The Mophie JuicePack Battery/Case for Nitro just came out! Woop! Just ordered mine. Once I get it, I'll post a review =)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mophie-Juic...703916?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item25729d56ac
itiskonrad said:
Once I get it, I'll post a review =)
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Any first impressions? How thick is it? Battery life? Protection factor? Looks? Thanks!
ahanuban said:
Any first impressions? How thick is it? Battery life? Protection factor? Looks? Thanks!
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Sorry for the slow response. I was holding out to write a full review with pics n whatnot, but for now, I'll just say it does what it says it should do. It definitely adds about a full battery's worth of charge. It works by essentially acting as a power source your phone can drain from (like it's plugged in). Once it drains the Mophie, it switches to using the phone's battery automatically. (There's also a switch on the Mophie, if you'd rather it drain the battery on the phone first before switching to the Mophie. I don't think it makes a difference, either way). Since the Mophie acts as an external power source, you can't tell by looking at your phone how much juice the Mophie has left, but the case does have a 4-light power indicator that will tell you if you push a button, so that's not bad. Long story short:
Pros:
Does what it's supposed to do (adds about a full battery charge to your Nitro)
Looks pretty nice, actually (well built, nice material, solid, doesn't trap hair or dirt but just grippy enough to hold easily)
Good phone protection (it does cover all sides/corners as well as the edges of the face, so no matter how you drop the phone short of face down onto a protruding object, it will be fully protected by the Mophie)
LED indicator for charge level of the Mophie
Versatile charging abilities (can charge the phone and Mophie simultaneously or separately)
Access to USB port even while using Mophie (it has a pass-through USB, so you can still synch to pc, charge, etc)
Cheap enough, in my opinion (50 bucks for a battery/case of this quality isn't too shabby) *EDIT* Now it's 30 bucks! Definitely cheap now.
Cons:
FAT (basically doubles the phone's thickness. Not sure how it compares to one of those double hyperion batteries with the alternate battery door, but the good thing about the Mophie is it DOES act as a case as well, unlike the extended batteries+door)
Can't see exact charge of Mophie case on the phone (though, again, you do have the led indicator)
When putting on the Mophie, it can be tricky to shove the little usb door on the phone back far enough so that the power button on the case reaches the one on the phone properly. If you don't shove it back far enough, you just have to press the power button on the Mophie really hard to get it to work on the phone. If you manage to shove it back just right, though, the power button on the case feels great, almost exactly like pressing the power button on the phone directly, as do the volume buttons on the case)
Overall, I'm not sure I would use it day to day, since I keep an extra fully charged battery with me at all times, and I'd rather not add the extra thickness. But if it comes down to using the extended batteries or the Mophie (for, say a long distance flight or traveling or something), I'll definitely choose the Mophie for the sake that it acts as a case to protect my phone should I drop it from my clumsy hands.
Can you post pics when you get a chance?
I just got mine in the mail today. I will post pics once I'm home and a review in the following days. I like having a case on my phone and really needed better battery life. We are extremely lucky to have the first mophie case for android. One thing I already hate is the thickness, but you don't have to sport it all the time. I plan to use it mainly for charging like this weekend while I'm on my boat.
Sent from my LG-P930 using xda app-developers app
First Impression
Ok so like I said above I just got this case today so no performance review. I just switched the case on to start my first recharge with the mophi juice pack. Seems like a decent quality item and for $30 you can't beat it at all. Not happy with the thickness, but you have to sacrifice something to get better up time on this phone. I just switch to OH!NO!'s Full Throttle V8.1 last night so hopefully things get better! I cannot post pics until i am up to 10 posts.. So hopefully that will be soon lol
My only complaint is I can't really get the lock/power button to act like it normally does, the usb door is getting in the way. Probably just operator error. After the first use of the battery I am kind of disappointed in the performance, only got my phone up to 90% before being completely drained..
