The Qmadix Dual Mobile Charging Kit for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch lets you charge two iOS devices — even the power-hungry iPad! — at the same time. If you’re going on a long family trip, or even an extended drive for the holidays, this can make all the difference between peacefully playing children and happily tapping significant others, and the agony and pain of bored passengers with dead devices turning their angry gazes in your direction.

The Qmadix includes the twin-charging USB hub made out of “rugged” (rugged they say!) polycarbonate, advanced circuitry to prevent overheating/overcharging, and 10W (2.1 amps) of charging power. There’s also a 4-foot USB dock cable included for good measure.

There’s really not much more to say — the Qmadix performs as advertised and if you’re planning to be in the car with more than one iOS device for more than a couple of hours, you owe it to your collective family’s sanity to pack a couple of these babies with you!

• Get the Qmadix Dual Mobile Charging Kit for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch from the TiPb Store

Giveaway

Want to win a Qmadix Dual Mobile Charging Kit for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch of your very own? Just leave a comment letting us know how this little beauty might save your car trip this holiday season, and we’ll pick one of you to win!

Ready… set… post!

The Seidio Desktop Charging Cradle is exactly what its name implies, a docking and charging station for your iPhone.

In contrast to Apple’s white dock, this cradle is matte black. It is very sturdy which allows you to easily use and tap on your iPhone without the risk of knocking it over. With dimensions at about 4″x2.5″x1″, the Seidio Desktop Charging Cradle isn’t tiny, but it isn’t bulky either. The cradle connects to your computer via micro-USB and iTunes does recognize when you dock your iPhone.

My favorite feature of this dock is that it is compatible with cases. There is a removable plate included with the cradle; this ensures that your iPhone fits properly in the dock regardless if you’re using a case or not . I use an Apple Bumper on my iPhone 4, and it fits perfectly with the plate removed. If the plate is attached, my iPhone 4 fits nice and snug in its naked state. Although the Seidio Desktop Charging Cradle is advertised for the iPhone 4, I tested it with my 3GS, and it fit just fine with the plate accessory removed.

If you’re looking for a charging dock for your iPhone, I recommend checking this one out. In addition to being a stylish way to charge my iPhone, I also enjoy having a slideshow display on it at the same time. The Seidio Desktop Charging Cradle is available in the TiPb Accessory Store.

Pros

• Compatible with case -Includes removable plate to ensure proper fitting
• Sturdy
• Stylish matte black
• Compatible with iPhone 4 and 3G/3GS bodies

Cons

• A little bit big (but not too big)

The Griffin PowerJolt dual USB charger solves an age old problem: you and your significant other have both depleted the batteries on your iPhone and yet your car only offers one charging socket. Who gets to use it? Or worse: you’re in the middle of that big family summer trip and not only have both parents worn down their iPhones, all the kids in the back are near empty on their iPod touches as well. Do you get your internet or do they get the movies that keep them quiet and you sane for the remainder of the trip?

While I can’t claim the Griffin PowerJolt dual USB charger will save relationships and family trips, this simple adapter will at least hold power hungry creatures at bay for twice as long. Read on to find out how!

The Griffin PowerJolt dual USB charger is different from the PowerJolt Plus I looked at last time, which let you pass through a second car adapter. The PowerJolt Dual is much simpler in a way — an adapter for the power socket in your car capped by two USB plugs. Just plug in the USB to Dock cable that came with your iPhone or iPod touch and you’re off and charging.

In my tests with both an iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS there didn’t seem to be any appreciable loss of charging power due to the shared connection. Both iPhones got to 80% quickly and then topped off to 100% in about as long as it takes with the single chargers I’ve used in the past. (And I’m typically listening to music, using Google Maps, powering videos for the little ones in the back seats, or otherwise working while I charge.)

This is just an adapter, so there’s no mount, no built in cable, and nothing else fancy in any way. Since it is simply USB in, you can also use it to charge your non-Apple gear as well, including other phones, devices, headsets, etc. That flexibility really comes in handy for family trips.

If you have more devices than you have charging ports definitely take a look at the Griffin PowerJolt dual USB charger, available from the TiPb iPhone Accessory Store.

Pros

• Compact
• Largely invisible when not in use
• Doubles charging ability of power socket

Cons

• Only the adapter: bring your own cables
• Doesn’t charge iPad

TiPb Rating

The mophie juicepak air for iPhone 4 is a lighter charging solution for highly mobile users. If you need to keep going but want the minimum of bulk to slow your down — if you need a case that can give your 70% of a charge at just about 70% of the size and slightly less cost than a juicepak plus, then here’s your solution. To see how it held up for me under the rigors of CES 2011, read on for the review after the break!

