New Technology Reviews!.: battery

Mugen Power battery crams 237% more power into Mytouch 4G Slide

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<img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="324" mce_src="http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/1696/mugenpower540x540.jpg" src="http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/1696/mugenpower540x540.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="324" />Late last month Mugen power unveiled a new expanded capacity battery for the HTC Sensation 4G that doubled the battery life. Mugen Power is back with another extended life battery for Android fans and this time the battery is for the HTC Mytouch 4G Slide. The new extended life battery that MP offers is called the HLI-PG59100XL and it includes the battery door you need to install the battery into the smartphone.</div>
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The MP battery has 3600mAH of power inside compared to the standard Mytouch 4G Slide battery packing in 1520mAH. The company says that the battery is also CE approved. Using its battery the company claims that the moderate user will only need to recharge their phone every four days.</div>
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The battery kit is going to sell for $98.95 with the battery door and free shipping. With the higher capacity battery and the new battery door the phone grows to 21.5mm thick. That extra thickness and extra weight are the only downsides. The battery will ship on October 28.</div>
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Mugen Power battery crams 237% more power into Mytouch 4G Slide

Late last month Mugen power unveiled a new expanded capacity battery for the HTC Sensation 4G that doubled the battery life. Mugen Power...

HTC Sensation 4G gets twice the battery life with Mugen Power

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<img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="324" mce_src="http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/1696/mugenpower540x540.jpg" src="http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/1696/mugenpower540x540.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="324" />The HTC Sensation smartphone has been around for a while now. We reviewed the smartphone back in May when it first launched. If you use the Sensation and would like to have more run time, you can get a LOT more battery life if you swap the battery inside your device with a new offering from Mugen Power. Mugen Power has a new battery for the HTC Sensation that is available now.</div>
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The stock battery for the Sensation is a 1560mAh unit. The battery that Mugen Power offers has more than twice the power capacity with 3600mAh inside. The new battery is part number HLI-Z710EXL and the battery life with the new cell inside is increased by 130%. The new battery will drop right into the battery bay of the Sensation and requires a new battery door.</div>
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The battery door is included and with the new battery and door the thickness of the Sensation increases to 18.05mm. That will add bulk, but if you are a heavy user, at least you can keep powered and don’t need an external charger or battery. The battery and door will sell for $104.95.</div>
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HTC Sensation 4G gets twice the battery life with Mugen Power

The HTC Sensation smartphone has been around for a while now. We reviewed the smartphone back in May when it first launched. If you use ...

