I get paranoid about my phone’s battery dying, and yes — friends will tell you that I can be a bit irrational about it — but the thought of being caught without my phone or with a nearly dead one gives me chills. I appreciate the all-in-one convenience of the iHome Power Omni 3000 All-in-One Portable Battery + Charger.
At approximately 4.25″ long x 1.7″ wide x 1″ thick, the matte gray plastic bodied Omni 3000 is a bit larger than other 3000mAh batteries I’ve owned or tested, but because it has a built-in Lightning cable and a built-in dual-prong US wall charger, I feel inclined to overlook that. This portable battery is still small enough to fit into almost any bag or pocket, and it doesn’t require anything other than an occasional top-off from a wall outlet to keep itself and your iOS devices powered,
The flexible orange rubber Lightning cable measures about 5.75″ long, which is just enough for wrapping the battery behind your phone or keeping the entire package tucked inside a bag without worrying about cables becoming a snarled mess.
There are four LEDs on the front which will display the battery’s remaining charge when you press the orange button to their left. In order to start sending power to your device, you will need to connect the Lightning cable to your phone and then press and hold the orange button for a couple of seconds. This is probably my only real complaint about the portable battery; I wish it would immediately begin charging upon being plugged in.
It’s also worth noting that there is no secondary USB port on this external battery charger; if you have a friend with a non-iOs device who needs a top-off, they’ll be out of luck.
If you like the idea of not having to carry extra cables for charging your device or your portable battery, then you’ll love the iHome Power Omni 3000 All-in-One. It is just large enough to double the already decent iPhone 6 Plus’s battery life, and all it needs to stay ready is an occasional top-off at your nearest wall outlet.
The iHome Power Omni 3000 All-in-One Portable Battery + Charger retails for $49.99, and it is available directly from iHome. There is also a 6000mAh version available ($69.99), as well as microUSB versions for Android devices (3000mAh – $29.99 and 6000mAh – $59.99).
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Built-in Lightning connector; Built-in charger prongs; 3000mAh is enough to fully recharge the iPhone 6+ once; LEDs on the front indicate battery power left
What Needs Improvement: Have to hold the button for a couple of seconds to activate the charging; No second USB port — this is for iOS devices only