As I said in my mophie juicepak plus review, trade shows are the ultimate test of any battery for me. I’m on the go for 18 hours a day and my iPhone 4 is my lifeline to the world. It keeps me in contact, it lets me help run TiPb, and on top of all of that it lets me shoot all the show video and photos you see here on the site. It’s bad enough AT&T hits my iPhone 4 battery like a freight train but the constant usage would run any device down. Luckily the mophie juicepak air packs some extra charge in a fairly unobtrusive package.

Hardware

The mophie juicepak plus is black with a painted silver band meant to match the aesthetics of your iPhone. Mophie told me at CES that they’d done a lot of engineering work to prevent breaks around the cutouts and increase protection and it shows. It is a slider case and there have been some worries about slider cases scratching the glass but I didn’t have any problems. (I also wipe down my iPhone before sliding.) Also, it sometimes takes a few, wiggling tries to get the iPhone dock port lined up and properly seated.

There are cutouts for the 3.5mm headset jack, rear camera and flash, the mute switch and sleep and volume buttons. The cutouts are deep due to the size of the juicepak but didn’t interfere with usage. Not having button extenders like the juicepak plus was a different kind of compromise — less worry about them not depressing properly but you still have to dig for them sometimes.

The micro-USB charger is at the bottom right. Not using a dock cable to charge means you have to carry a separate micro-USB cable around with you, and doesn’t let you use your existing dock-compatible car or video cables while the mophie is on. Understandable given the size of a 30-pin dock port but still annoying at times.

On the handy side there’s a series of battery level lights so you can always tell how much of a charge your mophie is packing with the touch of a button

Usage

The juicepack air is the lighter, slighter charging solution in mophie’s stable. It weighs less than the juicepak plus but it also provides less power. About 70% of a regular charge. That’s still a good boost, though not as good as the plus given it’s still significant size.

In my CES tests those results weren’t just marketing. It’s really tough to judge consistently since usage patterns always vary but when I slapped on the juicepak air I could pretty much go as long as I had on the iPhone-only charge. (I carried a juicepak plus with me as well — them were long days!)

When you charge the mophie via micro-USB it passes the charge on to the iPhone as well, so at night you can charge them both without having to plug in multiple charges for each one, or get up and switch.

Conclusion

The mophie juicepak air is still bulky but not as much as the juicepak plus. It extends battery life but not as much as the plus. It doesn’t cost as much either. If you’re a hardcore road warrior the difference in bulk and price isn’t a big deal — get the juicepak plus. If you’re light user who only needs a little boost now and then, save yourself a few ounces and bucks and go for the air.

Get your mophie juicepak air for iPhone 4 now from the TiPb iPhone 4 Accessory Store…

Pros

• Convenient case form factor
• 70% recharge for iPhone
• Pass-through recharge for simultaneous charge
• Solid construction

Cons

• Uses Micro-USB so not compatible with dock accessories
• 70% charge still means big case

TiPb review rating

Photos

The mophie juicepak plus for iPhone 4 is serious charging power for serious power users. If you’re on the go, if your iPhone can’t run down, won’t run down — if you need a case that can get you through twice the work and play, then here’s your solution. To see how it held up for me under the rigors of CES 2011, read on for the review after the break!

Trade shows are the ultimate test of any battery for me. I’m on the go for 18 hours a day and my iPhone 4 is my lifeline to the world. It keeps me in contact, it lets me help run TiPb, and on top of all of that it lets me shoot all the show video and photos you see here on the site. It’s bad enough AT&T hits my iPhone 4 battery like a freight train but the constant usage would run any device down. Enter the mophie juicepak plus.

Hardware

The mophie juicepak plus is all black, all soft-touch, and surprisingly solid. Mophie’s done a lot of engineering work to prevent breaks around the cutouts and increase protection and it shows. It is a slider case and there have been some worries about slider cases scratching the glass but I didn’t have any problems. (I also wipe down my iPhone before sliding.) Also, it sometimes takes a few, wiggling tries to get the iPhone dock port lined up and properly seated.

There are cutouts for the 3.5mm headset jack, rear camera and flash, and mute switch and extender buttons for sleep and volume. The cutouts are deep due to the size of the juicepak but didn’t interfere with usage. The button extenders are well built but if they weren’t set just right it would take a few presses to make them work.

The micro-USB charger is at the bottom right. Not using a dock cable to charge means you have to carry a separate micro-USB cable around with you, and doesn’t let you use your existing dock-compatible car or video cables while the mophie is on. Understandable given the size of a 30-pin dock port but still annoying at times.

On the handy side there’s a series of battery level lights so you can always tell how much of a charge your mophie is packing with the touch of a button

Usage

The juicepack plus is the bigger, badder charging solution in mophie’s stable. It weighs more than the juicepak air but it also provides more power. More than double the power. That’s twice the talking, twice the surfing, twice the tweeting, twice the recording, twice the watching, and twice the getting stuff done. Phew!

