As I left the USA for my extended trip, I looked at many batteries to choose the most versatile battery that would give me benefit for its weight. Although I questioned the wisdom of carrying the Scosche goBAT II, an untested last-minute acquisition, it was so promising that I took it along.
This was one of my best decisions. The Scosche goBAT II – an external 5000mAh ion battery with two USB ports – comes along with me nearly everywhere I go. It has proven to be on of my most indispensable tools.
The official Scosche description says:
A drained iPhone 4 can be charged 2.6 times with a fully charged goBAT II. An iPad can be charged up to 55% of full charge. This is the ideal battery for long commutes, airport travel and camping.
The goBAT II provides 2 USB charging ports that can be used at the same time. A 2.1 Amp port gives you the ability to charge mobile devices including tablets (iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab). An additional 1.0 Amp port lets you charge your additional devices (iPhone, iPod, etc.).
I am carrying an iPhone 3GS, rather than a 4 so I can’t address the claim for the 4, but I have often recharged my drained iPhone 3GS twice in a day and still had a bar or two of juice left in the goBAT II. It also recharges my iPad (original model).
Working on the road with my Scosche goBAT II powering my iPhone through its many hours of necessary use and web access.
How the GoBAT II works:
The GoBAT II comes with a nice USB-A (rectangular USB) to micro-USB cable which you plug into a USB wall charger or computer on one end, then into the center of the goBAT. This charges the goBATT. I recharge this overnight. Then I carry three USB cables with me: one for iPod, one for micro USB and one for mini USB. When any device – be it my own or a friend’s – needs recharging, I plug the USB end into the goBATT and the other end into the drained device. Then I press the goBATT’s power button, watch any number of the 4 blue LED lights light up, and smile as I see the charge sign appear on the drained device.
What are those blue LED lights? Whenever I press the goBATT’s charge button, they (or some of them or none of them) light up to tell me when the goBATT is fully charged, or how much charge is left. They took a good cue from Apple’s laptop line, only a bit prettier.
Specs:
Battery Type: 3.7v – 50000mA Lithium polymer
Output: 5v _ 5000mAh
Charge time: 6-8 hours
Discharge duration:
About 1 hour when using iPhone and iPad at the same time
3 hours when using iPad only and
2.5 hours when using iPhone or other mobile devices.
I have more to say and will update this. But now it’s time to take a walk in the rain to the grocery store.
Update: July 2013 — I did take that walk and I did update this article. The updated info is within, above. And for the months I have been “back home” in Los Angeles, I have continued to carry this with me daily in my Chicobag handbag.
I haven’t yet tried the free Scosche reVIVE App that it works with for advanced battery management but you can get that app at Apple’s AppStore or at the Google play store for the Android app.