itiskonrad said:
Sorry for the slow response. I was holding out to write a full review with pics n whatnot, but for now, I'll just say it does what it says it should do. It definitely adds about a full battery's worth of charge. It works by essentially acting as a power source your phone can drain from (like it's plugged in). Once it drains the Mophie, it switches to using the phone's battery automatically. (There's also a switch on the Mophie, if you'd rather it drain the battery on the phone first before switching to the Mophie. I don't think it makes a difference, either way). Since the Mophie acts as an external power source, you can't tell by looking at your phone how much juice the Mophie has left, but the case does have a 4-light power indicator that will tell you if you push a button, so that's not bad. Long story short:
Pros:
Does what it's supposed to do (adds about a full battery charge to your Nitro)
Looks pretty nice, actually (well built, nice material, solid, doesn't trap hair or dirt but just grippy enough to hold easily)
Good phone protection (it does cover all sides/corners as well as the edges of the face, so no matter how you drop the phone short of face down onto a protruding object, it will be fully protected by the Mophie)
LED indicator for charge level of the Mophie
Versatile charging abilities (can charge the phone and Mophie simultaneously or separately)
Access to USB port even while using Mophie (it has a pass-through USB, so you can still synch to pc, charge, etc)
Cheap enough, in my opinion (50 bucks for a battery/case of this quality isn't too shabby) *EDIT* Now it's 30 bucks! Definitely cheap now.
Cons:
FAT (basically doubles the phone's thickness. Not sure how it compares to one of those double hyperion batteries with the alternate battery door, but the good thing about the Mophie is it DOES act as a case as well, unlike the extended batteries+door)
Can't see exact charge of Mophie case on the phone (though, again, you do have the led indicator)
When putting on the Mophie, it can be tricky to shove the little usb door on the phone back far enough so that the power button on the case reaches the one on the phone properly. If you don't shove it back far enough, you just have to press the power button on the Mophie really hard to get it to work on the phone. If you manage to shove it back just right, though, the power button on the case feels great, almost exactly like pressing the power button on the phone directly, as do the volume buttons on the case)
Overall, I'm not sure I would use it day to day, since I keep an extra fully charged battery with me at all times, and I'd rather not add the extra thickness. But if it comes down to using the extended batteries or the Mophie (for, say a long distance flight or traveling or something), I'll definitely choose the Mophie for the sake that it acts as a case to protect my phone should I drop it from my clumsy hands.
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I just got one too and it is really thick!
Related
The great question:
Is it better to 1) carry extra batteries with me and just trade them out as they die but maintain the light, sleek form factor of my EVO, 2) get an extended battery that will make my phone thicker and significantly heavier (resulting in fewer case choices or cradle fit issues) or 3) get an external travel battery that plugs into my phone via USB and recharges my battery with another battery?
Well each has it's pluses and minuses:
1) Extra Batteries: The problem is, of course, transporting them. You also need to buy an external charging dock to keep them juiced and the phone has to be taken apart to replace them. With some cases such as the Otter Defender, this can be a significant hassle. As far as transporting them, it is easy to buy an unobtrusive $10 leather zippered pouch and carry them that way.
2) Extended Batteries: Easily charged in your phone and not requiring replacement during a long day, these batteries are an attractive option. However, say goodbye to your sleek and slim EVO. These add significant heft to your device and make it twice as thick. Also, unless you pay top dollar for a name brand, you risk having a "fake" product of questionable build and even more questionable capacity. Watch a video of a "Lion" battery fire and you will realize you don't want to play with cheap knockoffs any more than you would buy knockoff medicine from a guy in China to save a few bucks. And oh yeah, good luck finding a case that fits your "pregnant" evo.
3) Portable Battery Chargers: Again, these can be an attractive solution. They can come in many sizes (up to 8000 mah) and can recharge your phone even as you use it. The issue is bulk. One 5400 mah device is about the size of your EVO. So, imagine carrying 2 EVO's with you (never mind the USB cord). Compare this to carrying a spare 1500 mah battery in a small leather pouch (which you would hardly notice is even there). Also, these charge your phone using USB cable. This means a maximum charging rate of 500 ma. If you are using your phone for power intensive tasks such as Google Navigation, your phone will still run out of power even if it is plugged in.
CONCLUSION:
Weighing all of the factors, I recommend getting a couple extra 1500 to 1750 mah OEM batteries along with a wall charger (don't be cheap - these things can go boom). Simply carry them in a small zippered leather pouch you can pick up anywhere they sell wallets. A fully charged battery in your phone and just one of these "stand-bys" should get you through even the most grueling day.