In my CES tests those results weren’t just marketing. It’s really tough to judge consistently since usage patterns always vary but when I slapped on the juicepak air I could pretty much go as long as I had on the iPhone-only charge. (I carried a juicepak air with me as well — them were long days!)

When you charge the mophie via micro-USB it passes the charge on to the iPhone as well, so at night you can charge them both without having to plug in multiple charges for each one, or get up and switch.

Conclusion

The mophie juicepak plus ads bulk, no doubt about it. It makes your iPhone 4 bigger and heavier but that’s the price of power. And the plus packs a ton of power. If you’re away from a charger for a significant period of time the juicepak makes the difference between getting your work done and carrying around a dead brick for the rest of the day. That’s an easy tradeoff to make.

Get your mophie juicepak plus for iPhone 4 now from the TiPb iPhone 4 Accessory Store…

Pros

• Convenient case form factor
• Complete re-charge for iPhone
• Pass-through recharge for simultaneous charge
• Solid construction

Cons

• Button extenders can be finicky
• Uses Micro-USB so not compatible with dock accessories
• Big charge means big case

TiPb review rating

Photos

The SPE sync cable for iPhone and iPad is a perfect and affordable solution for the age old problem of never having enough cables handy when you need them. If you’ve ever experienced the frustration of getting to the office and finding your iPhone at only 50% battery life and realizing that you forgot your sync cable… well this accessory is for you.

At only $4.95, the SPE sync cable is nearly a quarter of the price of Apple’s cable. So if you’ve been thinking it’d be nice to have an extra cable or two laying around, pick one of these up!

In comparison with Apple’s cable, SPE’s sync cable is the same length at 3 feet, 4 inches long. However, the dock connector end is bigger. This means that it may not work with all cases. If you use a case that is designed in such a way that Apple’s sync cable barely fits, then the SPE cable will not work for you. Two cases that I have encountered that do not work with this cable is Apple’s bumper case and Element’s Vapor case. Another difference is that SPE’s cable has two buttons you must squeeze in order to unplug it from your device. If you like a secure connection that won’t come loose unintentionally, you’ll like this. If you prefer the convenience of of quick and easy removal than this is mildly annoying, but acceptable.

Despite these inconveniences, the SPE sync cable for iPhone and iPad is an excellent choice for a back-up cable and for that the price is its biggest draw.

The SPE sync cable for iPhone and iPad is available from the TiPb iPhone + iPad accessory store.

Pros

• Great cable for iPhone, iPad, and iPod
• Affordable

Cons

• Will not fit all cases
• Must squeeze buttons to unplug

The Griffin PowerJolt Plus means you never have to worry about running out of power for your iPhone AND iPad on the road ever again. You see, not only does it plug into your car’s cigarette lighter (or any 12v accessory socket) to easily charge your iPhone but the back of the connector opens up to provide a second 12 volt socket that you could use, for example, to charge your iPad (or iPod touch, iPod, partner’s iPhone, whatever!).

I love the Griffin PowerJolt Plus. The fact that it allows you to plug in another 12 volt adapter is a brilliant idea. I was worried that the second adapter would not charge at full capacity or would be buggy but that was not the case. I tested the PowerJolt with three different adaptors over the course of two 6 hour road trips and it everything worked perfectly.

The plug itself is well built and fits solidly into the car socket. I didn’t have to worry about it coming loose and my iPhone not charging. Likewise the pass through socket. The Griffin PowerJolt Plus has a coiled dock cable which helps prevent tangles and the 30-pin Dock connector, while not Apple-thin, should work with a good amount of cases. If your favorite case is cut very closely around the Dock port, however, it will most likely need to come off (that’s why I use the Case-Mate Barely There, just saying…) It also has SmartFuse for circuit protection.

Note, the Griffin PowerJolt Plus doesn’t come with a second adapter, just the socket to plug one in. If you want to plug in a second adapter or something like an FM-radio adapter, you need to get that separately (you can get a regular PowerJolt SE from Giffin for a matched set). Also, I’d recommend getting a car mount so you have somewhere convenient to place your iPhone, especially if you’re going to use it for something visual like turn-by-turn navigation.

If you are looking for a car charger I highly recommend the The Griffin PowerJolt Plus for iPhone and iPad. It’s inexpensive so it makes the perfect gift for your someone special for the holidays. You can find it at the TiPb iPhone + iPad accessory store. I am going to be picking up another one for my other car I like it so much!

