Customer Reviews

Miccus ChargeBlock Mini Portable Battery Charger for iPhones/iPods - Black

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Had high hopes for this external battery. Some salient points:
- One of the cheapest external iPhone batteries. There seem to be better ones out there, but at $100 or more. I know the phone is actually worth a lot more than the $199/299 we pay up front, but psychologically it just seems odd to pay
half as much again on an external battery, esp. for something that is more likely to be lost.
- Fits the iPhone pretty well, same width but about 50% thicker so it's not flush. Connection feels solid but you will probably want to be careful that it doesn't get bent and damage the iPhone's connector.
- Charge is fair, enough to go from <10% (red) up to ~60% charged. For me, that's enough to get me out of a jam when I'm on the go and need to extend the life of the battery a few hours. Definitely doesn't charge the phone to 100% as some others have reviewed, maybe it's my 1.5 yr old iPhone battery that is the limiting factor, but then again, I imagine many people looking at this product are in my shoes as well.
- Doesn't hold a charge more than a few days, so you can't charge it and just leave it lying around ready for emergency use. But then again, haven't met a rechargeable battery where you could do that anyway, but still you can't help but want that.
- Nice connect-through USB feature so you can leave the battery on the phone and charge it and your phone at the same time. However, the USB port is on the back of the battery, so you would have to lay your phone face down, and turn it over and hold it in your hands every time you want to use it.

So I think you get the point. It's not bad for the price and I feel like it does the job, but it's not exactly a 4 or 5 star item either IMHO. I'm a little surprised at the nearly unanimous high ratings from others, so I guess YMMV.

I work, volunteer, and am raising two children; needless to say, my phone is my lifeline. The miccus chargeblock has saved me many times when I have been out and about and my battery was running low. In the middle of the grocery store, at the soccer field, my meeting at the coffee shop, etc.,my life does not grind to a halt now when my battery runs out. I can stay connected.

I researched numerous options and selected the chargeblock due to its small size, seemingly good fit to the iPhone, and lack of cords. A picture is worth a thousand words: Other battery chargers appeared to "stick out" from the phone while the Chargeblock seemed like just an extension from the iPhone. After using it now for a few months, I can verify that the fit is great; I can use my iPhone no problem while it is charging without worrying that the Chargeblock will fall off or get jarred--even when my preschool-age daughter uses it and even with my hard case on my phone.

And I must add that it is nice to know how much "charge" is left by looking at the LED lights on the unit.

I purchased this as a spare charger for my 1st generation ipod touch when I am on the go. It packs a lot of charge in it. However, I was surprised to discover that I can't use headphones while it is charging my ipod. The other features (i.e., surfing the internet, etc.) work, but I think this is better for iphone users.

Charger worked fine at first. Had to remove my otter box case to be able to plug it in though. Gave it about 30% extra battery life. HOWEVER about the 5th time i used it, it broke my iPhone. I plugged it in and it worked fine for about 5 min then all of a sudden my screen went black, turned off, and would not respond. I unplugged the charger and and still no response except my phone began to get really hot. I plugged it into my computer and got an error message that said something along the lines of "USB hub is drawing too much power". My phone hasn't worked since

This product is great for people who live a mobile life. It is especially useful for those days when you forget to charge your iphone the night before. If that happens to me all I do is grab my ChargeBlock and no worries. The ChargeBlock charges really well too. Charged my Iphone from 1/4 battery to full power in about an 2 hours and thats while I was using it listening to music. I am glad I bought it because I live through my iPhone and if I dont have it then im screwed. The ChargeBlock acts as a safety net for me. Also, the chargeblock fits perfectly on my iPhone and is also small enoguh to fit in my pocket or backpack.

I have an Itouch 3rd Generation, and this charger works great. It fully charges my Itouch, but the charger has to be re-charged after each use, which for myself, isn't a problem. If you have a bulky case, the charger won't fully connect, so you would have to remove the case. I have a slider case, which works well with this type of charger. I would recommend getting this, as it does the job. Its not as bulky as the other chargers, which is great. I just ordered another one, and the shipping is fast. Hope this review is helpful.

Very good footprint. Easy to carry. Good protection of interface.What I can't get over is the poor battery capacity. Does not last more than 30 minutes while attached to our IPhone

This product is basically as advertised and so far a pretty good option for extending the use of your iPod Touch (I have a 3G). It charges well and attaches to the bottom of your iPod fairly well. I have only used it a few times so far.

Remember...everything that uses a Li Ion battery so the charge cycle will decline over time. Once I bought this, I read it said it's good for over 300 charge cycles. So, use this information wisely!

Pretty good charge block.

Right out of the box, I was suprised to see that this thing was already charged. It fitted snugly though my iphone 3gs Otterbox Impact charging slot for a secure fix. It immediately lit up and started charging my phone. I used the phone for the next hour while the phone was charging. My battery level remained at a steady percentage level throughout my use and once I stopped using the phone the battery level slowly increased. When I woke up the next day, my phone was fully charged. Now this was just a test since I did not necessarily have to use the thing at home, but these results indicate that I will not have the problems with this particular device that I've had with others. For example, I bought four Monoprice chargers but they all DRAINED my Iphone battery at irregular intervals and never did fully charge my phone. I returned all four but have not received my refund yet.
The fit and finsh on these batteries is excellent, which suggests quality in construction and assembly. All in all, I'm pleased. I ordered another one immediately.

I carry a powermonkey explorer for most of my charging needs for my devices, but that is carried in my backpack and is too bulky for the pocket. This is ideal for an iPhone user as it is only slightly larger than a Chapstick and easily pocketable. I carry mine all the time and if there is ever a need for a little additional juice it can get me about an additional 50% battery if I'm out and about and not near an outlet. Another important point is that this fits solidly on my iPhone unlike many similar (and larger) battery packs packs I've read about. The big advantage for me is that since I use a Seidio Innocase II with holster, I can attach this and carry it on my phone with out any hassle if need be and it won't fall off, hence I can recharge and still do things as I normally would. Heck, I've made calls and watched videos with no issues while this was attached. A very well though out accessory for the iPhone/iTouch, I would rate this higher if possible, it has no negative attributes at all.