Is The Battery?
Take the OEM battery cover off of the X1
Try this at home, take the OEM battery out of your X1.
Put the OEM battery cover back on the X1
Put the OEM battery on top of the battery cover.
This is exactly how thick the Mugen battery is on your X1.
How Does It Affect Pocket Space?
My phone has become as thick as my wallet, but I am easy going guy when it comes to pocket space. Besides, I hang my keys on my pants with a bolt snap.
Here is my configuration:
1) phone always to the left of myself [left pocket]
2) wallet always to the right of myself [right pocket]
3) keys hanging on waistline to they can jangle and annoy people while I am walking
4) garage door opener always held on my left hand
How Does It Affect My Small Hands?
Weight:
Not too noticeable…
Keyboard Typing:
Typing has become much easier. Well at first, I thought it ruined my typing Xperience, but that’s because I got used to typing on a thin keyboard. Anyways I learned that it took 5 minutes of practice to get used to a thick keyboard and it took me like 5 days of practice to get used to a thin keyboard. This could also be because my prior Xperience with the X1 keyboard has gotten me so pro at typing that I can adapt to any modifications even faster. Whatever, your opinion on this is based on yourself. I think it is because I like something to “handle” while I am typing. Typing on the previously thin keyboard is like typing on paper. Seriously.
Portrait Handling:
I have small hands for a male but I am telling you, wow holding this thicker device is satisfying! I feel like I have a grip and if someone tackled me, I would still be holding on to the phone.
I didn’t feel comfortable using my stylus on the thick device though. Do you know why I don’t favor the grip this time? It is the relatively. Suddenly the stylus loss weight, and I can’t balance myself with the phone.
Landscape Handling:
I’ve already explained typing on the keyboard. But in regards to holding, I felt more comfortable in portrait mode, and holding it to watch YouTube isn’t as fun, but holding it to type is better.
The Cool Thing About The Extended Battery?
Wow, this is a bonus. The battery is shaped in a way that the phone can stand up in landscape mode! It can stand up while the keyboard is out and while the keyboard is in!
Works best on a flat surface.
More Pictures:
Aesthetics:
Aside from the noticeable imperfect fit, the cover looks very nice but it doesn’t beat the OEM cover.
The mirror capabilities of the cover is great.
Quality:
Battery cover feels cheap.
Packaging is one of the worst of all time for something that should cost 100 dollars.
Bad typo, low quality instructions, low quality packaging, and misaligned text.
Battery cover doesn’t fit perfectly; meaning there are noticeable gaps, but it still attached to the device 100%.
The charge quality is overkill, everything I do lasts 3 times longer...tired of running out battery after watching 2-3 movies? Now you can watch 6-9 movies!
Pros:
You can use the battery cover as a mirror to look at your face and under a chicks skirt…etc.
Battery cover easy to remove, unlike the OEM cover
It doesn’t feel like falling off but you notice gaps between device and attached battery cover
Extended battery cover can be used like a kick stand, landscape cradle
Improves my keyboard typing and makes it more comfortable
Feels comfortable while talking on the phone
Cons:
Mirror smudges
Battery cover too easy to remove, unlike the OEM cover
Sony Errison typo
Imperfect Fit [but it still attaches completely]
Incompatible device drivers or hardware for battery = inaccurate capacity measurement
Extra weight, extra bulk
Too expensive for build and packaging quality
The Xperia can not recognize the actual amount of remaining battery.
Verdict [w/o Duration Test]:
I don’t suggest you buy this battery. But since my phone can now stand on landscape mode, I will keep the battery.
Verdict [w/ Duration Test]:
The battery lasts really really long, actually it plays mp3 for more than 8 hours non-stop...imagine how long it will last in standby mode... I suggest you buy this if you don't care about any of the cons, but a major flaw is that it is impossible to determine how much charge you have left in your battery.
This is a very nice review. I am still reading. Thank you for spending time for doing this.
Cheers
So far, the battery doesn't last any longer than the normal 1500 mAh. A big let down. The packaging did say that I need to charge and disrcharge 5 times to reach full capacity. I will do that and see if it this extends battery life.
Using the 3600 so far drains as fast as the OEM.
Also, the four illuminations lights instructions doesn't seem accurate. For some reason when I charge my phone with the battery, 3 of the lights flash at the same time and than one loner light flashes after it. This is the sequence of light illumination that I see. But this loner light is always the upper left light located near the start menu.