The only hassle here is physically switching them out; however, that is less of a hassle than dealing with a "double-thick EVO" extended battery or an "extra EVO in your pocket" external travel battery. You should only have to change the battery out once in a 24 hour period. With the other solutions, you have to deal with their negative aspects 24/7.
You keep your slim form factor, you not are limited by case choices and you extend your power - win.
** This conclusion assumes the user will eventually have access to AC power to recharge sometime in a 24 hour period. For camping, etc, where you will be away from wall/car juice for extended period, the external travel battery may be your best choice (and you can carry it in your backpack).
It looks dumb and feels kind of bulky, but there is no way I'm turning off my phone, taking off the case, and prying off that flimsy batter door all of the time. I hate that process and feel like something is breaking every time. Big pregnant evo for me.
I still have to laugh when people talk about the added "bulk" extended batteries like the Seidio adds to the phone . Most of the time people who see my phone and realize I have an extended battery usually respond with "Well thats not that much bigger" . Im not shooting down your opinion I just feel this obsession with have a super thin phone is a bit overboard . Hell I remember years ago when phones were on the trend of being super small , hell I remember seeing one model that when it folded up I swore the damn thing was just alittle bitter than a book of matches . Now the trend seems to be bigger phones or atleast leaning in that direction (examples : HTC EVO , DROID X , Epic 4G isnt small either) . Overall like the OP outlined it comes down to a choice , longevity using all the features of the phone (bigger batter) or slim phone with "enough" power to make it through the day if you micro manage all the features on the phone . Ive tried both worlds , Ive tried the stock battery which did make it through the day but just barely . I currently have the 3500mah battery installed and I can tell you this now I wouldnt go back to the stock battery . The added size now fits the size of the phone in my mind . The phone is already tall and wide , Hell the Droid X is even taller and wider (actutal casing of the phone not the screen) . In the end its your choice and its your phone , whatever makes you happy with it you go with it . Screw what everyone else might say about it LOL
Biofall said:
It looks dumb and feels kind of bulky, but there is no way I'm turning off my phone, taking off the case, and prying off that flimsy batter door all of the time. I hate that process and feel like something is breaking every time. Big pregnant evo for me.
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As a business man who wears a suit every day, my biggest issue is that there is no way to carry my phone (other than a belt clip which is way too geeky for me) in my suit pocket or pants without looking like I have either breast implants or an erection.
Actually, you have your "pregnant" EVO "all the time". You only have to change your battery once Still, everyone has their preference and that's why I created the thread.
** Being a flash-a-holic, I have become quite accustomed to pulling my battery (boot loops and all) so I am probably less intimidated by the process than the average user. For me, changing a battery out takes maybe 10 seconds at the most. When compared to carrying around a thicker, heavier phone all day, the choice is clear (10 seconds of hassle vs 24/7 discomfort).
Again, no "right" answer here.
I use spare batteries. I have an extended but I hate the way it makes my phone look and feel. I keep a couple charged spares in the car at all times and another couple in my computer bag just in case. I would much rather do that then have an ugly block sticking out the back of my phone. My phone lasts well over a day on a charge so I never really end up swapping them out except for in the morning when I put a fresh one in. I usually still have about 50% left when I swap them out in the morning. I never charge my phone directly, I always just swap the battery with a fresh one and charge them with my wall charger. It only takes a minute to swap them and the daily reboot never hurts. I bought all my batteries on ebay (except for my seidio extended which NEVER gets used) and all eight of them cost me about $50 combined, which is cheaper than the one seidio.
_MetalHead_ said:
I use spare batteries. I have an extended but I hate the way it makes my phone look and feel. I keep a couple charged spares in the car at all times and another couple in my computer bag just in case. I would much rather do that then have an ugly block sticking out the back of my phone. My phone lasts well over a day on a charge so I never really end up swapping them out except for in the morning when I put a fresh one in. I usually still have about 50% left when I swap them out in the morning. I never charge my phone directly, I always just swap the battery with a fresh one and charge them with my wall charger. It only takes a minute to swap them and the daily reboot never hurts. I bought all my batteries on ebay (except for my seidio extended which NEVER gets used) and all eight of them cost me about $50 combined, which is cheaper than the one seidio.
