Mophie Juice Pack Air vs. Helium vs. Plus for iPhone 5 battery case

Medical students and residents often need to carry their smartphones in a battery-powered case so that their phones last over 24 hrs. If they are in the hospital on-call, they often need to be there overnight. Sometimes you are running around so much that you don't even have time to plug your phone into a wall outlet. That means you may need to carry your smartphone in a battery case. That's the easiest way to ensure that you have power throughout your long shift.

Mophie has the 3 Juice Pack cases for the iPhone 5:

1. Air: 1500 mAh battery
2. Helium: 1700 mAh battery
3. Plus: 2100 mAh battery

The Juice Pack Air and Helium are both very thin and light. The Juice Pack Plus provides the greatest battery extending power at the expense of greater bulk and weight.

I've personally used the Juice Pack Air and Helium. The Helium is the lightest and narrowest. I'd say that it's also the thinnest, but I honestly can't notice the difference in thinness between the Helium vs. the Air. The Helium is a bit narrower and lighter than the Air. The Helium has cut-outs for the sleep/wake and volume buttons. The Juice Pack Air and the Plus have button overlays which are easier to press.

  

I need to get a battery case for my iPhone 4S

I recently made the switch from Android to the iPhone 4S as my daily workhorse smartphone. I've been using iOS devices for years, so I'm familiar with all the apps (because they're already running on my iPod touch and iPad).

After using the iPhone 4S for a few days, I've concluded that I need to get a battery case. The built-in 1,432mAh battery in my iPhone 4S doesn't provide enough power for my type of use and there is no option for a removable or extended battery on the iPhone. I'm frequently using the built-in GPS, taking photos and videos, and doing a lot of uploading/downloading (since I still have unlimited data on Verizon).

So, now I'm on the mission to test a few of the battery cases made for the iPhone 4S. Some are bulkier than others and I don't need the one with the largest battery. So, stay tuned as I give these a spin.

Blogging on the HTC ThunderBolt 4G

I have to admit that I've been very impressed by the HTC ThunderBolt 4G on Verizon. Compared to my old Motorola Droid X (which is a fine smartphone), the ThunderBolt feels so much faster and the 4G speeds are great for bloggers who like to upload photos and videos when they're at a conference or meeting. The WiFi Mobile Hotspot also works reliably.

For me, the biggest disappointment is the battery life on the HTC ThunderBolt. I may need to invest in an extended battery (which would make the phone really bulky) and use that battery when I know I'll require all-day performance.

It's refreshing to use a smartphone that's fast and responsive. I hope to share more as I continue to use this device.

Motorola Droid 2 vs. the Droid X (Verizon)

Here's a nice video that compares the Motorola Droid 2 vs. the Droid X.

I'm planning on getting the Droid X because I really like the large screen, it records HD video, and it can accommodate an extended battery without getting too thick (the Droid 2 also accommodates an extended battery, but then it's a bit thicker compared to the Droid X). The QWERTY keyboard on the Droid 2 was a bit too small for me (keep in mind that I'm used to the HTC Touch Pro2 which has one of the best QWERTY keyboards out there).

Using an external battery pack when traveling

In the past, I used to carry spare smartphone batteries. I would carry an extended battery or a standard spare in my bag. However, I stopped that trend last year and now I carry a small external battery pack that allows me to recharge my smartphone when I'm traveling.

Given that I replace my smartphone roughly every 2 years (through the Verizon "New Every Two" plan), I found that it really didn't make sense for me to go out and buy many accessories for my smartphone. Therefore, I no longer buy spare batteries. I also don't buy cases. I simply use a screen protector and that's it.

By using an external battery pack, I know that I can also use that same power source to recharge my iPod, my Bluetooth headset, and a few other small electronics. Plus, when I replace my smartphone, I can still use the same battery pack. I recommend getting something small and something that simply has a standard USB port. This little 5V outlet can recharge many devices as long as you carry a USB cable.

Always carry a spare smartphone battery

I've seen so many people experience a "dead battery situation." Maybe they forgot to charge their smartphone last night. Perhaps their phone was frozen and it sucked all the juice out of the battery. Maybe you had to take call in the hospital at the last minute and you didn't have your phone charger. Many of us would admit that we'd feel utterly lost without our smartphones. Given that our entire lives are on these devices, we really can't afford to experience a dead battery situation.

For those of us who have a user-removable battery, it's easy to keep a spare in our bags. Dead battery? No problem! Pop out the old one and insert the new one. Perhaps you even have the luxury of using an extended battery.

For others who have smartphones like the Apple iPhone, you'll need to keep an external battery pack (who else makes smartphones like this?). I've heard rumors that the Apple iPhone 4G will have a user-removable battery. Let's hope that this particular rumor is true. Would you be willing to buy an iPhone that's slightly thicker if you could remove the battery? Given that the lifespan of a typical lithium ion battery is roughly 2-3 years (before you see significant decreases in performance), I think that iPhone users will want the option of changing the battery themselves.

5 things I would change about the Apple iPhone

The Apple iPhone is a great smartphone, but it's not perfect. The latest version (3GS) adds considerable functionality with the increased speed and improved video capabilities, but I'd like to see Apple make some drastic changes to future models. Otherwise, the iPhone 4G will look just like the 3G (or 3GS).

If you had a chance to change the Apple iPhone, what changes would you make?

Here are the five things I would change:

1. Removable battery. I'm still bothered by the fact that an average consumer can't replace the internal battery on the iPhone.  Once you offer a removable battery, consumers can choose between a standard battery vs. a thicker extended capacity battery. Right now, you're stuck using an external battery pack or a battery booster.
   
2. Offer an iPhone Pro with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Give users the option to choose a "Pro" version that's thicker and that includes buttons. I think most will still choose the thinner version that lacks a physical keyboard.
3. Expand beyond GSM. I know that Apple is talking with Verizon about releasing a CDMA version, but when will this happen? Will it also be available on Sprint?
   
4. Offer a smaller size option. Call it the iPhone Mini, the iPhone nano, or the iPhone junior. The current iPhone is a nice size, but a slightly smaller version would be ideal for many users who want something a bit more portable.
5. Add a microSD slot. This way, if users want to expand storage space, it's easy! You can add a 16GB card (and soon we'll have 32 GB microSD cards).
   

This is obviously not meant to be an exhaustive list, but these are 5 things I would change. How many of these will Apple implement in the near future? Probably only two (my guess would be #3 and #4). Hence, I continue to wish and dream.

Using an Extended Battery

Do you use an extended battery on your smartphone? I've been using one on my HTC Windows Mobile phone for the last few weeks and it's been great having the extra capacity. My wife currently uses a Samsung smartphone running Windows Mobile and she hasn't needed an extended battery because she doesn't do a whole lot of e-mail or browsing on her smartphone. I don't have to worry about the battery dying if I do some heavy browsing on Skyfire or tweet using Twobile or PockeTwit.