UPDATES will be included in the first 3 postings, soon.
poetryrocksalot said:
So far, the battery doesn't last any longer than the normal 1500 mAh. A big let down. The packaging did say that I need to charge and disrcharge 5 times to reach full capacity. I will do that and see if it this extends battery life.
Using the 3600 so far drains as fast as the OEM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
maybe that's the driver thing... did you try to let it discharge to 0% and see if the phone continues to operate?
anyways... to thick for my taste, the back cover is horrible (looks a bit better with the silver phone... but with the black one...) and holy ****, how could they release this with the "Erisson" XD
cursor said:
maybe that's the driver thing... did you try to let it discharge to 0% and see if the phone continues to operate?
anyways... to thick for my taste, the back cover is horrible (looks a bit better with the silver phone... but with the black one...) and holy ****, how could they release this with the "Erisson" XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The battery came pre-charged at 50%. I charged it to max, and now I am using it until it reaches 0. The cover looks quite nice on my silver Xperia.
BTW, black Xperia sucks...the black oem battery cover peels off "paint" I think. This problem doesn't exist for the silver oem battery cover. I assuming that the black Xperia's are basically coated with fine black paint.
People should have gotten the silver one.
Also what I meant by "the battery doesn't last any longer" I mean the battery drains just as fast. The amount of time it took me to drain the battery by 30% feels the same on both batteries. So if it takes 5 hours to drain 30% on the small battery, it also takes 5 hours to drain 30% on the extended battery. I haven't ran out of battery on the extended battery yet. I am sorry for the confusion.
UPDATES will be included in the first 3 postings, soon.
i disagree with the black xperia sucking
imo it looks much better tho the paint does come off but untill it gets very bad , it looks miles better than the silver
Very nice review and pictures, thank you.
I too have just received the extended battery... the fit is perfect in my case... if fit does not relate to size that is
It is a bulky unit, and the verdict is still out on the usability factor vs. the extra size, weight and different case that you'd need to use with it [I am not a pocket phone guy).
I had previously loaded the 1% battery increment hack; I wonder if the updated dll may track the capacity better than the stock rom's or not... it is too early to see.
Will post back after a few days usage experience.
SO you were saying that the xperia housing wasnt cheap at all an already it peel off...jajaj
Sorry i couldt resist it...
I have the same issue...
So happy not been the only one...
vagelis said:
Very nice review and pictures, thank you.
I too have just received the extended battery... the fit is perfect in my case... if fit does not relate to size that is
It is a bulky unit, and the verdict is still out on the usability factor vs. the extra size, weight and different case that you'd need to use with it [I am not a pocket phone guy).
I had previously loaded the 1% battery increment hack; I wonder if the updated dll may track the capacity better than the stock rom's or not... it is too early to see.
Will post back after a few days usage experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't installed the 1% battery, I usually wait 1-3 months for bugs to clear up before I start installing something new.
I agree with the "size" doesn't matter.
One question though, what do you mean it fits perfectly? Does your battery have a gap between battery cover and the device? If you look at picture 21, There is a noticeable gap between the new cover and the device. It still holds on to the phone but dust and moisture can get into the battery more easily
Fulgore69 said:
SO you were saying that the xperia housing wasnt cheap at all an already it peel off...jajaj
Sorry i couldt resist it...
I have the same issue...
So happy not been the only one...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're evil to be happy that someone else have the same problem.
I tell you what, if I have aids, it'll calm me down if you did too. XD
poetryrocksalot said:
I haven't installed the 1% battery, I usually wait 1-3 months for bugs to clear up before I start installing something new.
I agree with the "size" doesn't matter.
One question though, what do you mean it fits perfectly? Does your battery have a gap between battery cover and the device? If you look at picture 21, There is a noticeable gap between the new cover and the device. It still holds on to the phone but dust and moisture can get into the battery more easily
You're evil to be happy that someone else have the same problem.
I tell you what, if I have aids, it'll calm me down if you did too. XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw your pictures, and yes I *do not* have the gap you have on the side the plastic cover meets the casing close to the SE logo. The plastic cover meets the edge of the phone case more smoothly than the pics you posted.
I have had my phone shipped to SE twice for the famus cracking problem, and the first time I received it back that plastic backing (of the phone) was not fully aligned even witht he metal cover...I had to press the plastic cover until it 'clipped' back in place. I am not saying that your issue is on the phone side, but it is somewhere...
