Customer Reviews

HQRP Replacement Battery for iPod mini (1st and 2nd Generation) Kit - 750 mAh plus HQRP Universal Screen Protector

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

My daughter has the iPod mini--I have little to do with it. When she told me it needed a new battery, my reply was: "What type does it use?" I thought it was a cell battery; that's how much I know about iPods. In short, after online research I discovered the battery replacement wasn't going to be that easy. I also looked to see how much it would cost to purchase a new iPod that was equivalent to hers because the iPod mini has been discontinued. After the sticker shock, I decided it was worth trying to replace the battery--especially since she had taken incredibly good care of her iPod; not even a scratch.

After researching all the kits and batteries, I ordered the one from iPodJuice that came with all the tools. You have the option of replacing your own battery or sending it in. In fact, they have a deal where you can order the battery kit and if you find it is too difficult, you still can send it to them with the battery for the replacement work. I felt that even if I screwed it up, I still would have to purchase a new iPod for my daughter. Since I had an Amazon.com gift card, I actually got the kit for free, so,I really had nothing to loose by trying.

I received the kit promptly and I read the instructions a couple of times BEFORE I began the work. I followed the instructions exactly and slowly took my time. Everything was explained, step by step. Honestly, it was scary and I was nervous; especially seeing how compact everything inside the unit was. But, after following all steps, my daughter turned it on and IT WORKED!!! We let the battery charge overnight and it has worked fine ever since. In my case, I was able to save myself hundreds of dollars for a new ipod and she was able to keep her beloved mini--for free and in less than an hour of my time. If I were critical of anything, it is that the iPod products are made so small that the design makes battery replacement too complicated.

Pro's:
1. Great price
2. I was shipped an 850mAh battery, not the 750mAh mentioned in the title, or the 600mAh as stated in the detailed description (I should therefore have longer play time between charges - a good thing!)
3. Contrary to other reviews, the front of the package clearly states "For ipod mini", even though, as you'll read in the "Cons", the instructions are incorrect.

Cons:
1. You do NOT get the magical iOpener as described (but a pocket knife helps a great deal)
2. The instructions in the package are for the ipod video, NOT the ipod mini (but you can find videos on youtube for how to get the job done).

The details:
After googling and finding a couple of videos on youtube, it was *relatively* easy to replace the battery. You do need to be careful with the "molex" connector, as the orange thin plastic is ***NOT*** where you should be pulling. That thin plastic is connected to a white, hard plastic connector, and THAT'S what you need to get your tiny screwdriver to pry against. Also, as stated by others, there is a bit of a trick to slide the guts back into the case. It does need to be helped passed the touch pad by gently prying the unit down, away from the keypad while sliding. Once you're passed the edge, the unit slides all the way back into the case, no problem.
In terms of getting the top and bottom covers off, since there's no iOpener as described (a bummer for sure), I used a blow dryer to heat the unit (it softens the glue), and a pocketknife to gently, and slowly peel the top and bottom off. very little, if any damage.

All that said, I agree with others. This is not for the faint of heart. If you've never opened up an electrical device before, I wouldn't recommend doing this. Just one wrong move with the Molex connector or the battery connector, and your ipod becomes a hockey puck.

I ordered an ipod mini battery from Osprey-Talon...
The battery works great! After replacing the battery,
my ipod is as good as new! I don't have to charge
the ipod every night... my old battery couldn't hold charge
overnight even if it wasn't used at all...
Now I charge once, and can use the ipod for several days.
I haven't exactly tested how long a single charge lasts,
but I can tell you it's definitely 7+ hours... a significant
improvement over 2 hours I was getting before.

The last reviewer mentioned about poor instructions...
I never bothered to look at the instructions that came
with the battery. I just went to CNet and found
an instruction there. The whole process took maybe
10 minutes... took 3 minutes to pry open the case and
slide the motherboard out. 1 minute to replace the battery.
6 minutes to slide the motherboard back into its case...
that turned out to be a bit tricky. But overall, the whole
process was pretty easy, with minimal damage to the
exterior case (a bit of scratches from prying open the case).

This battery comes with two screwdrivers, a flat head for
prying open the top and bottom part of the case,
and a phillips head for the screws.

My ipod mini (3 years old) would no longer hold a charge. $65 to apple for a replacement is ridiculous. The shipping charge on this product was ridiculously high (more than $7) or it would get five stars. It weighs much less than a pound and came in a simple padded envelope, not a box. It seems to have revived my mini nicely.

if your ipod mini battery won`t last more than 1 hour. this product is your ticket for 6-8 hrs non stop music playing. It`s so easy to replace and the instructions are pretty clear step by step with the right tools. The only thing was that it didn`t show on how to open the seamsless metal cover ipod mini. once I found out(google) putting the battery was simple.

I ordered this battery because I thought my iPod Mini was having problems because of a bad battery. However, it turns out that it wasn't my battery, but some other more serious problem with my iPod. No worries, because the support from ipodjuice was excellent. I called them over the phone and spoke to a live person. I didn't want to return it right away, because I wanted to make sure that it wasn't the battery that was causing my iPod to have problems. So they sent me another battery just to make sure. Since I tried two new batteries, I'm now 100% sure that it wasn't battery (It's most likely the hard drive has gone bad). So I called them again and I was able to send it all back in the return envelope that they sent me. The people over the phone were very nice and helpful and the whole process was completely painless and hassle free.

As for the product itself, also very good. The tools did the job without damaging or scratching my iPod at all. The iOpener is made from some pretty strong plastic and the two screwdrivers are magnetic, so no problems losing screws. They're also the right size, so no stripped screws either. Opening the Ipod, replacing the battery, and putting it all back together took only a few minutes. Excellence price and it shipped on time. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who needs to replace a battery for their iPod Mini.

This kit from ipodjuice gives you everything you need; two micro screw drivers, plastic cover remover, full color easy to follow detailed instructions with pics and off course the battery.

The kit even includes two pieces of tape; one to hold the battery in place and the other to assist in sliding the ipod back into it's case.

Everything about the kit is well thought out. If your iPod has no prior problems then I would highly recommend this battery replacement to get your iPod up and running for under $20!

I give it 5 stars. i was ready toss 4 gig mini ipod, until i purchased new battery. I agree it can be a little dificult to open the ipod mini, but it was worth it. I finally listen to my tunes for more than 5 minutes which was all the orginally battery played. I believe on the first full charge I got 7 hours, but can 't be sure I am still to overwhelmed that it doesn't die after 10 minutes.

This product is a great way to save money by replacing the ipod on your battery. The intructions are thorough and all the necessary tools are provided. The replacement process is very precise, so I don't recommend buying the product if you don't think you can handle the precise work.

I'm a power geek: I've designed and built circuit boards, PhD in physical chemistry, have no fear or qualms about building and repairing computers. But I blew this repair - used too much force and ripped the molex connector off of the mother board. Just for kicks, I continued the procedure and found extreme difficulty getting the motherboard to slide past the screen glass without damaging soldered-on chips. I know that micro-soldering is not my strength - so I consider my mini a loss. The product looks good, but technique is critical. Beware!