Pros

• Coiled cord is durable and doesn’t get tangled
• Socket for second adapter works perfectly
• Inexpensive

Cons

• Thinner Dock connector would work with more cases

Rating

Gallery

The Seidio Inno Dock Jr. for iPhone 4 is just the dock you have been waiting for. Or it is if, like me, you have grumbled and cursed multiple times when having to remove my favorite Case-Mate Chrome case in order to change my iPhone. What makes the Seidio Inno Dock Jr. so much better?

Read on after the break to find out!

I have tried the Seidio Inno Dock Jr. with 4 different cases and have yet to find a case that gives it problems. As long as the case has an opening for the 30-pin slot then it should fit comfortably in the cradle without the need to remove the case. The reason it’s so compatible is that it’s built so that the 30 pin dock plug is raised above the docking platform. It’s also hinged so that it can move back and forth and that means there’s almost no way the base can obstruct the connector.

The Dock is also quite small and lightweight so it does not take up much space on your desk, shelf, or table. It comes with a USB cable but not an AC adapter so if you want to plug it into a wall outlet instead of a computer you will need to use the adaptor that came from your iPhone 4 (or, if you’re already using that elsewhere, get an extra one from the TiPb store).

If you hate having to remove your case each time you charge your iPhone 4, pick up the Seidio Inno Dock Jr. Since I have gotten it I have been using it daily and am so happy with it. It is pretty inexpensive also, so a good gift for a friend. Save your case and sanity, pick one up from the TiPb iPhone 4 accessory store today!

Pros

• No need to remove your case when charging phone
• Phone faces out while charging
• Small and lightweight
• Inexpensive

Cons

• Does not come with an AC Adapter
• iPhone can wiggle a bit while in cradle

Rating

The Smartphone Experts S&C retractable sync and charging cable for iPhone 4 [$4.95] is something Georgia took a look at recently for iPad and iPhone 3GS but, frankly, I needed a convenient, tidy, highly portable way to sync and change my iPhone 4 on the go and so I grabbed it. Literally.

The Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone expands to a length of 2 ft. and has a locking feature which allows you to choose which length you would like the cable locked at. A light tug on the cable and it retracts back to its wound state. When wound, the Cable is only 4.5 inches long, making it very easy to bring with you. My regular usb S&C cable was always a tangled mess when I carried it loose in my briefcase. A good deal of time and effort was spent on untangling the cord from whatever it had become attached to. With the Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone, charging and syncing my iPhone is a snap, just take it out of my briefcase and plug it in and when I am done a quick tug and is thrown back into my bag. The cable is quite well constructed and after a month of use it is still working like new.

It’s also $4.95, so I’m not too concerned about lending them (which usually translates into giving them away). If you want to keep your iPhone 4 synced up and charged, check out the Smartphone Experts S&C retractable sync and charging cable for iPhone 4.

And check out Georgia’s video after the break to see it in action on the iPad and iPhone 3GS. (Works the same with iPhone 4).

YouTube link

The Smartphone Experts S&C retractable sync and charging cable for iPhone and iPad [$4.95 - TiPb Store Link] is for those who abhor long cables that always getting caught, tangled and the imposing clutter, the SmartPhone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone is the way to go. Small and lightweight, you can take it with you everywhere and charge/sync your iPhone through the USB connection on your laptop or computer with ease.

The Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone expands to a length of 2 ft. and has a locking feature which allows you to choose which length you would like the cable locked at. A light tug on the cable and it retracts back to its wound state. When wound, the Cable is only 4.5 inches long, making it very easy to bring with you. My regular usb S&C cable was always a tangled mess when I carried it loose in my briefcase. A good deal of time and effort was spent on untangling the cord from whatever it had become attached to. With the Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone, charging and syncing my iPhone is a snap, just take it out of my briefcase and plug it in and when I am done a quick tug and is thrown back into my bag. The cable is quite well constructed and after a month of use it is still working like new.

I would recommend getting this for everyone who charges and syncs their iPhone. I absolutely love this Cable and at $4.95 it is practically free (appeals to my Scottish side).

Pictures and video after the break!

YouTube link

Picking up the iPad I was tasked with deciding the most useful accessory for the iPad. For me, that accessory was the iPad Dock. I just couldn’t fathom the iPad just laying on my desk, I needed a place to set my iPad as well as take advantage of the other features it allowed me to display.

The dock comes by itself, no USB cable or charger; you just get the basics. The footprint is larger than the iPhone dock since the iPad is substantially heavier. The bottom of the dock has the typical “sticky” finish so it does not budge from its place. I would estimate the angle of the dock to be approximately 60 degrees so it is not exactly upright, but close. The back of the dock has the standard 30-pin connector. You can use the USB cable and charger included with the iPad to plug into the wall or computer for charging. You also have a Line Out to plug into a stereo tuner.