Perhaps mugen's shipped you an early run of the plastic top....
i notice a few comments about sonys build quality...remember that this was built by HTC... i think sony was as dissappointed as we are and theyve given them the boot. rightly so.
i wonder if this is two "normal" batterys strapped together internally?? lol. it wouldnt be the first time a company has done this. from the thickness and the construction i wouldnt be surprised. and from the way the battery drains this seems to support this. that would explain why it drains at the same rate as a normal battery. youll probably get to near zero and then youll have many more hours before it runs out because then its draining the second battery. hopefully your update when youve completely drained the battery will shed more light on this.
whats different about the charging illumination? mine has always flashed three then a single one. and from what i can tell this is the standard. charging sequence.
thanks for the extensive review, it was very helpful.
anothadave said:
i wonder if this is two "normal" batterys strapped together internally?? lol. it wouldnt be the first time a company has done this. from the thickness and the construction i wouldnt be surprised. and from the way the battery drains this seems to support this. that would explain why it drains at the same rate as a normal battery ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would not think that this in the case, as the stock battery is 1500mAh, and the Mugen is 3600mAh... the battery drain is always proportional to the applied load, so, given the extra capacity and the same load (the x1) you will have a longer runtime. The only issue is, the bios will not be able to 'read' the additional capacity, as it is not calibrated for it.
We expect overall performance of the battery to be somewhere in the middle, i.e. about 2/3 of the nominal 3600mAh capacity...as xda devs have always given us new things to play with, there even might be an updated battery.dll or calibration configuration we'd eventually be able to test with it.
anothadave said:
i notice a few comments about sonys build quality...remember that this was built by HTC... i think sony was as dissappointed as we are and theyve given them the boot. rightly so.
i wonder if this is two "normal" batterys strapped together internally?? lol. it wouldnt be the first time a company has done this. from the thickness and the construction i wouldnt be surprised. and from the way the battery drains this seems to support this. that would explain why it drains at the same rate as a normal battery. youll probably get to near zero and then youll have many more hours before it runs out because then its draining the second battery. hopefully your update when youve completely drained the battery will shed more light on this.
whats different about the charging illumination? mine has always flashed three then a single one. and from what i can tell this is the standard. charging sequence.
thanks for the extensive review, it was very helpful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly! Mine flashes three at the same time, and then 1 flashes alone. However, the instruction says that the flashing pattern rotates, but don't. Although, prior to yesterday, I didn't even know the "specific" illumination pattern for charging was 3 lights, then 1 light, WITHOUT rotation.
And about the HTC build quality. I also thought that SE switched to Mobinova because of the bad HTC build quality. However, I am not looking forward to the X2 as much because Mobinnova has only made 1 phone, and the public opinions on this phone are so far VERY BAD.
I think SE should switch to Nokia and Nokia should switch to Windows Mobile. Otherwise, just stick with HTC and give them another chance.
So far, the battery meters of my phone all say 0% and the the phone is still on for 30 minutes now. Prior to this, when the phone was 10 and 5 percent, I got messages that the battery was low, and then very low... but I am really looking forward to XDA developing us a driver, but I bet those people who can develop these drivers need donations for a test battery.
Also, prior to when I said that the extended battery drains at the same rate as the OEM battery was because the extended battery works awkwardly. I think the battery will last longer, than I thought. Basically, the phone only recognizes about 50 to 75 percent of the battery's current charge. The remaining 50 to 25 percent aren't included in the battery meter.
I also think that if you want this phone to charge to 100%, you have to leave it charging for an extra hour after the battery meter reaches 100%...since I am sort of uncertain whether 100% is actually 50% to 75% or 100%
I think that the battery still charges after 100% but when it reaches 100% the battery meter stops counting, and when you drain the phone it will reach 0% because the remaining charge is not remembered by the device.
I am unsure of this. I could be wrong.
Perhaps the battery program Batti 2.4 can show the 'real' power?
I have the mugen 1800 and it also shows strange behavior with the power meter, like when the meter shows about 30% left.... a few minutes later phone dead, battery empty!
michaelthemage said:
Perhaps the battery program Batti 2.4 can show the 'real' power?
I have the mugen 1800 and it also shows strange behavior with the power meter, like when the meter shows about 30% left.... a few minutes later phone dead, battery empty!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using WisBar advance, it has a battery meter, and it works EXACTLY the same as Batti Power indicator. I already told you...all of my battery meter shows the same results.
It has been about 2 hours of non stop Rock Music (Pocket Player) and the the phone still has enough juice to keep playing at 0 percent charge!!!!
