Hands on ... Mobile battery boosters

Technology Writer

Saturday 19 May 2012

Batteries remain the weak point of even the most sophisticated smartphones.

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grant gibson

It's not that battery technology is stagnant; it's just that our thirst for faster, smaller, cleverer devices is racing forward faster than our capacity to power them.

Many users of Apple's iPhone 4 and 4S – devices I still rate as best in class – struggle to get through a busy business day without running out of power. Many solutions have been proffered to provide extra juice on the move, but many of the systems I've looked at are bulky and cumbersome – somewhat at odds with the sleek design of the phone they're powering.

The PhoneSuit Elite is the best solution yet. At a stroke, it solves power problems with an elegantly engineered sleeve that protects the device and more than doubles its battery capacity. The battery inside the PhoneSuit has two modes. In its default setting it will let the phone discharge as usual then, with a press of a button, it will recharge the phone back to full capacity in less than two hours. Alternatively, and perhaps more usefully, the PhoneSuit can be left in "always on" mode where it keeps the phone charged to 100% until the external battery is exhausted. From then on the phone runs on its internal battery, providing as much additional talk time as you'd get from the standard handset.With the booster switched on, a heavy user can expect a comfortable two days of use. Blue lights on the sleeve, activated by a recessed button, indicate the remaining booster charge in 20% segments. The sleeve increases the phone's weight by about half and almost doubles the thickness, but it does so in a very sleek, fitted shape that feels much less intrusive than you might expect.With the sleeve fitted, both battery and iPhone are charged and synced via a single Micro-USB socket. This is perhaps my favourite feature of the case, allowing you to use generic USB cables rather than the proprietary Apple 30-pin connector. A perfect smartphone accessory for the traveller when the power does run out is the new Mu plug, which claims to be the first major design change to Britain's 13-amp plug since its introduction in 1947. The simple and robust plug provides one amp of USB power and folds flat to 14 mm when not in use. At £25 it's not cheap but could be a real lifesaver in a pocket or a handbag.PhoneSuit Elite £54.99Positives: the best solution for anyone who needs extra juice for their iPhone.Negatives: lack of an Apple dock connector won't please everyone.

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Hands on ... Mobile battery boosters

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