Once you have placed the iPad securely in the dock, it has the familiar green charging battery graphic. If enabled in Settings, you have the new picture frame button that turns the iPad into a beautiful digital photo showcase with animated slideshows.

If you don’t want your iPad just laying on your desk, you can’t go wrong with the iPad Dock. Oh, and don’t forget, the dock just might come in handy when you start typing with the Apple Bluetooth keyboard…

Pictures and video after the break!

YouTube link

Star Trek time — today we’re looking at the inductive future of charging via the PowerMat Home or office Mat [$97.95 - TiPb Store link], PowerMat Portable Mat [$97.95 - TiPb Store link], PowerMat Receiver Case for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS [$39.95 - TiPb Store link], and PowerMat Universal Power Cube [$29.95 - TiPb Store link] for all your other gadgets.

Follow on after the break for our review, photos, videos — and did I mention we’re giving away the full review package?!

I first saw PowerMat when I stopped off at their booth at CES with CrackBerry Kevin, and it was immediately apparent why Dieter and our PreCentral.net friends are such fans of their Touchstones. The idea of just putting a device down and it starting to charge is right out of our collective science-fiction consciousness.

We’re not quite Sci-Fi yet, of course, especially since Apple — unlike Palm — hasn’t built an inductive battery into the iPhone (cue 4th gen iPhone speculation!) but PowerMat brings us a very cool step closer.

PowerMat

The system starts off with the PowerMat proper, which is the base. I tested both the Home and Office and the Portable mats, and they both worked very well. They’re almost identical in fact, with three magnetic charging points each, as well as USB, controls for brightness and volume (for the light and sound that indicates a connection for charging — in case you want to mute them in the bedroom), and the AC connection that gets plugged in. The big difference is that the portable mat can be folded neatly in three, creating a smaller if thicker footprint which is easier to store in a bag for traveling (hence the name portable!).

iPhone Case Receiver

To make it work with the iPhone you need a case that plugs into the iPhone’s 30-pin dock connector and has an inductive receiver (big square of metal) on the back. Slide your iPhone, carry it around with you, protected by the hard case, and when you get back to your PowerMat just set it down and it will begin to recharge. It’s really as simple as that (okay, you have to make sure you align the magnets but that’s very easy to feel and is accompanied by a sound to alert you when it’s just right).

Power Cube

You can get cases for a variety of other devices, but if you’re a real gadget-geek and have tons more you want to charge, each PowerMat comes with a Universal Power Cube that sits on the PowerMat and offers a Mini-USB tip for you to plug into. There’re also adapters for Micro-USB, Sony, Samsung, Nintendo, and a bunch of others, including a standard iPhone and iPod (and eventually iPad?) dock connector. I used them to plug in an iPod touch and Motorola H17 BT headset, but you can really use them to plug in almost anything. It even comes with a matching, handy-dandy holder for all the adapters.

You can also get the Power Cube’s separately, and those come with the Mini-USB tip and Micro-USB adapter.

Conclusion

Again, at this point it’s a work-around (thanks Apple!) and more of a cable-management system than real sci-fi solution, but frak if it isn’t cool. Just one plug and the mat, and you can charge virtually any gadget you own and just smile doing it. If you’re a geek, then seriously, this is the geekiest tech around and a must-have just to stick on your coffee table and show off when you drop your iPhone down in front of guests.

Give Away

So, the give-away! I have all this PowerMat gear sitting here, and while the boxes have been opened and the stuff tested for a few weeks, it’s all still in perfect condition. So, TiPb’s decided there’d be nothing better to do with it than give it away to a reader! That’s right, courtesy of the TiPb Store, here’s what’s included:

• PowerMat Home or office Mat [$97.95 - TiPb Store link]
• PowerMat Portable Mat [$97.95 - TiPb Store link]
• PowerMat Receiver Case for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS [$39.95 - TiPb Store link]
• PowerMat Universal Power Cube [$29.95 - TiPb Store link]

That’s $265 worth of review gear, and all you have to do for your chance to get it is head on over to the TiPb iPhone Accessories Forum and let us know what you want to charge with it (in addition to your iPhone, of course!).

Give-away starts now and ends Thursday, Feb. 25 at 12pm PT. US or Canadian shipping address required.

Video and Galleries

The Griffin PowerJolt Reserve Backup Battery [$34.95 - TiPb Store Link] is one nifty little iPhone/iPod touch accessory, One of the biggest gripes people have with Apple’s iPhone is the lack of a removable battery. Sure you have some other battery charging options but if you don’t wish to be bothered carrying around cords or bulky cases then the PowerJolt Reserve just may be for you. Get the full rundown after the break!