Don't know that program. Can it show the juice too? Would be interesting if those batteries 'really' have 1800 or 3600.
And how is the battery's temp after 2 hours of music nonstop?
i also noticed the right side of the chrome edge left a little gap between it and the back cover. it must have been because of the many times i took off the battery cover.
michaelthemage said:
Don't know that program. Can it show the juice too? Would be interesting if those batteries 'really' have 1800 or 3600.
And how is the battery's temp after 2 hours of music nonstop?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's been 3 hours now, and the music is still running, the battery is warm but not hot. Of course it's not like I am talking on the phone. A phone gets hot when you talk and press your cheeks, not when you play music.
Edit: It took like 5 non stop hours of non stop music to deplete itself after the zero percent mark. As for the amount of hours after the Zero percent: it doesn't matter, because the battery drains just as fast as the battery drains on the standard battery.
This discovery was totally an accident. I had screwed up my LED, so I took my Evo apart to clean the grill out. I put the cover on and noticed that it fit damn near perfectly for the first time.
All you have to do is loosen the screws around the edges of the phone. You may have to tweak all of them, or just a few of them. It just depends on how your case fits. You'll have to mess around with it and figure out what works best for your device.
You will need a Torx T5 screwdriver!
If you don't have one, you can get one on iFixit. The screwdriver itself is $4.95, plus $2.83 shipping I think. But, if you use any of the coupon codes off RetailMeNot you can save $5, so basically you get it for the $2.83 shipping cost. I used the code "90308fixit" although it may or may not work for you. Like I said there are a bunch more on there that people say work.
As usual, YMMV. If you screw up your Evo, break something, stab straight through your thumb with the screwdriver, etc etc, it isn't my fault. If you blame me, I will laugh at you. Just because it works for me, doesn't mean it'll work for you.
Br0tip: There is a tiny black sticker on the middle screw on the left side. It doesn't say anything, but it's there. If you break it or remove it, you won't have a warranty. I can't show you a pic because I had to remove mine to get the whole case open, but consider yourself warned.
Let me know how it works for y'all. I know it's made my Evo a LOT more comfortable to hold.
Thanks for the tip. My experience has indicated that the fit has more to do with the battery cover than the phone itself. I have two stock battery covers: one black and the other white. The latter one came with my white Evo and fits very poorly. Tons of give/movement. The former, which I purchased to give my Evo the Oreo look, fits perfect. Solid as a rock. So if you don't want to mess with the your phone itself, you may try swapping out the cover.
davpel said:
Thanks for the tip. My experience has indicated that the fit has more to do with the battery cover than the phone itself. I have two stock battery covers: one black and the other white. The latter one came with my white Evo and fits very poorly. Tons of give/movement. The former, which I purchased to give my Evo the Oreo look, fits perfect. Solid as a rock. So if you don't want to mess with the your phone itself, you may try swapping out the cover.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had noticed that too. My original Evo it fit perfectly, then I had to get it swapped & since I had carbon fiber on my cover I kept my old cover. It didn't fit as well on the new Evo. It seems they fit one Evo almost perfectly, but any others & it gets rought.
I messed with mine some more this morning, and the thing that seems to affect it the most is that all the screws are screwed in exactly the same depth.
why do u guys like to spend so much money lol
i bought the full kit from dealextrme for 2.45
Card trick
I put a folded business card between the battery and the cover and fits really well cant even notice that the card is there. But boy does it make a difference
Thanks for the tip GeniusDog! I have a white evo, and the battery cover always bulged a little bit towards the middle of the phone making the battery cover creak a little bit. All I had to do was loosen the top and bottom screws a little bit, and Its perfect
I work directly with China's largest manufacturer of Extended batteries. They finished the AT&T Samsung Vibrant for T-Mobile and I've sold a bunch already with 100% feedback on Ebay. Userid is kevinjmoore. Unfortunately, they don't want to make a mold for the Captivate because they don't think there is enough demand in the USA to warrant it. To prove them wrong, I am trying to generate interest so that I can pay for the door mold charge and have them produce a bunch. The battery is the same as the Vibrant so that part is done. It is a 2800maH, which is nearly double the capacity and does last more than twice as long as stock--I know, I have the phone. Please email me at kevinjmoore at gmail dot com to get more details and help us get this rolling. I've reviewed all the forums out there and battery life is definitely one of the top issues. The rubberized door feel is awesome and it doesn't add a bunch of thickness to the phone like you think it might. Total production time is 20-25 days. My price will be at most $40 incl shipping. I may bring it down if demand is high enough. I will need a minimum of 50% fully refundable deposit. If I don't get enough demand in 30 days, I'll refund completely (less $0.30 Paypal fee). Please forward this, tweet this, facebook this and let's get this thing done My communication and customer service is second to none. We are building a US based website that will be up in 2 weeks detailing the over 35 other phones/extended batteries and hundreds of accessories (including IPAD and IPHONE) that we carry.
