An iPhone case with a built in battery - that you can change quickly.

I don’t own an iPhone 4, (I do have the latest iPod Touch) but people who do own them and use them a lot, often seek out a case with a built in battery. Tekkeon has introduced a different kind of iPhone 4 case. Like all the others on the market, the myPower battery case separates into pieces. With other cases, the battery is always built into the bottom of the case and the top is a bezel that completes the case. But the folks at Tekkeon told me that had decided to make a different kind of iPhone 4 case. (Not to be confused with their earlier iPhone 3 leather case.) When you open the package of the myPower for the iPhone 4 you’ll still find a case in two sections. I knew this case would work with my iTouch 4, even though the it wouldn’t fit properly. So I docked my iPod Touch to the bottom section of the case which contains the 30 pin connector. I click the myPower switch to on – and – and nohing happened. Oh well, time to read the instructions. Opps, I see now! No wonder nothing happened. The bottom part contains the connector, but it’s the top piece that includes the battery! I clicked the top part on, connected the two together and flipped it on. Yes! Now it worked. But it works in a different way from  other charger/cases. When you switch it on, the Tekkeon myPower battery alone powers your iPhone 4. You’ll see the iPhone 4 power icon switch from battery to the AC symbol. It powers your phone without charging the internal battery. I asked the folks at Tekkeon why they took that approach and they said it was easier on your iPhone 4 battery not to be constantly charged, drained a bit, charged, etc. Their idea is to run your phone off the myPower battery knowing you still have all your iPhone 4 battery power. When the myPower battery dies, it automatically switches to the iPhone 4 built in battery. Another feature of the myPower is the ability to switch out the top battery section for a spare, assuming you bought one.  A second battery is only about 1/3 the cost of the entire kit. The myPower ion battery adds 1200 mAh to your iPhone 4. (A spare is priced at about $25) A 2200 mAH module will be available soon for about $10 more. But, of course, it will be thicker. If you like lights, the Tekkeon will disappoint you a little. Rather than a segmented battery level indicator, it uses a single light with two colors to indicate the amount of power left. Weighing in at only 1.84 oz (51.5 g) the myPower for iPhone 4 is almost undetectable from a plain old hard case without power. MSRP: $80. Discounts can be found by doing a web search.

 http://www.tekkeon.com/products-mypower-iphone-1280.html 

See or hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1273 (If this link isn’t active, please check back in an hour or so.)