I’ve been using the Griffin PowerJolt Reserve for iPhone & iPod for a little over a month now and it has turned into one of those things I need to carry around with me whenever I leave the house. You simply plug it into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter or 12 volt power outlet which then allows you to plug in your standard iPhone USB charging cord to charge your device while on the road.

A simple car charger alone would be on the boring side, what makes this accessory so special is that it also happens to have a built in rechargeable battery attached to it which you can carry with you in your pocket for backup power wherever you go. While it takes only a short time to fully charge, the backup battery will provide you with a 50% charge on your device. I was hoping to get a bit more but beggars can’t be choosers and I’ve learned that it’s usually all I need. Some more great features are as follows:

• Charges any iPhone and iPod touch.
• Charge your device the same time you are charging the backup battery.
• The battery connects to the charger magnetically so it is a breeze to attach and detach.

The Griffin PowerJolt Reserve Backup Battery for your iPhone or iPod touch [$34.95 - TiPb Store Link] is a must have accessory for any road warrior who needs that extra juice to make it through the day. With the PowerJolt you will never have to worry about battery life again and even better there will not be any need to carry your charger with you everywhere you go as it provides instant power on demand.

We have all been there. You know, our iPhone is about to die from a drained battery and no charge cable in sight. Well, the Seidio 3-in-1 Retractable Charger [$29.99 - TiPb Store link] is here to change that. The Seidio charger gives you everything you need for any portable situation. You get a USB cable that actually snaps into place (I love that. Most cables I see these days don’t actually snap in place, they just fit, but not securely) and the always capable wall charger and large grip-friendly car charger.

What really sets this charger apart from the competition is the retractability of the cable. Just like with other retractable cords, you pull on both ends and it expands. Of course, it is convenient if you have your iPhone charging on your Mac or PC to just let is sit right next to your computer without any extra cable mess.

I use my cable on the time. My day starts off with getting in the car for work (yeah, don’t use it at home, I have a cradle for that) and plugging it into the car adapter. I have a good 45 minute commute to work, so this buys me time to charge and listen to music, podcasts and audiobooks. Once I am work, I take the cable with me and charge at my desk as need. Yes, I am one of those people that if the iPhone 3GS tells me I have 96% battery, I must make it 100%.

As the day winds down, I repeat the morning process. Now you are probably thinking to yourself, “Why is this guy telling me how he carries his cable around all day?” Well, that is the point isn’t it? The fact that the cable retracts makes it super easy to pull out of my bag and stow it away. I have a separate cable I stash in my bag too, the one that came with the iPhone. Using that cable is annoying as I have to “stuff” it in my bag, where the Seidio cable retracts beautifully with no mess. I know, it is the little things. Because of its portability, this has quickly become my main cable. On the ever-so-small downside, there is not an airplane adapter. That would make this the ultimate in charger cables, but for now, Seidio will have to do with a “fav” rating from this reviewer.

If you are looking for a functional cable such as this, you can pick it up in the TiPb store for $29.95.

Check out more in the gallery below!

mophie Juice Pack Air [$79.96 - TiPb Store link] is the newer, sleeker model in town. We’ve tried out several battery extenders here on TiPb, and I’ve tried quite a few personally, but like the grail we keep looking for longer, better, and stronger power. Did I find it with the Juice Pack Air?

James has been talking the Air up for a while, but I wasn’t sure about it. There are several variations in battery charger available for the iPhone, after all. First, form factor. Some chargers are modules that plug onto the bottom and while they can pack a punch, you have to be careful how you handle the iPhone when they’re connected, lest they become rapidly unconnected. mophie makes the other kind, the case-style, and the Air — as the name suggests — is molded to be as thin and remain as pocketable as possible. In this, it succeeds brilliantly.

Some have complained that the Air’s case-like form factor reduces their cell signal strength by a couple bars. I didn’t experience that, though I’m in Canada and — apologies to my long-suffering AT&T friends — the iPhone is solid on our network.

The other variation is charging style. Some battery extenders charge via a dock port that makes them very handy since dock cables are ubiquitous and if you already have an AC adaptor, car adaptor, etc. they “just work” with those.

The mophie, by contrast, uses a USB micro-cable, but not micro-USB, which is always a concern (if your forget it, or lose it, your battery charger ain’t getting charged).

Enough about what it is, what’s important is how it works. I tested this one out on a weekend trip, and on several heavy-duty usage days. I also ended up testing it out when I negligently pocketed my iPhone while still recording video, leading it to discharge fairly rapidly.

And it worked well, pretty much in line with mophie’s specs. It recharged my iPhone fairly close to full, and on one occasion recharged both mine and a friend’s halfway during a 2 hour drive when a car charger failed on us.

So, bottom line, if you need extra power and still want something sleek enough to easily carry your iPhone easily in your pocket, (and your cell signal is typically strong), the mophie Juice Pack is well worth checking out.

