Customer Reviews

New Trent iCruiser IMP1000 11000mAh External Battery Pack and Charger for iPad2, iPad, iPhone 4S 4 3Gs 3G (AT&T and Verizon), iPod Touch (1G 2G 3G 4G 5G), HTC Android EVO, Blackberry, Samsung Galaxy S, Droid, Nintendo, Sony PSP and much more

5 star:		(236)
4 star:		(46)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

The IMP1000 is the second NEW Trent battery pack I've owned and used. I've used (and reviewed) the previous model (IMP880) for several months now. This review will be written from the perspective of comparison of these two models.

Pros:

1. Capacity... 11000 mAh is simply enormous, and provides "charge it and forget it for at least a week" use for any purpose I can foresee. I've been running the IMP1000 on its initial charge for a week now (usage details in "review section", below) and have just gone from medium to low on the capacity LED's.
2. Finish/durability... I noted in my review of the IMP880 that the rubberized coating was not durable; even though I handled it carefully, it was worn away easily (particularly at the pack's edges). The hard, glossy, color-molded-in finish of the IMP1000 should fare much better. Time will tell, but so far, so good.
3. Ease of use... No "long press vs. short press" power button functions. I haven't had any trouble using the IMP880, but simpler is nearly always better (something Apple does very well, and NEW Trent targets Apple customers, so this is a good fit).
4. Accessories... The retractable USB cable seems more robust than the one included with the IMP880. I haven't had the same problem with the microUSB connector slipping into its rubber shell that I wrote about with the IMP880 yet, either.
5. Packaging... The IMP1000's packaging is much classier than the IMP880's. Apple has set a very high standard in this regard. Apple customers expect a great "out of box experience", and the IMP1000 won't leave them with a bad first impression. The internal packaging didn't self-destruct from the inside out, as my IMP880's packaging did.

Cons: (please note that many of these are personal opinion)

1. Size and weight... Yes, it has higher capacity than its predecessor, but the trade-off between size and weight with current LiPo technology may have been reached with the IMP1000. Only time and user feedback will tell. I'm personally fine with the IMP1000; other users may not be.
2. Blue LED lighting... The trend today with both home and personal electronics seems to be bright, obnoxiously-glitzy LED power and status indicators, usually in blue. The capacity LED's are fine, but the power indicator is bright enough to light up an entire unlit room, much less the inside of a car at night, and can be very annoying/distracting during use. Small, "pin-point" LED's are sufficient here; I believe many other users will concur.
3. Finish... Yes, it's better than the IMP880's, and shiny ("piano") black is "in" these days... but why not a color-molded-in, matte black finish that hides fingerprints and scuffs, instead? Shiny black products look great when brand new, but never look that good again. Matte black ages much more gracefully.
4. No "DC Out" port... I like the connection flexibility afforded by the IMP880's "DC Out" port. I understand that the similar-appearing "DC In" and "DC Out" ports could be a source of confusion for some users, but the ability to charge two devices simultaneously via the splitter cable is a nice feature. How about supplying a USB splitter cable so we can do the same with the IMP1000 (assuming the pack's safety circuitry would adequately protect against excess discharge rate)?

Review/Suggestions:

I have been using the IMP1000 to power my HTC EVO ("Supersonic") 4G on the Sprint network for nearly a week. This otherwise stellar device is notorious for its one glaring shortcoming--terribly insufficient run-time on its supplied internal battery pack. Having a portable (self-contained) power option like the IMP1000 is, in my opinion, the first (and absolutely essential) accessory any smartphone user should purchase (particularly for Apple devices with non-removable batteries). The simple freedom from running out of power is very liberating. No more searching for an electrical outlet when out to lunch or dinner, or cutting conversations or browsing short as the power meter plunges through amber, then red, as the device quickly goes belly-up. As mentioned at the outset, I have yet to recharge the IMP1000 in the first week's use. The IMP1000's 11000 mAh capacity is 7.3 times the EVO's 1500 mAh, so this certainly stands to reason.

A few suggestions...

1. Market aggressively to non-Apple users. I see you've started doing this since marketing the IMP880. Most Android smartphones have serious battery capacity issues--get the word out to them!
2. The naming scheme of these products is confusing. Why name an 8900 mAh pack "IMP880", and why name an 11000 mAh pack "IMP1000"? I think it would have made more sense to call them "IMP8900" and "IMP11000", respectively.
3. See points 3 and 4 in "Cons", above.

I am very pleased with the IMP1000 and the improvement it represents over the IMP880. It is well worth its $100 ($80, on sale) price tag, and represents a superior value to carrying spare packs for removable-battery devices (and is the only way to go for Apple users who can't swap packs). On-board extended packs make devices bulkier and usually require special battery doors and cases, which limit options greatly. The IMP1000 is also a superior value because it isn't device-specific.

External packs are the most versatile, convenient, and sensible power solution for mobile devices. When used thoughtfully, such as connecting the pack when not using the device and disconnecting during use if you find the cable annoying, or carrying the pack in an outside pocket such as a jacket, so it can remain connected without carrying in-hand during "emergency" use, external packs are simply the "way to go". The IMP1000 breaks new ground for capacity and convenience--highly recommended!