Review: Sony VAIO C-Series

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Sony's latest VAIO C-Series laptops have taken a good few pages out of Apple's big book of design and usability. The curvaceous aesthetics, well-spaced keyboards and not-too-intrusive extra software mean that they look and function amazingly well.</div>
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The Sony VAIO VPC-CA2C5E we were sent for review looks the part, finished with ludicrous levels of bright green perspex and plastic – although its hue will surely divide its target market.</div>
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The C-Series certainly puts the fun back into computing: we haven't seen such bountiful use of translucent plastic since the iMac back in the early 2000s.</div>
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When it's powered up, the keyboard is backlit and the whole thing glows eerily, complete with etched Sony and VAIO logos. Kids seem particularly attracted to it, which explains a lot given its positioning as a family laptop. It's available in a range of different colours, including more conservative blacks and whites and more vibrant pink, red, green, orange and blue.</div>
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There's a big gap in the market for a fun and funky laptop, especially in this 14-inch form factor. We've seen netbook manufacturers attempt to spice up computing with Asus's Disney Eee, and Packard Bell's Dot SE.</div>
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People seem to like customised laptops, too, and most of Dell's XPS 15 allows cases to be customised before you buy them. But Sony really has taken design to another level. It's a brave move, and one that's certain to attract people who are more into designer specs than computer specs, but what's Sony done inside the C Series?</div>
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Sony's VAIO C-Series laptops can be configured via the website, and the VPC-CA2C5E review model we were supplied with sat firmly in the middle of the customisation options: not too bad, but could be slightly better. It's powered by an Intel Core i5 2410M processor, backed up with an AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics chip and 4GB DDR3 RAM.</div>
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The laptop can be configured with a Core i7 or i3 processor, as well as Intel onboard graphics and 6GB of RAM.</div>
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The body of the laptop feels substantial, and there is very little flex in the casing. At 2.3kg, it's not going to break your back – but we wouldn't want to have to carry it for extended periods. It can get a bit noisy and warm as the fans kick in when you're playing videos or games, but it's by no means a deal breaker.</div>
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As has become standard on Sony's laptops, there are three buttons for quick access to help, the internet and the VAIO media portal. They're by no means essential, and we do miss the screen-off button that's adorned previous VAIO laptops such as the VGN-NW11Z/S – it's incredibly handy when you want to connect the laptop to a TV to watch a Blu-Ray.</div>
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There is, unfortunately, none of Sony's own Blu-ray magic in our C-Series review model; it can be added in the build process, though.</div>
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Connectivity is amply handled by HDMI and VGA outputs, as well as three USB sockets – one of which is the speedy USB 3.0. The standard mic and headphone ports and a dual memory stick and SD Card reader complete the lineup.</div>
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Sony's screens are nothing short of amazing, and The C Series' 1366 x 768 display is no exception. Colours are vibrant and the contrast strong, but the viewing angle is a minor let-down. The size means you won't be watching films on this, though, and it's easy enough to connect to a big screen TV.</div>
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The built-in webcam is similarly impressive, offering clear images and video thanks to a 1.3MP Exmor sensor. However, for a company that prides itself on its high quality CD players and Walkmen, the tinniness of the speakers is disappointing.</div>
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As with Sony's other laptops, the C Series is an absolute joy in terms of usability. The separated keys make typing a doddle, and you're not likely to get crumbs underneath them. There is a slight flex to the keyboard, but not enough to be noticeable.</div>
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The trackpad and buttons are equally responsive, and Sony's integrated multi-touch makes zooming and scrolling nice and easy.</div>
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The Sony VAIO C-Series is disappointingly run of the mill in terms of performance. Sony has created an all-rounder of a laptop that doesn't do anything spectacularly, and this wouldn't be so bad if it didn't have such a high (£719) price tag.</div>
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Even its own cheaper laptops – such as the VAIO VPC-EB3J0E/WI – don't score much lower in our benchmark tests.</div>
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The C-Series is capable when it comes to gaming, if nothing more. It's not going to stand up to a dedicated gaming laptop, such as MSI's GE700, but it happily chugs through most modern titles, provided their graphics settings are low enough.</div>
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It's more capable when it comes to video and photo editing, thanks to the Intel Core i5 processor. HD videos play flawlessly, too, and look absolutely amazing.</div>
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The single most disappointing thing about Sony's C Series is the battery life, or lack thereof. Battery Eater emptied a fully charged battery in less than an hour by stressing the computer as much as possible. This means gaming on the move is next to impossible, unless you want the computer to die more quickly than your character.</div>
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In real-world terms, we managed to get two hours out of the battery when word processing, and this was with Wi-Fi turned off. It's not great, and it seems Sony has designed the C Series primarily as a desktop replacement PC capable of brief trips out.</div>
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Taken as a desktop replacement, its usability and bright screen stand out, and it's perfectly capable of multitasking a word processor, media playback and web browsing. But most netbooks – such as Samsung's NC110 – are capable of this level of performance, and they cost a third of the price and have better battery life.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Benchmarks</span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5;" />Battery Eater: 62 minutes<br style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5;" />3D Mark 06: 5031<br style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5;" />Cinebench: 7732</div>
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Sony's laptops may match Apple's in terms of usability and design, but Sony always adds a few bells and whistles to make them stand out from the crowd. Performance, unfortunately, seems to come second to design in Sony's world.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">We liked</span></div>
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While the lime green colour of our Sony VAIO C Series review model is likely to inspire either slack-jawed awe or seething hatred, there's no denying that Sony has shaken things up in terms of design.</div>
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At the very least it makes a change from the black and silver hunks of plastic we've been toting since the early 2000s. It's a wonderful experience in terms of usability, and the bright screen, decent webcam and comfortable keyboard make it feel substantial and solid. For media tasks and general computing it performs very well, too.</div>
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<img alt="Sony vaio vpc-ca2c5e" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Computing/Sony%20c%20series/Sony%20vaio%20c%20series%20red-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Computing/Sony%20c%20series/Sony%20vaio%20c%20series%20red-420-90.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">We disliked</span></div>
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Given the array of hardware packed into the C Series, we were disappointed with its performance. Although it's capable of moderate gaming, there are better dedicated alternatives for a similar price.</div>
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Battery life is the biggest let-down here, and a mere hour at high load is frankly appalling. There are laptops out there that offer 10 times as much, and with the Samsung Chromebook's eight hour battery life, it's become an important part of choosing a laptop.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Verdict</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="Sony vaio vpc-ca2c5e" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Computing/Sony%20c%20series/Sony%20vaio%20c%20series%20orange%20lid-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Computing/Sony%20c%20series/Sony%20vaio%20c%20series%20orange%20lid-420-90.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></span></div>
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It's unfortunate, but the Sony VAIO C Series let us down in exactly the way we expected: it's a complete triumph of style over substance.</div>
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Despite its amazing looks, and fairly beefy hardware, it just didn't perform as well as it should have. This is compounded by the price, which is too high. Medion's Akoya E6221 costs £240 less, but includes a similar level of hardware specifications and performs almost as well.</div>
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It's also clear that Sony is targeting consumers who like shiny and sleek Apple products, but has forgotten that the price tag has to be more competitive in order to truly attract this market.</div>
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</span></div>