I found this pic on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Samsung-Vibrant...448289815?pt=US_Batteries&hash=item1e5f52f017
There is no way I would do that to my captivate. Just make a battery that fits in the factory space that has a 25% more power and i would be happy.
alphadog00 said:
I found this pic on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Samsung-Vibrant...448289815?pt=US_Batteries&hash=item1e5f52f017
There is no way I would do that to my captivate. Just make a battery that fits in the factory space that has a 25% more power and i would be happy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
10chars
I would do it in a second for double the life are you kidding me! As long as the back cover had some sort of style to it.
unfortunately I'm gonna wait for the seidio 3000mah extended battery.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Ewwwww...
That looks fugly as hell... I would get 2 extra OEMs w/ desktop charger instead...
Doesn't look horrid for the Vibrant. But the Captivate? Yea.. look like a damn camel hump or a hemorrhoid on the back of my phone. No thanks.
I had one on my Dream and other than being somewhat a nuisance for carrying cases/belt clips it was well worth it. In fact it worked so well I sold it to my buddy who had a dream when I switched to the captivate. He loves the damn thing cause he can use his phone all day long now without having to charge it.
I am a someone who prefers function over cosmetics. If it works better but is uglier wtf cares? When was the last time you looked at the back of your phone and was like wow- that sure is purdy You don't interact with the back of your phone. Also with the back being rubberized I would find it easier to rest on my shoulder during long tech calls with clients as I dont use bluetooth headsets. Just this morning I almost dropped my cap as it slipped from my hand getting out of the car- luckily I caught it, but still with the rubber this is less likely to happen. Again.. function over form all day all long.
I carry mine in my pocket. I like the captivate because it's thin. If I need to I'll carry spare battery before I double the thickness of the phone...I'm just sayin'
Mike
if i had the battery i could make the dies. are you looking to make a plastic cover or stamp an aluminum one?
anyway it would be nice to have on hand for trips or events where i dont know how long i will go without a charger. i dont think i would walk around with that in my pocket but it would be nice to have one available for occasional use and there are plenty of people that have come around here complaining about horrid battery life. i find the battery life quite good and in an every day environment you can always plan around it but obviously some people want more or just like to complain.
If I traveled, I would be all over this. Unfortunately, the $9 2-pack of batteries with wall charger on eBay just doesn't makes this as economical when I can just reach over and pop in a fresh battery and have the old one start charging.
It adds a "WHOPPING" 6 mm to the phone (not even 1/4"). I gave it to my friend to hold and he said he actually liked the feel better with the door that way. It felt more stable and fit perfectly to how you cradle your phone. The door is better than stock and fits easily in your pocket. It is NOT bulky at all. To not have to charge your phone every 7 or 8 hours if you are a moderate to heavy user is so worth it. I can't imagine not having it or carrying around 2 or 3 batteries all the time.
It is 6mm extra on an 11 mm phone (about 50% thicker for double capacity). It's a no-brainer.
i think you'd sell them but i think this might not be the right forum for it, the less than enthused response doesn't mean that people who travel aren't looking for something like this, it just means that we dont have that many people on the forum looking for this. are you getting feedback on your ebay store asking for it?
Email me at kevinjmoore at gmail to discuss.
Correct me if I am wrong but...
Isn't our metal back plate aid in reception? I thought the antenna was in direct contact with the back plate. Seems to me that a big piece of plastic holding in a big battery would give us signal loss...
Shovelhead84 said:
Correct me if I am wrong but...
Isn't our metal back plate aid in reception? I thought the antenna was in direct contact with the back plate. Seems to me that a big piece of plastic holding in a big battery would give us signal loss...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no it appears to be grounded not an antenna but i could be wrong i dont know much about cell antenna design. there are two contacts and one goes to the metal chassis indirectly through a shiny plating on the back of the plastic housing. the other goes to the board but i didn't trace it to tell if it went to the points that contact the chassis and plastic cover, electronics today can be difficult trace.
i know some antennas form a loop and it can very well be an antenna but i find that my phone works fin with the battery door removed. also there is no reason a new batery door cant be stamped from aluminum. or lined with aluminum tape.
