Macenstein

I think it is safe to say that the iTunes app store is the best thing to happen to 3rd-party battery pack makers since the mAh – particularly the addictive and battery-draining games available for the iPhone. For me, Fieldrunners was my power-sucking game of choice. I spent literally weeks of my life playing the game, many times with my iPhone tethered to my computer so I could charge and play at the same time. I never fully broke my Fieldrunners habit, but I was able to curb it slightly after a few months as the gameplay began to grow a little stale. So you’ll understand if I take it as a sign from above that I received PhoneSuit‘s new MiLi iPhone battery pack just days before Subatomic Studios released their update to Fieldrunners and ensured I would not sleep for the next 2 weeks or so.

Design

The MiLi looks almost identical in basic form to Mophie’s Juice Pack, although, in my opinion, it looks much nicer. The MiLi is available with either a glossy black or white base to match the color of your iPhone, and both models offer a range of differently colored linings. The Black model comes with a choice of Blue, Green or Gray linings, while the White comes in Orange, Green and Gray. In theory it really doesn’t matter what color lining you get, as once the iPhone is docked, it pretty much blocks any of the lining from showing. Unlike the Juice Pack, the MiLi is constructed from a hard black (or white) plastic that looks identical to the material the iPhone is made of. I found that the matte material of Mophie’s Juice Pack was very prone to scuff marks, especially on the edges. The smooth, hard shell of the MiLi seems to be impervious to (reasonable) wear and tear, similar to the iPhone itself.

The MiLi has an open-ended design, and while it holds the iPhone securely and you needn’t worry about it sliding out, it does not offer any real protection in the event of a drop. The back of the case has a cutout for the iPhone’s camera lens, and the sides are open to allow easy access to the iPhone’s volume and mute switches.

The MiLi doesn’t really add much bulk or weight to your iPhone (in fact it feels slightly lighter than the Juice Pack), and slips easily into pockets. While the material is smooth and shiny, it is no more prone to slips than the iPhone itself, which I find easy to hold on to.

Power

The MiLi packs 2000 mAh of power into the tiny base, which is 200 mAh more than Mophie’s battery pack. That’s enough power to slightly more than double your talk, standby, and music/video/surfing/gaming times, depending on usage. One of my favorite things about the MiLi is the freedom it gives me to actually turn my iPhone’s brightness all the way up. To save power I often keep my iPhone set to the bottom-most brightness setting, but thanks to the MiLi, I can crank up the brightness without fear and really appreciate just how bright and gorgeous a display the iPhone has.

Features

The MiLi has a set of four blue LED charge indicator status lights on the bottom front of the unit. These illuminate while the MiLi is charging, or if you press the charge button to get a rough idea of how much charge the MiLi has (obviously 4 LEDs is fully charged, and Zero is dead). The MiLi charges via an included mini USB connector, just as the new Mophie Juice Pack does. (Apple has barred 3rd parties from using the full-sized female dock connector port). One very nice feature of the MiLi that the Juice Pack doe snot have is an additional full-sized “USB Out” port at the bottom of the unit. You can use this port to charge any USB-powered device, such as a bluetooth headset, but I also found you can use it to simultaneously charge your iPhone AND another iPod or iPhone. Obviously you’ll be splitting the amount of power both devices will get, but it is a pretty cool feature, especially if you have kids with iPod touches, as I have.

You can also sync your iPhone while docked in the MiLi when connected to your computer via the mini USB cable. It will not sync an iPhone/iPod which is connected via the USB Out port, however.

While designed for the 3G iPhone, both the 1st-gen 2G model and the 3G fit in the MiLi (although obviously the 3G version fits more securely) which is nice to know you can charge either model in a pinch.

Issues

I have zero issues with the MiLi. The only caveat I might have is that it does not have Apple’s “Works with iPhone” official certification, as the Mophie Juice Pack does, but for $20 less than the Mophie and a little more power, I don’t miss it. I suppose in a perfect world it would be nice if the MiLi offered a little more protection from accidental falls and such, but given that the MiLi doesn’t advertise itself as a protective case, I can’t fault it.

Conclusion

The MiLi and I are BFFs – I just love it. Its smooth, shiny plastic construction weathers (reasonable) scratches and scuffs nicely, and perfectly compliments the materials used on the iPhone. The choice of colored linings (while unnecessary) is always a plus for us style-conscious Apple fans, desperate for a chance to feel some control over what our Apple devices look like. Finally, the USB-Out port make this one of the more versatile and good-looking iPhone battery chargers out there. Boasting 200 mAh more capacity than Mophie’s Juice Pack and costing $20 less, the MiLi is my new recommendation of choice when it comes to iPhone battery packs.

Price: $79
Pros: very cool looking, choice of colors, USB out port for charging other devices delivers more power than the Mophie Juice Pack, and its case is less prone to scratches
Cons: None significant