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Apple patent application reveals plans for external battery pack, spells further trouble for HyperMac

<P align=center><img alt="" border="0" hspace="4" src="/applepatent-battpack-1301680985.jpg" vspace="4"></P><br /><P>Way back in September of last year, Apple filed a patent-infringement suit against HyperMac, the folks behind these external batteries. At the time, it looked like Apple was protecting its patented MagSafe power connector, but a newly released USPTO application for a "Power Adapter with Internal Battery" might reveal a more accurate view of the company's litigious motivations. From the look of things, the outfit intends to make its mark on juicing solutions with what is basically a wall charger packing an internal battery. According to the patent filing, the contraption would include a processor for parceling energy to the host device as well as the adapter, and could also incorporate a supplemental energy source like a solar cell. Among other things, it would also communicate with the device being charged to allow users to monitor the juice stored in the extra battery. If the thing does end up making it to market, it looks like HyperMac could have a whole lot more trouble on its hands than a little patent-infringement suit.Apple patent application reveals plans for external battery pack, spells further trouble for HyperMac </P><br /><P><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/01/apple-patent-application-reveals-plans-for-external-battery-pack/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">via</A></P>

Apple patent application reveals plans for external battery pack, spells further trouble for HyperMac

Way back in September of last year, Apple filed a patent-infringement suit against HyperMac, the folks behind these external batteries. At t...