I assume that you can't have a battery like this and use a case like the Body Glove Mirage? Are there alternative cases that will work with a battery like this?
A better solution would be a silicone case with a pocket for a spare battery. Carry it when you need to and switch when you need to.
a picture (if you have a functional unit) would be a lot helpful...
waghoba said:
a picture (if you have a functional unit) would be a lot helpful...
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I agree. Any/ all pictures of all angles would be highly appreciated. Only then can i make my decision. I too am interested in this.
alphadog00 said:
A better solution would be a silicone case with a pocket for a spare battery. Carry it when you need to and switch when you need to.
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Now this wouldn't be a bad idea either....
Espaa Valorum said:
I assume that you can't have a battery like this and use a case like the Body Glove Mirage? Are there alternative cases that will work with a battery like this?
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From my experience with the BG Mirage + the specs provided by the OP, its a definite No. Not with 6mm (50% thicker) but i would applaud anyone who would try it. Who knows, it might actually work out. Now if only Otterbox cases work with ANY extended batteries..........then I am ALL OVER IT.
http://www.shop.power-skin.com/powerskin/samsung/galaxy-s2-tmobile
I had one for my vibrant, liked it and have ordered one for my SGS 2. Will post photos when it arrives.
*update* it's arrived - that didn't take long.
According to the folks at Powerskins, the battery is 1500mAh.
Like with the vibrant it doubles the width of the phone. I like the extra heft so it's not a big issue for me. Fit is good, the case is not going to come off with normal use. The plug fits very securely into the phone (the vibrant unit had a bit of play).
The device can be charged then deactivated by holding the power button on the back. That will let the phone battery run down rather than constantly peak charging it...
Take a look and decide for yourself.Apologies for a couple of the photos being a little blurry - the HD7 does that sometimes.
Using tapatalk on my Galaxy 2 to post this!
it doesn't say how much extra battery it gives you
it's a nice concept, but it makes the phone twice as thick
Yes... You have to not mind the extra thickness. I suspect the battery its the same mAH rating as the built in one but am not certain.
Using tapatalk on my Galaxy 2 to post this!
"More, PowerSkin® is XPAL Powered, meaning it's charged by patented battery technology that reflects the highest standards of safety, quality, and performance."
what exactly do they mean from the above description? this case has a built in battery pack or something? if so, it should add significant bulk.
I wouldn't buy this. Your better off buying a case and a separate battery. These cases plug into to the micro usb socket so when your charging the phone your charging the case. If the phone is fully charged and the case would charge the battery of the phone while the phone is draining its own battery. This will make your oem battery die faster since its going through full cycles more. I had one for mytouch 4g its battery died within 3 months from this case.
As soon as I bought a new battery and stop using the case the battery has been fine. I had that phone since its release date. Basically have the case charged but don't turn it on till the battery dies in your phone first. I wouldn't even keep it plugged in since the back is so easy to click in and activate the power skin. These cases also have the worst protection ever for a case. The phone is easy to fall out of the case. There is nothing to hold it down to keep it secure in place. Even a cheap gel skin has more protection than these things.
Killbynature said:
I wouldn't buy this. Your better off buying a case and a separate battery. These cases plug into to the micro usb socket so when your charging the phone your charging the case. If the phone is fully charged and the case would charge the battery of the phone while the phone is draining its own battery. This will make your oem battery die faster since its going through full cycles more. I had one for mytouch 4g its battery died within 3 months from this case.
As soon as I bought a new battery and stop using the case the battery has been fine. I had that phone since its release date. Basically have the case charged but don't turn it on till the battery dies in your phone first. I wouldn't even keep it plugged in since the back is so easy to click in and activate the power skin. These cases also have the worst protection ever for a case. The phone is easy to fall out of the case. There is nothing to hold it down to keep it secure in place. Even a cheap gel skin has more protection than these things.
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yup, that's true
it's not just this case, or vibrant or mytouch, that happens to all battery life.
i used to always leave my phones plug-ed in when i'm able to, to keep the battery topped up
but that killed the battery faster
since i stopped that, and went the route of replacing batteries after they go down to 15% percent (the auto low battery warning pops up) and switch to a fully charged pack, all my batteries last waaaaaaaaaaaay longer than when i kept it topped up on the charger
Posted photos in op
Using tapatalk on my Galaxy 2 to post this!