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+1 My reasoning exactly.
This is purely theory, but I have the feeling that younger users and those in manual labor type jobs will opt for the extended battery, whereas those of us where we have to wear a suit to work and sit at a desk or visit clients all day would prefer the swap-out just for appearance sake. A construction foreman is not going to want to swap out a battery with dirty hands in 30 degree cold but he(she) won't mind how the fatter phone looks.
In conclusion, those more concerned with the look and feel of the phone will opt for extra oem's, those who are looking for pure utility will opt for extended.
I've had my EVO for almost a full month, and yet its still caseless and exposed because of this dilemma. I'm leaning more towards keeping it slim and having a wide variety of cases to choose from. Obviously going to something like the 3500 would require a new battery door. So, what's the maximum battery size the EVO can hold before needing the new door? I've seen 1600, 1700, 1750, 1800, and 2000 mah batteries. Also, would these slightly stronger batteries make ANY difference? I've seen reports saying those batteries are tested and not actually as strong as they say.
Thanks in advance....
AGSLight
ROOT YOUR PHONE. solves all the troubles of extra batterys. I have 4 batterys i bought before rooting. Now they just sit in different areas around the house and car because i never use them. Easily 18hours of battery with decent amount of use.
Well, I super use my phone;all day pounding.....even the Sprint extended barely makes it about 18hrs.....so I prefer the constant functionality...!
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
I'm gonna start off short with this and add more as I get more use out of the phone.
First of all, I was hoping (though not optimistically) that I could fit this battery inside my phone case if I left off the battery door. This is definitely not going to happen. I've read that this battery and replacement door increases the phone from 11mm thick to 17mm. I've measured and verified this, but holding the phone in your hand it seems like about double the original thickness. Really this doesn't bother me except I'm going to have to modify a case to fit now.
Also the battery door that came with it is plastic. I was concerned this might affect reception since the OEM door is reported to be part of the antenna system, maybe for WiFi. but so far I have noticed no problem at all. I'm still concerned the tabs will break of of this door easily if dropped since they are plastic. I also am a little concerned these could break in my jeans pocket when I'm squatting down since extra thickness puts more pressure on the phone.
Initial impressions of battery life are fantastic. It had gotten to the point where my phone would die between 2-4pm after charging all night and using it pretty heavily during the day. If I tried to watch a movie around even 10am, the battery would die before the movie finished. This morning I watched a 2hr movie with the Mugen battery and still had over 80% battery left. Amazing. It's such a startling difference that I now wonder if my OEM batter was worn out more than I had thought.
A couple of final details. The buttons on the side of the phone are just slightly harder to find with the new battery door. This is not any issue after getting used to it but just an observation. The fit and finish of the battery door is very good. I did notice a slight difference in the paint color of the battery door compared to the back of the phone, but I used to work in the paint industry. I don't think most people would notice or care.
********UPDATE*************
I had cut some slits in my Amzer case to allow it to fit the extended battery. This actually worked pretty well and had a really nice feel in hand. However, it this face fits kind of loosely to begin with and has a lot of grip, making it hard to get in and out of pocked. This problem does not really get worse, but certainly isn't any better with the bigger battery. Unless you have pretty big pockets it's just too annoying. Without the case I have no problems sliding the smooth phone in and out of my pocket and it still has a better feel in hand than the stock shape. I just hope I don't drop it.
The capacity is still excellent after a week or so. I have noticed that charge time is quite long though. A full charge is taking me around 6 hrs. This is with a aftermarket cable, but I believe it is still charging at 1A. I will use the stock cable tonight to confirm.
Added an update.
please add some pics!
and how long is it lasting with heavy / light use?
I posted some usage info already, but I get almost 2 days with light/medium use. I can still get below 10% with 18hrs of heavy use... texting, reading, a little YouTube, music, WAP, and web browsing. I used to have a dead battery by 3pm using it like that, now it lasts all day.
Phytrax said:
I posted some usage info already, but I get almost 2 days with light/medium use. I can still get below 10% with 18hrs of heavy use... texting, reading, a little YouTube, music, WAP, and web browsing. I used to have a dead battery by 3pm using it like that, now it lasts all day.