Buying Guide: Best iPhone 4 battery case: 5 we recommend

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.group-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>Like a good friend, your iPhone is there for you when you need it. Arrived in a new city and lost? Maps to the rescue! Want to find the time of your next train home? No problem. But unlike your best mate, the iPhone has a tendency to conk out at the worst moment if you've forgotten to charge its battery. </P><br /><P>The solution is a battery pack. These come in all shapes, sizes, colours and prices. We've gone for the case-style power pack, because we feel they're the most convenient, portable and robust you can get. Since they're designed to fit snugly, they're phone-specific, so make sure you get the right model for your iPhone. </P><br /><P>To help you choose, we've selected five for the iPhone 4 and another five for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, all available in the UK. There are other options that simply clip onto the bottom or your iPhone (or iPod or iPad, in some cases), or that you hook up to your dock connector with a lead. </P><br /><P>These aren't as handy for travelling, but you can get some with awesome capacity – have a look at the Just Mobile Gum Plus Power Pack (£57). This little baby's 4400mAh battery charged our iPhone fully and still claimed to have a near-full tank. </P><br /><P>We put each of the cases here through rigorous tests to discover how they perform in the real-world. The testing process was done on an eight-month-old iPhone 3GS and an iPhone 4 with three months on the clock. Both phones' batteries have run up a fair few charge cycles, so your results may differ from ours because your battery's in a different state of health. </P><br /><P>But our results give a good indication of the relative performance of each case. We measured how much charge each pack could push into a dead iPhone, then timed how long it took to charge the pack and the phone fully – useful to know if you're off somewhere and want to go out with as much charge as possible. </P><br /><P>Finally, we left the guided tour of Unreal's <EM>Epic Citadel</EM> running, which really mashes away at the processor and hence battery – a true acid test. Let's see how they fared. </P><br /><P><STRONG>For iPhone 4</STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Dexim" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery8-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Dexim Supercharged Leather Power Case - £60 </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Mophie" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery6-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Mophie Juice Pack Air - iPhone 4 - £70 </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Mili" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery4-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Mili Power Spring 4 - £47 </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="ExoGear" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery5-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Exogear Exolife - £60</P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Logic 3" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery3-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Logic3 PowerSleeve for iPhone 4 - £30 </P><br /><P><STRONG>For iPhone 3G/3GS </STRONG></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Logic 3" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery10-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Logic3 Power Case - £30 </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="7dayShop" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery1-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>7dayshop iPower External Battery Case - £11 </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Dexim" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery9-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Dexim BluePack S4 - £25 </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Mili" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery7-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Mili Power Spring Case for iPhone 3G/3GS - £43 </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Mophie" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/TAP02.group.battery2-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Mophie Juice Pack Air - iPhone 3G & 3GS - £40 </P><br /><P><STRONG>Test 1 - Battery power<BR></STRONG></P><br /><P>We plugged the full battery pack into a dead iPhone and left it to charge with the phone on, but the display off. The battery percentage reading was taken from the iPhone as soon as the battery case was empty. The high-capacity Dexim came out top; the Exogear was surprisingly low. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="test 1" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/ip4-test1-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P><STRONG>Test 2 - Battery charge time<BR></STRONG></P><br /><P>We plugged a dead battery and dead iPhone into a 500mA USB port on our Mac and timed how long it took for both to charge fully. Don't hold your breath, because it ain't quick. The Mophie did well but the Logic3 was fastest. It's not the whole story though – look at test three.</P><br /><P><BR></P><br /><P align=center><img alt="test 2" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/ip4-test2-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P><STRONG>Test 3 - Extra power</STRONG></P><br /><P>With the pack and iPhone charged, we left the guided tour of Unreal's Epic Citadel running with sound muted, and timed how much extra time we got with the battery compared to the iPhone on its own. This is where the differences really showed up. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="test 3" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/ip4-test3-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P><STRONG>Test 4 - Design and Features </STRONG></P><br /><P>We like Dexim's flip-case design for the screen protection it offers, though it's the bulkiest of the ones on test, doesn't grip the phone well and the flip clip isn't particularly elegant. </P><br /><P>The Mili's one-piece spring clip, which hooks over the top of the iPhone, is a nice idea that just doesn't work, because it kept coming loose in our pocket, and the Exogear's clip-on ring is functional but flimsy. The case is mighty thin, though. </P><br /><P>Our favourites are the Logic3 and the Mophie: the former because of its one-piece design; the latter because it's so solid, looks the part and has a nice rubber back. </P><br /><P>All five have a power switch, so you can decide when to use the charge in the battery to boost your iPhone. With the Mili, it won't start charging until you press its On button, but you can't then stop it without removing the iPhone – less elegant than the others. </P><br /><P>And all but the Dexim have a strip of lights that show you how much juice is in the battery. The Dexim does have a light to tell you if it's charging (orange) or full (green), but the light colour changes depending on your angle of view. Frus-tra-ting. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="test 4" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/ip4-test4-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P><STRONG>And the best iPhone 4 battery case is… Mophie Juice Pack Air £70 </STRONG></P><br /><P>The Mophie's performance and design panache make it a worthy winner This test has brought out a surprising trait in us – we've started to sympathise with the X Factor judges. When faced with two completely different choices, each with its own distinct strengths, how do you pick between them? </P><br /><P>Unlike Messrs Cowell et al., we were picking between the top two rather than the bottom pair, and we had longer than they did to deliberate which was to be our victor. But it was tough. </P><br /><P>While we liked the phenomenal capacity and added use time of the Dexim, its design lacks finesse, and since you've got a stylish and well-designed phone, you need a case to match. </P><br /><P>For the same reason, we didn't feel the Mili and Exogear packs were quite up to scratch, despite the former's impressive additional use time. And so we were left with our final-two conundrum. </P><br /><P>As we said in the design test, we were impressed by the Logic3 and Mophie in equal measure, and felt both were a worthy complement to the iPhone's sleek looks. In terms of how much juice they pumped into the phone, they were practically identical, and they were the two quickest-charging packs we tested. </P><br /><P>So it came down to whether the Mophie's more-than-double additional use time justified its more-than-double price tag. Let's first say that we do think £70 is too expensive and that at £30, the Logic3 is an attractive option if you're on a tight budget. </P><br /><P>But at the end of the day, if you're going to shell out on a battery case, it's because you're the sort of heavy iPhone user who regularly finds your battery running out, so the more additional use time you get, the better. </P><br /><P>And while the Mophie isn't top of the table in this sense, it offers the best overall balance of great design and good performance. It protects your phone well, is solidly built but still thin, oozes class and gives you plenty of extra time to enjoy all that's great about your iPhone. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="final" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/ip4-final-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P><STRONG>Test 1 - Battery power</STRONG></P><br /><P>We plugged the full battery pack into a dead iPhone and left it to charge with the phone on, but the display off. The battery percentage reading was taken from the iPhone as soon as the battery case was empty. The 7dayshop iPower, despite being good on paper, performed poorly. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="test 1" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/ip3-test1-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P><STRONG>Test 2 - Battery charge time</STRONG></P><br /><P>We plugged a dead battery and dead iPhone into a 500mA USB port on our Mac and timed how long it took for both to charge fully. Don't hold your breath, because it ain't quick, though we were impressed by the Mili's time and, to a slightly lesser extent, the Mophie's. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="test 2" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/ip3-test2-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P><STRONG>Test 3 - Extra power</STRONG></P><br /><P>With the pack and iPhone charged, we left the guided tour of Unreal's Epic Citadel running with sound muted, and timed how much extra time we got with the battery compared to the iPhone on its own. As you can see, it was largely much of a muchness. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="test 3" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/ip3-test3-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P><STRONG>Test 4 - Design and Features </STRONG></P><br /><P>You will notice that the Logic3 and Dexim leather cases are virtually identical, the only significant differences being the type of leather coating and the fact that the Dexim has a velcro clasp while the Logic3 has a magnet. We preferred the latter. </P><br /><P>But both these cases are bulkier than the Mili and Mophie ones. The Mili clip-on design that didn't work with the iPhone 4 grips the 3G/3GS much better: it also leaves the iPhone's sidemounted buttons more accessible. The Mophie looks similar to the Mili but the top is a separate slide-on piece. </P><br /><P>The Mili, 7dayshop iPower and Mophie packs have a strip of lights to show you the charge level, and we like the Mophie's best because the button's easier to press than the Mili. The Logic3 and Dexim ones only have a status light that doesn't show you how much juice they still have in the tank. </P><br /><P>All five have switches so that you can decide when to use the juice in the pack, although the only way to cut off power with the Mili is to remove the phone. One nice feature of the 7dayshop iPower is how it'll charge other USB devices. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="test 4" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Tap/Tap%2002/ip3-test4-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P><STRONG>And the best iPhone 3G/3GS battery case is… Mili Power Spring £43 </STRONG></P><br /><P>In a close-run contest, the convenience of speedy charging is worth the extra cash We've agonised long and hard about this one. Let's first explain why we didn't go for the 7dayshop iPower case. </P><br /><P>Yes, it only costs about a tenner, and from a pounds-per-additional-minute-of-use perspective, it's great value for money. But then if you're investing in a battery pack, why do the half-hearted thing of getting one that delivered so much less extra use time compared to the others? If you're gonna do something, do it properly! </P><br /><P>So our attention turns to the others. In terms of how much charge they gave our iPhone and the additional use time they provided, there's nothing really to choose between them. If we were interested purely in these two things, the Logic3 case would be a good bet (we preferred its magnet clasp to the Dexim's velcro). We like the flip-case style despite the extra bulk, and its modest £30 pricetag is reasonable. </P><br /><P>But even with this, we can't help feeling you'd be better off shelling out an additional £13 for the Mili, and here's why. Granted, you don't get any additional capacity or video time at the top-end of the price scale, but the Mili and Mophie products have three distinct advantages. </P><br /><P>First, there's the charge level indicator, which we find incredibly useful, and the fact that they're much lighter. But more importantly, look at those charge times. They're both significantly less than the Logic3 and Dexim efforts. And we like that, because if you've only got a short time to get your phone charged before you go out, speed matters and these guys deliver. </P><br /><P>While some of the minutiae on the Mophie are better implemented (the on/off switch and the charge level button, for example), the Mili's quicker charge time, coupled with the handier one-piece design and the way the iPhone's buttons were easier to press with the case on are what swung us in its favour.</P><br /><P><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/Vo0NfC8hgk0/story01.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Article</A></P>