I don't like how it looks like the left side on the front shot its not rigid. That's what I hated about the d3o flex cover. Looks all uneven n can't even see the bezel in some spots. Bottom right seems jacked up
too. I can see bezel in the pic.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
My sister got one of these for her Galaxy S1 ... not that great only gave her about an extra 1-2 hours max before it died. Also you have to charge it and the internal battery separately, taking it off every night so that you can charge them both.
Not worth it, in my opinion.
only 1500 mAh!!!!!!! it's so not worth it
LOL
i was expecting at least 2500 mAh out of that bulky pack
power-skin
anyone ever use this? they got one for our phone
i saw it available online, im curious as well..how much bulk it adds and what it really looks like..$40 is a ridiculously steep price for a battery and a case though
I have one and use it. I also have a spare battery. between the two I'm good for 24 hours
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1331293
power-skin
for anyone who has the powerskin case for this phone or any other...where do you keep your phone when you are out? in your pocket? if the added thickness im curious if its too bulky to carry around that way...ive been trying to search for a holster or case but i havent come across one...if anyone knows of one please link me
i had one for the vibrant and it did help with battery, it just kept the battery at 100% but the extra size was too big...i would recommend maybe a bigger battery.
Powerskin for tmo galaxy s2
has any1 tried this product yet ? thinking about it twice the battery sounds like is worth the price to me........... LET ME KNOW ?
http://www.shop.power-skin.com/powerskin/samsung/galaxy-s2-tmobile
I have one which I like. You can read my thoughts about it here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1331293
Hmm...for twice the width you'd expect more no?
Also, how does this affect the LED flash when taking pictures?
Dont buy one
Eh, I kind of stopped caring for that review as soon as you said that you're limited to being close to the computer with the generic micro USB cable they gave you Hahaha. For the record, any usb cable will work. I wrote a review in another thread. Here's the excerpt.
Horvaticus said:
I bought one of these at the AT&T store in my local mall and paid $80 for it, after having someone recommend it to me. After having worked at Best Buy, I was a little bit skeptical on what a salesperson offered to me, but seeing as though I had bricked my previous 2 skyrockets by altering the voltage settings on them and the guy was nice enough to exchange them for me, I decided to give it a whirl, since I was spending company money and not my own.
Now, I'm big man with huge hands, and coming from an iPhone 4 which was heavier than the Skyrocket due to glass construction, the larger screen was nice, but I missed the heavy feeling to it. The case immediately remedied that by adding a strong sturdy feeling to it. In addition to that it provides a nice rubbery grip along the sides of the unit with a slight grip along the back panel, making it not as difficult to take in and out of your pocket as regular rubber silicone cases.
As far as the charging goes, I used to be wary of leaving my skyrocket out of its case in fear that the battery would die overnight, which was an issue, as I'm often forgetful to put it on a charger overnight. It's nice being able to sleep soundly at night knowing that I can throw the battery pack on and not have to worry about waking up late or whatever. I suppose that's why some people have dedicated alarm clocks, however, but I'm not one of those people.
The battery life is good. Despite the battery in the pack not being as big as the OEM battery, I find that when I get the low battery warning at about 15% and turn the case on I'm normally back up to a strong 90-97% by the time the case turns off an hour or so later. Perhaps that's just me though. In addition to this, I also find that the case gets HOT while charging it, but that's to be expected. And since it's Winter, I don't particularly mind.
It's slightly annoying to have to take the phone out of the case to plug it into my computer to do the USB transfer, but at the same time it's such a non-hassle to take the phone out of the case I don't really mind. Besides, I have 3 sets of chargers with the phone, so I can charge the phone on the computer and the case off the wall, hahaha.
As far as protection goes, it's decent. There isn't alot of screen coverage, but that's what a screen protector is for. I personally don't plan on dropping it OR getting a screen protector, but, just a heads up. I like how the center of gravity on the unit is changed, so that out of the two times I dropped it it landed on either the absolute bottom near the charger where there is alot of extra padding or it landed on the bridge that connects the battery structurally to the rest of the case near the camera.
All in all, sometimes I take it out of the case when I'm feeling elegant, but like someone else said in this thread it makes for a good backup battery. I suppose sometime in the future I'll just be using it as a backup charger, but for the time being, I really enjoy the ability to leave my brightness at full and not have to worry about the battery running down. In addition to that, when I went online to the powerskin website and saw they were giving an emergency cellphone away with online order I asked about a similar deal for buying through AT&T. Customer service apologized and told me they didn't, but they instead sent me a cheapy little portable speaker, which was nice of them nonetheless.