I just received my IMP1000 from New Trent earlier this week. I was looking for a reliable way to easily charge my iphone and ipad when traveling, especially on long flights. This seems to be the device to bring along. I recently flew overseas with their IMP880 and it performed wonderfully. I was looking for a bit greater capacity though, because I use both an iphone (was the 3g, now the 4) and the ipad, and wanted to be able to charge both of them when I don't have access to an electrical outlet.

The unit's size is great for traveling. It's about the same size and weight of a portable hard drive, which these days means it's small and will easily slip into a briefcase, overnight bag, purse, etc. The retractable cord makes it easy to hook up with the mobile device without any strain on the connections.
The unit's indicator light is simple to see and determine the amount of charge remaining. While charging the unit itself those lights let you know the progress. And after charging a mobile device, the unit slows down to a trickle charge.

The placement of the button is an improvement over New Trents IMP880, which I also own. That button could accidentally be turned on because it actually protrudes a bit from the case, and sits at an angle. The IMP1000's is flush with the case's edge, and the button itself a bit recessed which should prevent that from happening.

I haven't drained the power from a full charge yet, so not sure how long it lasts, but after topping off my iphone and ipad a few times, it still shows a full charge. Of course you can use the device while it's charging.

The IMP1000 comes with iphone/ipad adapter, along with a few others (mini usb, etc).

Good design, seems well built, and I know from past experience with New Trent's customer support that they are very responsive. Recommend you give it a try if you need a back up battery.

I read David's review and agree with his analysis. I also own the IMP880, and have given the IMP500 as gifts. These battery packs are all great, just pick the size/capacity you need. The IMP1000 is certainly the simplest to use, and has the most capacity. The directions are well-written, and have tips for prolonging the life of the battery. 5 Stars.

The IMP1000 has to be the best product out there for mobile phone users and iPad users. My partner and I decided to take a road trip to the Grand Canyon for a couple days. We figured it would be a great time to test this battery pack to see if it lived up to the technical details that we'd read about. She has a Blackberry phone, I have an iPhone and iPad. We took them all out and headed for the road. Each of our products could be charged with only one external battery piece (the IMP1000). The convenience of this feature while traveling is obvious. This handy little peripheral is amazing! Instead of having to carry with us 3 different chargers, we only needed this one. I truly am a person who loves efficient, multi-use products. True to its description, it will charge the most popular phone/iPad products and boost battery life exponentially. It is a NECESSITY for people who travel often. This is the only product you will need and you will not have a worry even if you have an international flight with layovers. It gets you there and still has a lot of life left! Excellent product. I have purchased other products by New Trent, and I have been 100% satisfied with this top notch company and their customer service.

The first battery's cable adapter had a loose connection to my cell phone charger input. Therefore, the phone would not always charge unless the cable tip was wiggled. Also, the battery itself would intermittently cut off its power. Further, my Droid 2 phone would have an error message saying the battery was not recognized, use genuine Motorola. After receiving an RMA, sending the old battery back and receiving a new one, I was initially pleased that the connection to my phone was more solid. Still received error messages about the battery not being genuine Motorola, but it DID charge my phone and the battery did not cut off, until running out of juice. However, a new problem arose. This time, the AC recharger for this battery did NOT work. The battery was lit with the low LED light (solid) while plugged in. Per the enclosed instructions, it should have been flashing all three lights (low, medium, and high in succession) to indicate that the charging was functioning normally. Well after a visit to Radio Shack, and some $20 or so later, I have a properly functioning charger(and battery). Make no mistake, this New Trent battery is great (when working properly). However, I did have the problems mentioned. I would rate this product 5 stars if things went right the first time.

UPDATE 1: On 12/15/2010 I received a replacement charger along with an extra gift from the seller at no charge. The gesture was truly appreciated. However, the replacement charger had the same problem as indicated above! The battery itself is functioning great, thanks to my Radio Shack charger. Otherwise when it drains out, it would be useless. The battery life is truly outstanding. I must commend the seller for being very courteous in our e-mails as well as verbal conversation. This item really does have great potential and the seller is VERY concerned about keeping customers happy. Perhaps I had bad luck (?). Anyway, with Amazon's guarantee and this seller's great attitude I would give them a second try. The design and functionality of the battery ARE great!

UPDATE 2: On 12/23/2010 I communicated with the seller in a string of on-going correspondence regarding the problems (their charger not working and having to rely on the Radio Shack charger for proper function). Since I have received replacement chargers (to no avail), perhaps the battery itself has some "unique" issues preventing the charger from working. Anyway, we are working together to get everything right. A new battery will be sent to me. The diligence of this seller, and wanting to get to the root cause of the problems is impressive. I will post another update when the new battery/charger arrive and I test it out. Stay tuned!

UPDATE 3: on 1/4/2011 everything is now functioning as designed. The product is excellent and the charger is fully functional. I have upgraded my rating to "four stars" (for product). As far as customer service..."five stars". Perhaps my initial experience was the exception, rather than the rule. Anyway, I would now recommend both product and the seller.