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NVM, found it on ebay.
Just got it in the mail - had pre-ordered it from Mobile Fun about two weeks ago.
Someone else posted pics already, but couldn't find the thread - here are my own.
Note, the case acts as a battery charger, and starts delivery electricity as soon as you put the phone in. There is no switch on it. I'll have to see in the coming days, but it looks like it's necessary to only put the pack on when you need it.
Things I fear but may be unfounded:
it won't be practical to leave the case on at all times
need an extra charger to charge them seperatly and efficiently
I hope I'm wrong, and hope I can just keep it on at all times, and charge both the battery and phone at the same time using one charger.
Thanks to Eiraku posting in this thread, I was able to find the original thread for this battery pack:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1110441
Mods please feel free to merge subjects.
Here are more pics
Isnt it a bit harmful to always have the battery at 100% charge level and even have trickle charge, they should have implemented a switch or at least some control mechanism to have it start charging only at around 50-80%
I think you're right, and indeed, the case start charging the phone even if the phone's battery is full.
From the manual:
"When not in use, remove your phone from the power pack."
Kinda of a let down. But I'm still happy to have it for my asian trip at the end of the week - electricity will sometimes be a luxury.
The purpose of this case is kinda moot if it does not have a switch and cant be kept in use.
Thanxs for the pics...I ordered this case from expansys a month ago and am still waiting on it to ship. Looks great.
So what is the purpose of this button
wiaza100 said:
So what is the purpose of this button
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There IS no such button. Only the battery tester button (which is useless).
Cost cutting, Samsung? You delayed the battery pack to remove that freaking power toggle?
Personally I can't wait for PowerSkin to come up with something better (OR that urban legend official 2000mah internal extended battery with new cover to come out). But as of rite now, I'll take what I can get.
To OP: thanks for the nice pics. They're much better than mine anyway. And welcome to the club!
There is indeed a button as indicated on the pic you have there, but on mine, it doesn't quite look like that. There is no marking on it or next to it - it's a simple push button which function is to indicate battery level. When you push it, the battery indicator will light up green, blue or red according to its energy level.
The pic you have may be a prototype or maybe a different version other people are going to get?
Without power toggle
I will cancel the order
Guys,
Surely just because there is more power available behind the standard battery, doesn't mean the phone will suddenly start drawing more power from it?. A car doesn't consume more petrol when the tank is full... how would this be any different to putting a ...say 2000 mAH battery (if it becomes available) instead of the original OEM battery??..
More mAH added by the sleeve should give extra run time...
Riz
I'm no electrician, but I like the full tank analogy.
Imagine the tank is full, but let's say I keep pouring fuel in the tank while the engine is running ... kinda of a waste as the extra fuel will spill - not to mention the danger.
So the question here, if the energy or extra energy delivered by the battery isn't being consumed, is it wasted? Is there danger if there is "spillage" in the form of heat? This phone can already get incredibly hot it you use it as a GPS for an extended period of time.
I'm still concerned about what the manual says about removing the pack when unused.
Actually, I have all confidence that this is a "smart" charger, in the sense that it will only top up the internal battery as necessary.
Using it as an "extender", I have no issues getting 3-4h extra on really heavy, constant screen on 3g surfing. It didn't even get hot at all, so power was NOT needlessly drained.
As a "charger", I got from 6% to about 42% from a fully charged extpack. In this config, the case did get quite warm, which indicated that it was quickly expending its reserves to charge the SGS2.
For a 1300-ish mah pack, this is more then consistant performance in my book, from my experinces from owning multiple iPhone 4 batt cases.
Only issue is with the lack of power toggle, there's much less flexibility allowed. You can't choose to keep the extpack as an emergency reserve UNLESS you take it out.
Also, it only takes in 700ma (the Samsung charger is rated at 750) and gives out 650ma, which means that in the event that you are charging a fully depleted extpack and say a 50% power left SGS2, the charging of the extpack will take FOREVER (phone first, then case).
But charging the SGS2 takes forever to begin with, so...
I'm no electrician myself...
