There’s no question that the iPhone 4 serves me far better in the battery department than the iPhone 3GS ever did. Unfortunately, “better” isn’t “good” and I still find my charge running low by the middle or end of the day. As a result, having a backup battery with me at all times is a must.
But here is the thing… there are backup batteries and there are BACKUP BATTERIES. The Gum Plus from IntoMobile is a BACKUP BATTERY. It’s big. It’s beefy. And it’s a new fixture in my gear bag.
Let’s take a look…
From JustMobile-
The high-capacity, high-style backup battery
Just Mobile Gum Plus™ is a stylish portable backup battery for iPod, iPhone, iPad and USB-powered devices.
Unlike most backup batteries, the Gum Plus™ is Apple-certi?ed – its high-power USB output is enough to charge an iPhone to 90% in just one hour. And because it can store up to 4400mAh of power, the Gum Plus™ will recharge the iPhone up to four times before needing more juice.
With its rounded aluminium case and ?ve LED power indicators, the award-winning Gum Plus™ is a truly stylish way to pack a power up. Don’t leave home without it.
Features-
Made for iPod certified
Works with iPhone certified
Solid aluminium enclosure
High capacity – 4400 mAh
High power – 1A current
USB, iPhone cable and storage pouch included
5 LED capacity indicators
As you can see, the battery comes wrapped in aluminum. A small button serves as the on/off control and five LEDs let you know how much charge you have.
Many batteries today have a built-in USB attachment that flips out when needed. This isn’t one of them. The unit ships with a USB to miniUSB cable for charging and a USB to iPod dock connector for charging your iDevice but they are separate removable cables. On the one hand this is not the most convenient arrangement. On the other hand it means you can use whatever cable you have with you and THAT means if you carry something small like the Scosche flipSYNC you are good to go with just the battery.
The design could not be simpler.
On one side is the USB port.
And on the other is the miniUSB.
The aluminum sides are separated by a black plastic band. Hmmmm… why does that look familiar? Maybe we’ll figure that out in a bit…
4400 mAh is a big backup battery. That means lots and lots of run-time. In fact it will recharge the iPhone up to four times, but it does raise the question… How big is it?
In a word, BIG. Here is a picture of it with my iPhone on top. As you can see, it is shorter but about as wide as the iPhone 4. And it is much much thicker. Yes, it IS a big battery but that means it goes on and on and on and on. (Truth be told it is BIG but not TOO BIG.)
And as for where we’ve seen this aluminum/black plastic sandwich before…
…wonder no more. Yup, it looks nice sitting on top of my MacBook Pro.
In short, the Gum Plus isn’t fancy but it gets the job done. Moreover, it gets the job done for a long, long time and gives a 90% charge in a short short time. And isn’t that what you want a back-up battery to do? After all fast, multiple charges mean you’ll never be without power. As I said, it now has a permanent place in my gadget bag. The timing could not be better seeing as my schedule kicks into high gear on Monday and won’t really let up again for quite some time. And when time comes for CES you can be this thing is going to come in handy!
The Gum Plus Battery is available directly from JustMobile.
MSRP: $69.95
What I Like: Can charge iPhone to 90% in just one hour; will recharge the iPhone up to four times before needing more juice; Simple to use
What Needs Improvement: Nothing. It does what it promises to do and it does it well… four times per charge in fact.
