Tech Review: iHome Ultra Slim Battery Case

When the smart phones burst onto the market we were all in a rush to make sure they did anything and everything we wanted–when we wanted. Then we ran into the inevitable problem: battery life. Phone manufacturers went back to the drawing board, and with each new version came a boasted longer and longer battery life. Even the apps were being redesigned in order to be less taxing on the phone. But as the technology has kept making more and more demands on the phone (as have we, the consumer), battery continues to be an issue. Open the flood gates and let in third-party developers!

The iHome  Ultra Slim Battery Case for the iPhone 5 is self-explanatory off the bat. It does exactly what it says, provides an extra boost of battery life to your phone when you need it. Fully charged it stores an extra 12 hours of browsing, 9 hours of talking, or 8 hours of video.

A small button on the slide lights up an LED indicator to let you know how much charge is left in the case. It’s also sculpted with the iPhone ports in mind so you can still plug in your headphones, charger or whatever else while the case is still on.

The actual operation of the case is exceptionally simple. When your phone gives that nasty red battery warning, you slide out a small lightning adapter from the bottom of the case and plug it right into the phone, as if you were charging from the wall or your computer. Done and done, then your back to playing whatever game, browsing whatever site or video chatting with whatever distant family member.

I was very impressed by the speed of the charge, which seemed to fill my phone back up even quicker than when I’ve had it plugged into the wall at night. If a version of this appeared for my iPad, I think I might grin myself to death.

Slipping the case on for the first time, you will feel an immediate shock of how much bulk it adds to the phone. Don’t panic, you get used to it very quickly. The only reason it feels so drastic is the iPhone 5 is so damn light and slim to begin with. I thought I wouldn’t keep it on much longer than the time it took me to review it, but after the first couple days I stopped even noticing it was there. Yet, if you find you are still put off by the added bulk, this is still a useful tool to have charged for emergencies, like in your book bag or the glove compartment in your car.

There are other charging cases, some of which charge together through a single and allow you to move from phone to battery pack with a switch. That may indeed be a more efficient design, but that tradeoff is in the addition of a bit of added length to the phone.

In the end the size and weight of the case will need to fit your personal needs, for pure functionality, you can’t go wrong with the iHome Ultra Slim Battery Case.