But... about the car engine.... there are fuel governor controllers which only allow enough fuel as is needed to enter the combustion chamber...
but.... we talk of batteries... the way electrons work.... my understanding is...
flow of electrons is decided by the potential differnece available for them to travel across.. the higher the potential difference... the more electrons would flow...
So, lets say... the SGS2 has a power consumption of 100 milli-amps (based on whatver the volgtae rating is).... a 100 mah battery would run it for 1 hour... a 500 mah battery would run it for 5 and so on....
Adding a battery in parallel.... would not increase the power consumption from the original spec'd power requirement of 100 milli-amps... it'll just increase the total amperes available to run the device... so.... more ampere-hours available... hence longer hours available to run the phone
Quite simply, it is similar to leaving your phone connected to the charger... I'm sure most of do this every night for the duration of the night....
leave the phone connected to the charger... i.e.
Ars Technica has a good article on batteries. It basically says this thing should have a power button!
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news...-is-the-best-way-to-use-an-li-ion-battery.ars
"On the other end of the spectrum, keeping a Li-ion battery fully charged is not good for it either. This isn't because Li-ion batteries can get "overcharged" (something that people used to worry about in The Olden Days of portable computers), but a Li-ion battery that doesn't get used will suffer from capacity loss, meaning that it won't be able to hold as much charge and power your gadgets for as long. Extremely shallow discharges of only a couple percent are also not enough to keep a Li-ion battery in practice, so if you're going to pull the plug, let the battery run down for a little bit. "
I believe that the phone, like the iphone, and most laptops, don't fully throttle their devices on battery. So maybe when it's plugged in it would use more power thinking that it's tethered into the wall. I had that issue with my iPhone 4. I had a battery case for it. The phone itself could last me say, 6 hours on its 1400 mah battery. When I put the 2000 mah battery back on it, before the battery pack died, was only 5 hours. So my phone consumed 2000 mah in 5 hours, while on the internal (smaller battery) it consumed it within 6 hours. Hmm... That's not right. So, then I investigated it and while plugged in the phone went into "performance mode"
Is that at all possible on THIS phone as well? hehe.
I'm not big on the whole battery switch, so, I'm skipping this case. I wrote power skin and let's see if they release one for the SGSII. I'd love it if they did
zkyevolved said:
I believe that the phone, like the iphone, and most laptops, don't fully throttle their devices on battery. So maybe when it's plugged in it would use more power thinking that it's tethered into the wall. I had that issue with my iPhone 4. I had a battery case for it. The phone itself could last me say, 6 hours on its 1400 mah battery. When I put the 2000 mah battery back on it, before the battery pack died, was only 5 hours. So my phone consumed 2000 mah in 5 hours, while on the internal (smaller battery) it consumed it within 6 hours. Hmm... That's not right. So, then I investigated it and while plugged in the phone went into "performance mode"
Is that at all possible on THIS phone as well? hehe.
I'm not big on the whole battery switch, so, I'm skipping this case. I wrote power skin and let's see if they release one for the SGSII. I'd love it if they did
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There's also the fact that a battery directly wired to the device will always perform better per mah vs an externally mounted battery. Heat loss through the external connector, yada yada.
If you're afraid of "performance mode" (which I also think some phones have), just use SetCPU to override it, like I do.
I'm hoping PowerSkin comes up with something soon too - as a case, the ExtPack has really crappy all round protection, especially on the front (getting the SGP Glas protector because of this).
i'd go for the case only without the battery.... it looks quite dangerous...
Hello everyone. I recently got my hands on another battery for the S3. I also now have a charger that can charge the battery directly without having to have it plugged into the phone. So I thought to myself, it'd probably be really great to have the battery with me and swap it when needed. That way I'd essentially be able to double the life. I use my phone a lot and many times I can't find myself near power so batteries are a must.
I currently have the phone in an Otterbox Commuter. I like the protection it offers but it makes swapping batteries a pain. Does anyone have any suggestions? Are there any accessories or alternatives to a case (or a battery cover) that makes it easily removable. I'm afraid of wearing down the sides to the point that the cover won't fit.
I figure since the device has a removable battery I may as well take advantage of it.
Or, what would be even more great is the use the battery as an external battery pack. Instead of buying those external batteries that plug into the micro USB, is there a way to use the second battery instead?
