One of the problems that iPhone owners constantly complain about is the cellphone’s subpar battery life. I’ve been using a free AT&T Blackberry phone for a couple of months now and had thoughts on converting to the iPhone’s side. I never had battery life problems with my Blackberry and this remains to be one of the major drawbacks stopping me from switching over.

Being a great multimedia platform is certainly one of the iPhone’s strongpoint, but what’s the use of all these features if your phone constantly runs out of juice. I’ve been able to talk to some iPhone owners and asked them what they did to fix the problem. I was glad to hear that there were a lot of aftermarket backup batteries available for the iPhone which could power your cellphone even on the go.

Choosing among the lot could be difficult with the huge number of aftermarket products. I’ve manage to breakdown this choice to two of the most popular backup batteries available. Below is a quick look at what these two products can offer iPhone users.

Quick Facts

RichardSolo 1800 Smart Backup Battery

The RichardSolo 1800 offers iPhone users a convenient way of powering up their iPhone by simply latching the device to the cellphone. The backup battery provides an additional 50 percent battery life when connected to your iPhone and is currently being offered at $70 on the market.

The good and the bad

Specially designed for the iPhone and iPod, the backup battery has enough juice to charge each device and still have some energy left for reserve. It also offers users the flexibility of using different power sources for recharging the battery. The RichardSolo 1800 Backup Battery comes equipped with a wall charger, retractable USB charger and car charger. If you find yourself using another smartphone model like a PALM or Blackberry, the device’s USB mini/micro charging port could also supply your phones energy needs.

iPhone users who currently own other apple devices such as iPods would find the RichardSolo 1800 backup battery a welcome surprise. The device is not only capable of powering your iPhone 3GS but can also recharge your iPod music players with its adapters.

The device also comes with a laser finder and flashlight which we found quite amusing but had no real practical purposes except taking up some real estate on the battery. This also added some aesthetic values on an otherwise boring presentation. Overall, the addition of the laser finder and flashlight might be of no real use but having them wouldn’t hurt either.

The real problem with the RichardSolo 1800 is its form factor. The device certainly adds up some height to your iPhone and could be quite ungainly when used. Recharging and power storage capabilities also need some improvement. Another drawback with the RichardSolo 1800 is its inability to fully charge your iPhone more than once. If you find your iPhone’s battery depleted, it usually requires that the backup battery be charged prior to being used again.

JustMobile Gum Pro

JustMobile’s Gum Pro is a small compact battery charger that considerable packs more power than other iPhone battery chargers out in the market today. Power is supplied to your iPhone using a cable running from the charger to your iPhone’s dock.

The good and the bad

JustMobile Gum Pro’s main advantage over its rivals remains to be its better energy capacity. On average, the charger was able to fully charge our iPhone twice and then some on just a single charge. Power is rated at 4,400mAH or 3.8 times more than your iPhone’s standard battery.

Aside from its large energy storing capacity, JustMobile Gum Pro also comes competitively priced. With its $60 price, the charger comes at a price to energy ratio that is one of the best in the market.

Charging is done via a cable that runs from the charger to the phone. This is a better format compared to other chargers which require them to be directly connected to the phone. It offers lesser stress on the iPhone’s jack which could be damaged by the connection.

Located on the charger are three lights which display the charge status of the device. Small and compact, the Gum pro weighs a mere 5.3 ounces and could be easily stored in any bag or pocket.

Package does not come charged from the factory, powering the device to its full capacity takes approximately three and half hours. Using the JustMobile Gum Pro on your iPhone requires one and a half hours. However, users could use their iPhones while charging.

Summing it up

Tall and thin or short and wide? If you’re on the market for a portable charger to hook up with your iPhone, then JustMobile’s Gum Pro and the RichardSolo 1800 are two devices that might just end up in your alley. Choosing your style is still a matter of individual taste and the decision sometimes boils down to preference.

Although both products are effective in powering up your iPhone, each device offers customers its own unique advantage. The RichardSolo 1800 offers its users the capability of using the phone while charging. It might appear cumbersome as adding the length of the backup battery makes it an awkward phone to use. JustMobile’s Gum Pro also allows calling while charging but with wires dangling out from the chargers connection it is almost impossible to make that call.

In terms of versatility and flexibility, the RichardSolo 1800 comes on top. Power your iPhone on the go is no problem with the 1800’s car adapter. With a wider variety of power adapters available for charging, iPhone users will find it easy to hook the charger through different power sources.

JustMobile’s Gum Pro comes on top in terms of cost to power ratio. Easily priced at $60, the charger has twice the juice of the $70 RichardSolo 1800 backup battery. The charger supplies power through a cable which runs to the phone, this is a friendlier interface compared to the 1800. Connecting the RichardSolo’s backup battery to the iPhone’s dock may lead to damage and loosen the port through constant use.

Overall, JustMobile’s Gum Pro tops this head to head comparison. Backup batteries were made with one important detail in mind, providing backup energy for your cellphones. With its simple layout and compact form coupled with its huge energy storage, the $10 price difference might just tip the balance in JustMobile Gum Pro’s side.

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