For more info and full specs, check out TiPb’s iPhone Store…

One of the biggest gripes a lot of iPhone 3G/3GS readers have is battery life. Now this is mainly due to not being able to put the iPhone down to give it a rest, but we now have another solution to your iPhone addiction. Enter Case-Mate’s Fuel Case for iPhone 3G/3GS, which is available in TiPb’s store for $74.95. For a full review, follow us after the break!

Design & Usability

The Case-Mate Fuel Case for iPhone 3G/3GS is integrated with a 2300mA Lithium Polymer battery, Case-Mate says it will add up to nine hours of additional talk-time, up to seven hours of internet browsing, up to eight hours of video, 24 hours of audio, and 250 hours of extra standby time.

The times that Case-Mate claims are pretty much dead on. If you have trouble putting your iPhone down and typically end up with a dead battery sometime during the day, Fuel is the right case for you.

Usually when I get into my car after a full day at work I would have 20%-30% of my battery left. With the Fuel I’ve been leaving with anything from 80% to being topped off and that’s still with some juice left in the case itself. Not too shabby. I think it’s also important to note that you do not need to remove the phone from the case to use the iPhone in any way, including phone calls.

On the bottom front of the case you will find 3 built-in LEDs that allow you to see exactly how much “Fuel” you have left and a power button that allows you to turn the charger on or off as you see fit. Both of these are nice little bonus features.

To charge the case you only have one option — you must use a standard 5-pin USB cord. One is included but it would be nice to have the option to charge the case without using my laptop. On the plus side, Fuel fully supports syncing while iPhone 3G is docked into the case.

One nice features Fuel has that other iPhone charging cases lack is a belt clip that rotates 180-degrees. This sounds great but unfortunately Case-Mate dropped the ball on this one. I found myself worrying about the lack of protection on the upper half of my iPhone and the screen. Since you have to place the iPhone face-out, the screen is left completely unprotected. This means you have to be careful not to bump into anything or you will damage your device.

So, the next possibility would be to place the phone in your pocket. There’s only one thing wrong with that — the belt clip is not removable. Granted it still would be a tight fit without the clip due to the added size it gives the iPhone, but the option would still be better.

As to the belt clip itself, it does it’s job well. Rest assured, your iPhone is locked in place and will not fall out on you.

Conclusion

Even with the complaints about the belt clip, I still like this case. The pros outweigh the cons by far. I found myself using the case at work around my desk and at home when I was lounging around. Even though the size adds to the iPhone it still feels good in the hand while using it.

Overall the Case-Mate Fuel Case for iPhone 3G/3GS does it’s job and it does it very well. Since Apple chooses not to make the iPhones battery replaceable companies like Case-Mate have stepped up and offered us some solutions. For $74.95 you can’t go wrong with this one, Fuel will give your iPhone the boost it needs to easily make it through your entire day and, in some cases, days.

Pros

• Battery life as advertises.
• Feels good in the hand
• Reasonable price
• Ability to sync while your iPhone is in the case
• Works with the new iPhone 3GS

Cons

• Lack of screen protection
• Belt clip is not removable
• Case only chargeable via micro USB cable

The Belkin TuneCast Auto with ClearScan for iPhone 3G is available and can be purchased in TiPb Store for $79.95. If you are looking for a charger/ FM transmitter in one for your iPhone, this might be for you. Let’s see how it measures up after the break!

Design

The Belkin TuneCast Auto is a charger/FM transmitter that sends your iPhone’s audio directly to your FM radio.  The device is made of plastic and has been quite resilient. The cord length is just about perfect. I currently plug it in under my car’s arm rest and it is just long enough. The transmitter is compact and easy to use.

Daily Use

I admit it, or perhaps I shouldn’t, but I am one of those people that sometimes drives with my headphones in. I liken this to the same as someone playing their boom-box loudly in their car. So, being a good citizen, I wanted do the right thing and find a way to listen to music without headphones; in comes the Belkin TuneCast Auto!

I have a 45-minute commute each way to work, so I use this thing A LOT and for extended periods of time, driving through several parts of town before arriving at my place of employment. Why is this important? Well, the way this device works is, it sends the the iPhone’s audio to a radio channel that is not currently being broadcast on. So, in theory, you find an “empty” channel and you are in business. Well, like I said, in theory anyway. The reality is where I live, there are very, very, very few stations (like 3) that don’t broadcast anything. What is the magic station for me? 96.1, for about 75 percent of my commute. Since I am driving from suburbia to downtown, as I approach the city, there is more and more static encroaching on the crystal-clear audio I enjoyed from my home; frustrating indeed.

