Since its release, the iPhone has been one of the few truely ‘must have’ gadgets that has seen mainstream acceptance and that has revolutionised the way people use hand-held devices. However, there is still one major issue that iPhone users all agree holds back their full enjoyment of the phone: the iPhone’s sleek design and high functionality betrays a battery life that would have been unacceptable on phones a few years old, let alone the current generation of smart phones. Users of the iPhone 3GS have even reported the battery not lasting a full working day, even on low use. This is a particular problem for iPhone users, as the whole idea of the phone is that it should be used as an MP3 and video player, as well as for a myriad of games and web apps. Unfortunately, the iPhone does not leave itself open to one of the possible solutions of other phones and MP3 players, which is to buy a spare battery that you can swap in the back of the unit as necessary. The iPhone, like other Apple portable devices, has a sealed battery that is not designed to be removed or replaced by the user.
For this reason, two major options have been developed to allow users to get more usage out of their iPhone when out and about. The first type are those solutions that allow the unit to be charged easily when away from the home and the second is to have a portable external power supply. Now the iPhone 3GS – 3G Desktop Dual Charging Dock + Battery Charger unit, available from mobilefun.co.uk has managed to combine both solutions into one stylish package. The set comes with a two in one docking unit. The iPhone can be easily placed into the front dock of this unit, to work like an ordinary dock offered by a range of manufacturers, i.e. it sits on your desk and allows the iPhone to charge throughout the day. The unit can be put in place neatly on your desk, without having wires dangling around, which look messy and can easily be lost. Placing the iPhone into a dock in this way also makes it easy to monitor your phone, meaning that you don’t even have to move to pick up the phone to see who is calling or texting you. However, the innovative aspect of this product comes from the secondary dock within the unit, which connects to a purpose built battery charger for the iPhone 3G and 3GS.
The battery charger is the same width as the iPhone itself and is designed in the same curved glossy finish as the phone. This unit is simply put into the secondary slot to charge and removed at attached to the iPhone when necessary, extending the length of the iPhone by less than two centimetres and also fitting snugly along the back of the phone. The two in one charging unit means that you are able to have your iPhone on charge in one port and the battery charger in the other – effectively giving you the power of two batteries. What’s more is that some users have reported the battery charger may be able to provide more than one full charge to an iPhone, giving you further backup if needed. The dual charging dock can also be a great ‘communal’ option for the home or for the workplace. This is because both ports can be used to charge phones at the same time, so that one dock can charge just a phone and the other can charge a phone connected to the portable battery charger. There is also no need to disconnect the iPhone from the charger and reconnecting when transferring data from iTunes, as the front port also offers a data hot sync feature, acting as a full replacement for your standard data cable.
One of the best things about the innovate solution offered by this item is the fact that, if you’re leaving home or the office and want to take your iPhone somewhere that you don’t want the extra size of the battery charger, it can simply be removed as necessary. It simply needs to have been attached for long enough to have transferred some of its charge to the iPhone. It is also arguably better than having an actual replacement battery – even if this were possible – as the portable charger can simply be snapped on and snapped off when not needed, without having to open up the phone. For this reason, a dual dock makes a great option that doesn’t compromise the iPhone’s style, or its portability.
This great product is available from mobile fun.