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Deactivated Item
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Manufacturer Contact Info
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Macally External Li-ion Battery adds plenty hours of play time to your iPod devices wherever you go. It is ideal for long flights, outdoor activities, anytime anywhere iPod devices might run out of power.
This product is designed for iPod shuffle, iPod 4G, iPod Photo, iPod with color display, iPod Mini, iPod nano and iPod with video.
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| Product Rating: |
 
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| Total Reviews: |
4 |
Sleek, small, works
- Pros: Compact (essentially the size of a newer generation iPod), shiny black exterior that is aesthetically pleasing, LED battery indicator, versatile, comes with a protective case
- Cons: ? if other battery options last longer.
Does not come with 5V DC charger though the item has a charging port for it.
- Other Thoughts: I was looking for an external battery for recharging my Palm TX for extended usage on trips away from a DC outlet. This is it! While marketed for the iPod community, this has so many other uses (for me, recharges my Palm TX, BT GPS, my NON-iPOD Mp3 player, cell phone). Really, anything that takes a 5V input can be powered with this, given the proper USB cable.
Many of the other portable options out there for giving iPod (and other peripherals with USB charge sockets) extra battery life involves 9V batteries or AA (such as MintyBoost). While quite compact and clever from an engineering standpoint (these live inside Altoids containers), they require batteries. As this unit costs a mere ~1.5x those, the convenience of rechargability really made the decision easy for me.
There is ONE other portable, rechargeable Li-ion battery that supposedly gives 20 hours more battery life to an iPod, but it appears larger, bulkier, and comes in white. Yuck.
I've been wanting something like this
- Pros: I have been wanting something like this for a couple of years.
Nice size, and good power capacity for the size.
The LED 'fuel gauge' is a very nice touch.
- Cons: The USB port and the power input connectors are both a little 'hinky'; You have to kind of jiggle things around sometimes to get a good connection.
They should really include an AC adapter with the unit. Charging through a USB port isn't a particularly good everyday solution.
- Other Thoughts: When I first got it I was skeptical about the 3400 mah battery capacity. After opening it up, I can believe it. Inside, are two parallel wired prismatic LiIon batteries; with research, I found ones of the same dimensions rated at up to 1950 MAH each, so the 3400 battery capacity is definitely possible.
Not sure what the actual output capacity is because the 3.7 V of the batteries is being boosted to 5V by the circuitry and there are losses there.
Still, I got an extra 3.5 hours run time out of my ASUS 716 pocket PC with CF GPS & screen on 100% brightness full time.
If your portable device doesn't charge through the USB port, it is pretty simple to modify an old USB cable by soldering on a power plug of the proper size. On a standard USB cable, clip the white and green wires off and hook the red wire to the positive pin and black to the negative.... Just make sure polarities are correct.
Can direct charge from any regulated 5V AC adapter... Need a 3.5 X 1.35 mm plug.
| Model | IP-A481 |
| Type | Power / Batteries / Cables |
| Color | Black |
| 1st Gen iPod touch Compatible | Yes |
| iPod classic Compatible | Yes |
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- 5
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- 50%
- 4
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- 25%
- 3
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- 0%
- 2
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- 0%
- 1
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- 25%
| Product Rating: |
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| Total Reviews: |
4 |
Macally IP-A481 external battery
- Pros: None.
- Cons: The device was completely dead on arrival. Nothing more to say about it.
- Other Thoughts: This device should have never the left the manufacturer.
Works Well
- Pros: Its simple to use and quite small. Comes with a small carrying case with a pocket for a cable. Has a battery indicator and works with any device that can charge over USB. I have been using it with my iPod Video and Sandisk Sansa and it works fine.
- Cons: Does not come with an AC Adapter. To charge the battery you need to connect the USB cable to the USB port of your computer or connect the USB cable to a wall charger and then to an outlet, although it would be easier just to buy an AC adapter.
Does not work with Rockbox (alternate firmware for some popular MP3 players). Not really a con as I didn't expect it to work because my AC iPod Charger does not work with Rockbox either.
- Other Thoughts: The carrying case came rolled up but after a few uses it lost its creases. macally also offers the same product but "compact", it holds a little bit less juice but has ports on two adjacent sides and is a smaller form factor (square)
I've been wanting something like this
- Pros: I have been wanting something like this for a couple of years.
Nice size, and good power capacity for the size.
The LED 'fuel gauge' is a very nice touch.
- Cons: The USB port and the power input connectors are both a little 'hinky'; You have to kind of jiggle things around sometimes to get a good connection.
They should really include an AC adapter with the unit. Charging through a USB port isn't a particularly good everyday solution.
- Other Thoughts: When I first got it I was skeptical about the 3400 mah battery capacity. After opening it up, I can believe it. Inside, are two parallel wired prismatic LiIon batteries; with research, I found ones of the same dimensions rated at up to 1950 MAH each, so the 3400 battery capacity is definitely possible.
Not sure what the actual output capacity is because the 3.7 V of the batteries is being boosted to 5V by the circuitry and there are losses there.
Still, I got an extra 3.5 hours run time out of my ASUS 716 pocket PC with CF GPS & screen on 100% brightness full time.
If your portable device doesn't charge through the USB port, it is pretty simple to modify an old USB cable by soldering on a power plug of the proper size. On a standard USB cable, clip the white and green wires off and hook the red wire to the positive pin and black to the negative.... Just make sure polarities are correct.
Can direct charge from any regulated 5V AC adapter... Need a 3.5 X 1.35 mm plug.
| Model |
| Brand |
macally |
| Model |
IP-A481 |
| Type |
Power / Batteries / Cables |
| Features |
| Features |
Ideal for long flights, outdoor activities, anytime anywhere iPod devices might run out of power
High capacity Li-ion battery cell increases iPod play time approx. 6-8 hrs
Compact and sleek design
Standard USB port
Plug iPod shuffle directly, and use existing 30-pin USB sync cable (not included) for other iPod devices
Recharge from computer's USB port conveniently with included cable
Built-in battery tester button with battery level L.E.D. indicator
Includes 1 USB-A to USB-mini B cable. |
| Spec |
| Color |
Black |
| Specifications |
Output Voltage: DC 5V
Output Current: 1000mA max.
Dimension: 2.4" x 4" x 0.6"
Weight: 11.3 oz. |
| Compatibility |
| 1st Gen iPod touch Compatible |
Yes |
| iPod classic Compatible |
Yes |
| iPod video Compatible |
Yes |
| 3rd Gen iPod nano Compatible |
Yes |
| 2nd Gen iPod nano Compatible |
Yes |
| 1st Gen iPod nano Compatible |
Yes |
| iPod mini Compatible |
Yes |
| 1st Gen iPod shuffle Compatible |
Yes |
| iPod Photo Compatible |
Yes |
| 4th Gen iPod Compatible |
Yes |
| 3rd Gen iPod Compatible |
Yes |
| iPhone Compatible |
Yes |
Introduction
Macally External Li-ion Battery adds plenty hours of play time to your iPod devices wherever you go. It is ideal for long flights, outdoor activities, anytime anywhere iPod devices might run out of power.
This product is designed for iPod shuffle, iPod 4G, iPod Photo, iPod with color display, iPod Mini, iPod nano and iPod with video.
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Reviewed By: Waylo on 7/23/2006
Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