Buying Guide: Best iPhone 4 battery case: 5 we recommend

Like a good friend, your iPhone is there for you when you need it. Arrived in a new city and lost? Maps to the rescue! Want to find the time...

World's smallest battery uses a single nanowire, plant-eating virus could improve Li-ion cells tenfold

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hBiqrlEQyRcir0I59QakBuhPuJnxaI233NyfhWtR2qO1l7IWe2Hr4hhvA7FKw2QgviEF9lsEfaxi5fImcExiBaXvGJGDMBidJnEdiL97GB6495dSqYqX8s4H0zRXR1VDkbG3ou1sTeA/s1600/12-11-10-virusbattery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hBiqrlEQyRcir0I59QakBuhPuJnxaI233NyfhWtR2qO1l7IWe2Hr4hhvA7FKw2QgviEF9lsEfaxi5fImcExiBaXvGJGDMBidJnEdiL97GB6495dSqYqX8s4H0zRXR1VDkbG3ou1sTeA/s320/12-11-10-virusbattery.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br>
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=latesttecompu-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B002Y27P3M&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>When it comes to building better batteries, building electrodes with greater surface area is key, and scientists are looking to exotic methods to attract the tiny particles they need. We've already seen graphene and carbon nanotubes soak up those electrons, but the University of Maryland has another idea -- they're using the Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) to generate usable patterns of nanorods on the surface of existing metal electrodes. By simply modifying the germ and letting it do its thing, then coating the surface with a conductive film, they're generating ten times the energy capacity of a standard lithium-ion battery while simultaneously rendering the nasty vegetarian bug inert. <br>
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World's smallest battery uses a single nanowire, plant-eating virus could improve Li-ion cells tenfold

When it comes to building better batteries, building electrodes with greater surface area is key, and scientists are looking to exotic meth...