So how do you resolve this? Well the Belkin TuneCast Auto gives you a few tools at your disposal. First up is the scanner. You press the button and if finds a station, based on your location, that has the least amount of static or stations to transmit to the radio. You can adjust by numerical increment if you like too. For example, the device select 105.4, but you find that 105.5 provides a slightly clearer listening experience, you can adjust at that level.

Next, you can save up to two favorite channels. This is quite helpful in my instance. I choose one channel for most of my commute, then as I get closer to work, I switch to another. It would have been really handy to have more then two saved presets, but alas, what can you do.

Lastly, you have “Pro” settings that help improve the audio performance. There are Pro levels 1-3 that essentially increase the volume of the music if it is muffled over the air with the FM reception. The last level plays in mono, further decreasing static.

Conclusion

I really like the Belkin TuneCast Auto for iPhone 3G. The problems I have with it are really just inherent of the technology and its compatibility in my city; there just aren’t any available stations that don’t have anything being broadcast on them. This issue, however, is not Belkin’s so I feel it is unfair to knock them any points for this. Instead, the disappointments I have with the device are listed below, that just prevent it form being a 5-star device.

Pros:

• Hey, instant iPhone to Stereo transmission in your car!
• Ample cord length
• Good reception (when there is a available channel)

Cons:

• It would be nice if the 30-pin connector snapped into place to make it more secure
• Having more than 2 presets for stations would be nice

TiPb’s Rating:

The iPhone doesn’t have a user-changeable battery. To some that was a non-starter. To others, that was a call to action. Enter the iPhone external battery charger. We’ve seen them in several forms now, from built-in cases like the Mophie Juice Pack to plug-in units like the RichardSolo 1800 for iPhone.

TiPb had a chance to meet with the very gracious Richard Thalheimer at Macworld, who shared his enthusiasm for the RichardSolo 1800 and asked us to give it a try. Seeing as how, between email, twitter, blogging, texting, and calling, I was draining our iPhones near dry, I was more than happy to.

So how did it do? Read on after the break!

What’s in the Box

The RichardSolo 1800 for iPhone comes with the battery charger itself, which is shaped roughly like smaller, thinner version of the iPhone, and includes a locking dock connecter (yes!), charging light, and two buttons which activate the laser pointer and the LED flashlight.

Yep, it’s a multi-tasker, and while I haven’t yet found a use for the extra features, it is kind of reassuring to know they exist in case I ever need to find my keys in a dark room, or simply annoy a friend.

Also included is a retractable mini-USB to USB cable for charging with adapters for both an AC outlet and a car charger. Since the purpose of RichardSolo 1800 is to keep you juiced up on the go, it’s nice to have multiple options for charging the 1800 itself. However, while USB is a standard, I can’t help but think if the RichardSolo 1800 itself used a dock connector for charging, just like the iPhone, that AC adapter and car charger could do double duty charging the iPhone as well. (Note: you can work around this by plugging the iPhone into the RichardSolo, and the RichardSolo into the USB cable, so it’s a small niggle).

Lastly, the box includes braces for both the iPhone 3G and the original iPhone 2G. If you’re ever in a pinch and need to use your iPhone while charging it with the RichardSolo 1800, the brace will help keep everything more stable. It’s not as solid as a case-form external battery charger, of course, but if you’re careful, it’s usable enough.

How it Works

To charge the RichardSolo, you plug it into the retractable USB cable, and plug that into a handy USB socket — or into either of the adapters mentioned above. RichardSolo recommends you charge the 1800 for a minimum of 5 hours, twice, to get maximum initial capacity. That’s probably a fair indication of ongoing best practices as well.

Once the RichardSolo 1800 is charged, you plug it into the iPhone and move that charge on over! Thankfully, the 1800 will “lock” onto the iPhone dock, and requires you to pinch two buttons on the side to release it — a nice feature to prevent unintentional disconnection. Since the 1800 charges through a dock connector, you could theoretically use it to charge the iPod touch — or any other iPod — as well, though I personally haven’t tried that out yet.

From nearly dead to fully charged, it took somewhere between 1:30 and 1:45 to completely recharge my iPhone, and the 1800 still had power left to spare.

Final Thoughts

Is it unwieldily? Sure, hanging even a slim battery sized object off the bottom of your iPhone can be annoying, but what’s more annoying is running out of power halfway through a conference, nary a port or outlet in sight. So it comes down to a choice, something less obtrusive like the aforementioned Mophie Juice Pack, which only works on the iPhone 3G, or the RichardSolo 1800, which isn’t as elegant but can be used on all iPhones and iPods alike?

Pros

• Can charge any iPhone or iPod
• Slim profile makes it highly portable
• Includes USB, AC, and car charging options
• Built in flash and flippin’ laser beam!

Cons

• Dongle-like solution less ideal for using-while-charging

TiPb Rating