So, coming from a neckbeard that bought about 12 different cases for his red iPhone 4, (some clear, some rubbery, and one battery pack...) and being relatively new to the form factor of the Skyrocket, I would say that personally I would rate the case at about a B, for the aforementioned reasons, with the cons being that it heats up, and does have the potential to damage the battery if you don't watch turning it on or off when you're supposed to.
Also, screw you guys who got it for $35. I could have used that extra $45 for a night at a bar and written it off as a business expense. :|
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Hey,
there has been some like these for other phones but I'm wondering if there is a metal/aluminium battery case for the note.
I don't mean a case that goes around the phone, no.. I mean that we remove the original galaxy note battery cover and place a (brushed?) metal cover in there. Would look and feel good I believe
It has been awhile since this has been discussed here, so here you go:
ebay
amazon
dealextreme
A couple of interesting parts and pieces here, after doing a google shopping search...but not so sure of the shop's reputation: papadigitals
Thanks, hadn't seen those in the forums and couldn't find by searching
Your phone signal will get degraded. Even a shell made of metal does that, unfortunately. Weaker signals mean more battery used, too.
Hopefully the "big"ness of the phone can compensate
I've ordered one a few days ago, lets see what happens what it arrives. I will write a short reply about its performance on my battery and signal
I ordered one two, about one month ago on dealextreme.
But eager to read you review!!!
Seriously?..
jerome is correct, what matters is where the antenna is, which is right underneath the battery cover..
This is a bad idea of the first kind..
Sobakel said:
Hopefully the "big"ness of the phone can compensate
I've ordered one a few days ago, lets see what happens what it arrives. I will write a short reply about its performance on my battery and signal
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take into mind that metal cover might influence the signal
sega_lou said:
take into mind that metal cover might influence the signal
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i'm usin a metal cover for my Note (Capdase)n theres absolutely no loss of signal or battery life...dont kno abt this particular aluminium case tho ...
Hello,
just seen:
Anymode crocodile leather cover, replacing the oem cover.
anymode.net/shop/goods/goods_view.php?goodsno=12347986&category=012
Hermès leather quality and quite expensive.
Approx. 270 US $.
I like it in matt khaki.
Would compliment the Hermès Birkin Croco Bag of my wife.
Ernthelfer said:
Approx. 270 US $.
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I have had this on my phone for about 2 months now. no issues with signal that I can tell.. the phone works perfectly.
there is a tiny rubber edge to the cover which does it make the phone a little larger than the stock cover. by about 2mm.
I got a few and figured that it is cheaper than a case, and keeps the phone small.
the only issue for me, which is only slight- is that the pen is a little tricky to get out. no biggie though!
I got the cover today, will post comparing battery graphs and signal strength comparison on different locations
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
the civet definitely effects signal, but it dips from 94dBm to 97 at home
Outside in the open changes are 70 to 76..
Change is minimal in my opinion, it's not like my phone becomes blind with no signal.
A positive side is, it chills the phone insanely well. I normally get to 55celcius when gaming so I Stop to let it cool, hasn't happened with this cover yet. It conducts heat very well.
So I am very happy with this battery cover
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Would you be able to provide a link to which aluminium battery cover you bought?
Regards
http://www.ebay.nl/itm/220991843961?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_500wt_925
Is the one I got, I do notice that it is very easy to scratch because it has lines graved into it. So if you put it roughly onto a rough surface you will surely see the marks
I havent seen issues with the signal yet , but yes the device heats up to 55 degrees which never happened before,. So heating is definitely an issue ....
Btw , i havent put the back cover , i have installed this directly over the back , hope thats not an issue , any insights on that ?
sahiltyagi said:
I havent seen issues with the signal yet , but yes the device heats up to 55 degrees which never happened before,. So heating is definitely an issue ....
Btw , i havent put the back cover , i have installed this directly over the back , hope thats not an issue , any insights on that ?
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I have no problem at all, in fact it's keeping my device cooler than the original cover
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
I have had mine for several months. I didn't notice any performance degradation, but the back of the cover is scratched like crazy. All four corners just from setting it down and sliding a wee bit. I removed it and put the original back on. All it is, is a metal paint on a plastic cover. It's cheap really.
yeahmon said:
All it is, is a metal paint on a plastic cover. It's cheap really.
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That's put me off.