Tear an iPad apart, and it’s little more than a screen attached to two giant batteries. Which is great -- those power stores make it easy to check email, update Facebook, and play World of Goo for several days without bothering to plug in and juice up. But even the almighty iPad has its limits. The PowerBack from Kensington has an internal battery that allows you to increase your iPad’s stamina by about 50 percent, and the whole thing is tucked inside a rubbery protective case. On paper it sounds great, but the PowerBack is heavy, expensive, and somewhat difficult to use.
The integrated, three-position kickstand is great for browsing, movie watching, and even typing.
Kensington’s website shows a happy-go-lucky soccer mom/businesswoman using her PowerBack to power through her busy day. She surfs the web, makes business presentations, and uses her iPad to cook a gourmet-looking dinner, jauntily carrying her device by the cutout around the Apple logo on the back. And another video shows an iPad effortlessly sliding in and out of the PowerBack. While we can’t dispute the PowerBack’s ability to resurrect a dead iPad, that effortlessness is certainly a product of clever editing, and carrying it by the slim grip afforded by the cutout is practically begging your iPad to faceplant on the pavement.
When you do drop it, be prepared. There’s no protection for your screen, although the back and edges of the iPad are well covered. Getting the dock connector to seat properly when putting on the case can be challenging, due to the tight tolerances. Once connected, however, the rechargeable battery immediately went to work re-upping our iPad, and we like the LED fuel gauge on the bottom of the PowerBack.
On the back, the fold-out kickstand adds a good deal of functionality. Use your iPad hands-free in portrait or landscape mode, and there’s even a third, slightly inclined setting useful for typing text on a tabletop.
The bottom line. At 12 ounces, the PowerBack adds considerable heft. But it offers solid protection for your iPad, even if its $130 price is high for five extra hours.
PowerBack Battery Case with Kickstand and Dock
iPad
Integrated charging case. LED power meter. Three-way kickstand supports portrait, landscape, and typing orientations.
Doesn’t offer much bang for your buck. Getting your iPad in and out is like trying to put socks on a terrier.
Cory
February 07, 2011 at 3:02pm
Good to see these companies engineering decent products. I'd rather wait for a Mophie solution myself. I've had nothing but good experiences from the.