Used this for a long 3 day backpacking in the Sierra. Charged iPhone and bluetooth stereo headset several times. Able to charge iPads and anything USB connected. Very happy, however wish list would be size improvement, additional USB (dual) and charge from another USB (w/o wall-wart). Otherwise a fine product.

All i can say this battery is just great. The reviews here from other users pretty much sums it up. IMP880 was great, IMP1000 is amazing. The IMP1000 is similar in size to IMP880 but larger in capacity. The button placement and the finishing is much better. I like that the DC out port was removed cuz I don't have to worry about accidentally plugging the wall charger in the DC out port. But it would have been nice to have two USB ports instead of one, to charge two devices simultaneously. Overall I am very happy with the battery pack, and great support from NewTrent.

Update: I just got back from a month long trip, and the IMP1000 proved to be better than what I expected. On my long flights I did not have to worry about my ipad battery draining. I was able to use my ipad for full duration of my flight from Los Angles to France. I now carry it with me in my laptop bag all the time. I now use it as a power source for my eSata external drive for my laptop, and as a backup battery for my ipad hyperdrive. (ipad hard drive) (I have usb to dc cable that fits the esata and the hyperdrive). The battery seem to work for just about anything that meets the voltage and current requirements. (Most usb devices). And NewTrent support has been great. As another reviewer has mentioned, if you have any issues with the product they really try to get to the bottom of it and will have it resolved.

I had a smaller Trent charger, but I broke it (my fault). I ordered this one as it is newer and more powerful. I should have looked at the size, as it is much bigger. I would prefer I could put it in my pocket, but this is just a bit too big for that. On the other hand, it is very powerful and charges all my devices just fine.

Also, this charger comes with a charger to charge it off the wall current, but that charger does not have a usb connector. this means I need to lug another charger to charger the battery charger. I would much prefer that this device be able to charge off usb so I did not have to carry yet another charger with me.

So overall, it works great, is very powerful, but the form factor is not great, and the lack of a usb in port is not great either. It is good, but could be better. Certainly not worth sending back, I will just use it, but will be wishing for changes while I do.

This is my 3rd battery purchase for the iPad, and it actually works!

I had a smaller New Trent 500, a Kensington and a Moxie Juice; none of them really works for the ipad, although they did work fine for an iPod or an iPhone. This is the Papa Bear of the New Trent series, and it is just right.
The form factor is fairly large, like a laptop battery; but i guess that is expected for a 40W unit.
It packs enough juice to actually recharge an iPad, and can top it up over the course of a weekend.

The AC charger supplied is special and has a unique tip,( unlike most of the chargers which accepts a standard USB plug).
You cannot recharge this puppy off your laptop, nor can you use any of the iPad chargers you already have ( which the kensington and Moxie can do). This means there is one more charger you need to take on the road, along with the chargers for your iPhone/iPad, your camera, your laptop, etc ..... The battery is rated only at a 1 amp output, not 2.1 as recommended by Apple but it still seems to recharge the iPad OK.

If you are thinking about getting a backup battery for the iPad, this is it.

I wish I had bought this thing a couple months ago when it was still warm out and was able to do DEEP woods geocaching because I would have gotten a couple areas around me taken care of this year. If you have an iPhone and are Geocaching with it you'll soon see what happens to your battery within about 3-4 hours if you're lucky. The iPhone sucks down the juice like candy and if you're wanting to grab a couple caches more than a 1-2 miles on a trail then you better have some type of backup battery! I've tried a couple different ones from the AT&T store with between 500mAh to 1500mAh ratings and yes the 1500 gave me about another hour or two for a safe exit from the woods but then it's game over. This NEW Trent one with it's HUGE capacity is PERFECT for anyone who uses a smartphone to geocache. It will do a full charge as fast if not faster than an AC plugin charge and is able to do several full charges before having to recharge the unit itself. Only a few little minor nit-pickings are on my mind if you're wanting something to gripe about. 1. I wish the unit was a bit narrower. Kinda hard to hold it and your smartphone in the same hand and navigate over/under things in the woods. 2. The cable that it comes with I can't use unless I file it down. That would happen to be a problem originating with the case that I'm using----> The Ballistic. I have to use the usb cord that comes with the iphone to connect it to eachother. BUT, the Ballistic is causing that same problem with EVERY 3rd party usb cable that I've tried to date so it's not a NEW trent problem....just a case problem that I have and don't intend on getting rid of my awesome rugged case that I paid stinkin $50 for. 3. Maybe would like for the unit to have some type of rubber/silicone on the external faces of the unit instead of the smooth black finish. Makes it a bit slick if you wanna put it in some type of pocket without a zipper...will fall out easily.

Other than that it's a darn good investment if you need HEFTY backup power. You can't go wrong with this unit as it is priced VERY close to some of the 1500mAh units that I've tried and returned. The ONLY other backup battery unit that I've kept is one from Wal-Mart that is a 1500mAh unit with solar charging capability. You never know when something might fluke out and a backup for a backup that you never have to plug in to charge is extra insurance for a nice long geocaching journey.

Hope this helps someone make their mind up. I'd definitely buy another one of these if I needed another battery.