There is not much you can do.
Get another case that is easier to take off but will give less protection than your otterbox or go caseless, even easier but no protection at all.
With the backcover covering all of the backside even a bumper will have to be taken off to switch batteries.
Using your spare battery as a external energy source is possible in theory, it's a li-ion power source after all but you would need to connect it to a micro usb cable somehow. Some sort of case, maybe a charger specially made for this battery type.
With the spare battery having the same capacity as the one in the phone you'll only be able to partly charge the battery in the phone, if you want to use it to recharge. It'll have to stay connected to use all the power it holds.
It would be easier to buy a ready to go external solution with a higher capacity.
Go for a different case. I have the commuter as well and like the protection but maybe the uag case is easier to take off?
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
First I would say , decide what you want out of a battery.
Example:
Want 12-14 hrs light use, or 12-14 hrs heavy use. If heavy larger battery will do or a wireless charger to use during day. Need more time or use extended battery 4200-4300 mah good for all day and heavy use. Need over that 6300 mah is about biggest right now.
I use A-case with regular battery, if needed put q-cell extended battery/ tpu case. Have new 6300 mah extended battery on way now for long weekends away from charger. Also have 5000 mah external battery pac that I keep in bag for emergency use.
Hope you find what you want. Good luck.
See the Galaxy sIII shine via SynergyRom
Imo since u already have the spare battery and the battery charging station, just get a tpu case or the uag is easy too once you find the sweet spot to take it off. I have no issue taking mine off. Unless u need all the protection of the commuter then well ur stuck. The easiest removable drop protection case would be the ballistic sg
Sent from my Galaxy S3 using neighbors wifi
I did receive this case as a tester for Zerolemon and I am happy with the results that I have come up with.
The case will obviously provide more battery life and due to it being an external battery case it will be much bulkier so with the said.
PROS:
1 The case gives close to about 2 full charges of extra battery life. (I would turn the case on when my phone hit at 2% and it would take about 2+ hours to get to 100% without using the phone as it charges.).
2 The case supports pass through fast charging so the phone will fast charge when plugged into a stock Samsung charger.
3 There is no sound muffling with the speakers, Zerolemon designed the case to redirect the sound so it is not muffled and regular quality.
4. Headphone adapter plug comes with the case(If needed with L shaped headphone jacks)
CONS:
1. Bulky (OBVIOUSLY!, the case will double the thickness of your phone, while adding about an inch of length to it).
2 Due to the new dimensions of the phone the finger print scanner(which was already annoying to reach for) is slightly more annoying to reach for. The cut outs around the camera work perfectly to prevent any distortion or ghosting with pictures but due to the depth of the cutouts you do kind of have to reach for the scanner(I found that if you redo the fingerprint reader and focus more on the tip of your index finger it makes it easier)
3 The external battery does not fast charge the device itself, it would be best to leave the phone alone while charging or it wont really increase your phones battery at all depending on what your doing ie. gaming.
4. No wireless charging, or NFC while case is installed.
BOTTOM LINE:
You wont have to worry about running to find a charger with his case, as previously stated you'll be getting close to 2 FULL charges of y our phone with his kind of power. My personal biggest gripe with the case is the lack of fast charging from the case, I consider myself a power user of my phone so having to put my phone down sometimes to allow it to charge is kind of annoying but no real big deal. Case feels great in hand and I would definitely recommend this to someone looking for a battery case for their phone.
GOOD JOB AGAIN ZEROLEMON ON THIS PRODUCT!
Pictures will be uploaded soon!!
Thanks for this. I just received mine in the mail and wondering if I need to let it drain all the way before charging back up?
Also, any recommendations for a screen protector that will work with this?
Wow glad I didn't get a tester actually...
I have the Mophie juicepack and the magnetic car charger vent mount thing... It also doesn't fast charge and I only get like 1 charge out of it I usually turn the thing on at less than 20% battery and it charges to full and still has "about 25%" according to the relatively vague scale on the back of the case... Does it have a button to turn it on or anything like Mophie?
Do you have any issues with a screen protector? I had an otterbox Alpha Glass Screen protector and it ended up falling off my phone.