Product: FastMac iV iPhone Battery
Manufacturer: FastMac
MSRP: $79.95   Find Lowest Price @ PriceGrabber
Author: Bill
Date: June 14, 2009

As an iPhone user, I love the functionality, the convenience, the form factor, the App Store… but the battery life? not so much. I use my iPhone to death on a daily basis, and as such I have to charge it every day if not more than once. Fastmac was kind enough to send over the iV extended iPhone battery that should amend the iPhone’s most serious drawbacks.

Packaging

The iV came in a simple paper box, along with a nice assortment of accessories. The contents of the box appear to be more of a complete iPhone upgrade kit than a simple external battery pack. Included are a screen protector, headphone adapter (with call-answer button), and the iV battery pack.

The iV is not just a battery pack, but a protective enclosure, and a camera flash that doubles as a flashlight. It has a standard dock connector, but also sports a USB pass-through port for charging a secondary device from the enclosure. It channels the microphone and speaker grilles to face the user as well as their traditional directions. The only thing missing was a USB -> Dock cable!

Testing

I use a case on my iPhone (3G, 16gb), and had to remove it to use the iV. I was wary of giving up the all-around protection of my case, but the iV protects the phone well from all angles.

It operates in a novel way, and does not simply augment the battery of the iPhone directly. The device can be charged (and indicates its charge with LEDs on its reverse side), but will only power/charge the iPhone when turned on. In this way, you can use the iPhone battery to its breaking point and then kick in the iV as if you were charging your iPhone traditionally. I found I could charge my iPhone fully almost four times before the iV ran dry. Additionally, the iV does not drain its charge idly to any significant degree. I initially charged the iV and left it unattended for a week. After this time elapsed, the iV was still reading a full charge.

I found the battery extended the iPhone to roughly 20 hours talk time, and 65 hours of iPod playback. Depending on what is enabled (wifi, Bluetooth, 3G, etc.), your mileage may vary. Expect the iV to approximately quadruple the battery life of the iPhone.

The flash unit is exceptionally bright, and can illuminate a room when turned on. It does not operate as an automatic flash and must be switched on manually, but this allows it to be used as a powerful flashlight. The iPhone camera is a notoriously poor performer in low-light situations, so this light is a wonderful supplement to the device’s functionality.

The biggest drawback to any external battery pack is size. The iPhone has a smooth, contoured feel that is broken by the addition of the iV. It more than doubles the depth of the phone, but adds surprisingly little weight. It was comfortable to hold for extended periods of time, but it does make the unit bulky.

After a few hours of extensive use (phone calls) the unit can heat up significantly. It’s not uncomfortable, but becomes noticeably warm. Fastmac offers a trade-in program for future versions of the iPhone/iV, and all units are made in the USA and tested before leaving the factory.

Conclusions

The Fastmac iV battery pack is a well thought through product that addresses the key weaknesses in the iPhone’s functionality. The LED light was incredibly bright, and the battery pack held a charge well. If you can spare the extra bulk and need longer battery life, the iV will not disappoint.

Pros

+ Included accessories
+ Battery life
+ Overall design; charging port, and light weight
+ LED light can be used as a camera flash and flashlight

Cons

- Price
- Bulky size
- Awkward shape

Tags: battery, extended, external, Fastmac, iPhone