If you actually use your iPhone’s best features--the 3G network, push notifications, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Location Services, all those bells and whistles that make it so awesome--you’ve probably noticed your battery needs recharging every day or two at least. We never leave home without the cable and AC adapter that came with our iPhone, so we’re in luck as long as we can find a power outlet or USB port to plug in to. But wandering beyond walls and away from computers requires some extra gadgetry to keep our iPhone charged, namely Belkin’s Dual Auto Charger for the car and the iPWR SuperPack backup battery for everywhere else.

Dual Auto Charger. This in-car charger has two USB ports, so you can charge an iPhone and an iPod, or any two devices that use the 5-volt USB charging spec. The top port, labeled QuickCharge, outputs 1 amp of current, charging our iPhone’s battery from under 20 percent to full in just under 90 minutes. The other port outputs 500 milliamps of current, so it charges things more slowly, needing more than 2 hours to get our iPhone all the way up to full. (For comparison, the iPhone’s included AC adapter charges the phone at 1 amp, while the USB 2.0 ports on your Mac top out at 500 milliamps.)

Two USB ports means you can charge your iPhone as well as the iPWR battery at once.
 
In our tests, the Dual Auto Charger worked perfectly. Extending a little less than 2.5 inches from our car’s DC outlet, it didn’t get in the way of our gearshift or anything else in our consoles. But if that’s a concern, Belkin also sells the Micro Auto Charger, which has just one QuickCharge USB port but sits nearly flush with the car’s power outlet. The Micro Auto Charger is $14.99 sold alone or $19.99 with an iPod cable included. (That’s a good deal, considering Apple charges $19 for just the cable.) We were a little disappointed with the amount of packaging for such compact products, but the items themselves are great.

iPWR SuperPack. The iPWR is an external battery that charges via its mini USB port, then attaches to your iPod’s or iPhone’s dock connector to juice up your phone when it’s running low. You can charge it with the Belkin Dual Auto Charger--Belkin’s included USB-to-mini-USB cable works, or you can use the retractable USB-to-mini-USB cable that comes with the iPWR. The iPWR’s lithium-polymer battery holds 1800mAh (milliamp hours) of power and can charge an iPhone from 0 percent to full in a little over 2 hours. When the iPWR is totally dead, plan on recharging it for at least 3 hours. We wish it had a gauge to indicate how much power is left, and the removable piece that covers the mini USB port, on/off switch, and 30-pin dock connector is very easy to lose. Holding an iPhone up to our ear with the iPWR attached felt a little awkward since it dangles off the bottom of the phone, but it didn’t get in the way of gaming or using other iPhone apps.

The iPWR sticks out from your Dock port, so the phone isn't exactly pocket-sized when it's attached.

Both great on their own, these products work even better together, since the Dual Auto Charger can top off your iPhone during your commute, as well as juicing up the iPWR for a midday boost. So go ahead, use those fancy features--that's why you got an iPhone in the first place.

Dual Auto Charger
COMPANY: Belkin
CONTACT: www.belkin.com
PRICE: $29.99
REQUIREMENTS: In-car 12-volt power outlet. Device requiring a 5-volt charge (iPhone, iPod, or anything that charges over USB)
Two USB ports (one at 1amp, one at 500 milliamps) let you charge two devices at once. Includes iPod cable and USB-to-mini-USB cable.
Lots of packaging.

iPWR SuperPack
COMPANY: Wireless Input, Inc.
CONTACT: www.ipwr.com
PRICE: $59.95
REQUIREMENTS: iPhone or iPod with 30-pin dock connector (all models except the shuffle)
High capacity of 1800mAh. Charges over USB in about 90 minutes. Compact. Includes retractable USB-to-mini-USB cable for charging.
Detachable cover over the 30-pin connector is easily lost. Awkward to talk on the phone with battery attached. No gauge to show remaining battery life.