The MiLi Power Skin is basically power armour for your iPhone 3GS. It’s a plastic shell that protects your iPhone during fights and phone calls, and it’s also a battery to recharge your device after long sessions of Plants vs Zombies.
The Power Skin would likely be right up there as one of my ideal powered cases, if it weren’t for one very basic oversight (which I’ll get to in just a bit).
How Long Does it Last?
The battery life on the Power Skin can vary greatly, depending on how you use it. If used to simply recharge the battery, it tends to refill about 40%. However, if you keep your iPhone topped off at 100% and use the Power Skin like an external power supply, it tends to last a bit longer (likely adding 50% to the battery life, instead of just 40).
That’s Nice, But Where’s the Off Switch?
Unlike many other modern powered cases, there is no Off switch on the Power Skin. The whole thing is either on or off, depending on how or when you put the iPhone into the case. If you should press the power button on the lower right corner or take the Power Skin off of its mini-USB cable, it will try to start to charge the iPhone. So if you want to conserve your juice for a rainy day, you’ll have to wait 10 seconds after unplugging the case or pressing the power button before you can insert your device.
It’s exactly as much of a pain as it sounds, so I eventually gave up on conserving power and left the Power Skin on all the time (thankfully, the LEDs on the side make it easy to check leftover battery life).
Why Are Your Pants Vibrating?
Unfortunately, no matter how you try to use the Power Skin, you’ll likely still encounter little recharging spikes. I’m not sure exactly why, but sometimes this case will get too excited for its own good and simply start charging on its own, which is something that happened with the first Mophie case I used on my iPhone 2G. These spikes often last for a few seconds before the case turns off again, but sometimes the Power Skin can go a little berserk, which is exactly what happened this past Thanksgiving.
I was finishing a plate of pumpkin pie off when my right pant pocket started vibrating erratically. I didn’t have my iPhone on silent mode either, so everyone around me could hear repeated iPhone charging noise (like a bird’s nest in my pants). I quickly took the charger out, checked its battery (which read: Zero), and removed my iPhone from the case for 10 seconds to kill all the vibrations.
This doesn’t happen all the time, but it’s definitely something possible buyers should be aware of. This also wouldn’t be an issue if there had simply been a on/off switch somewhere on the case.
So How Much Do You Hate This Case?
As much trouble as I’ve had with the Power Skin, I still find that I like using it, and I know I like it more than the Mophie Juice Air. The MiLi is probably technically a little slimmer, but when you’re talking about millimetres in the single digits, it’s very, very hard to tell.
What is noticeable, however, is how well the actual case design works. The case is built like a tank and is very easy to use when you place it on a table. But it’s also light, provides access to all the buttons, replaces the 30-pin port with the more universal mini-USB port, and even has holes for speakers.
Syncing is still relatively simple with the included mini-USB cable, and although you can’t dock your device with the Power Skin on, it requires just a few seconds to take the whole thing off. I’ve also never had to worry about the MiLi leaving scratches on my iPhone, since the fit is much more forgiving than Mophie’s case.
My Phone Goes Bang Bang Boom
In fact, outside of a few microscopic nicks, the Power Skin has held up very well in normal usage. It has even survived a dive off of my bed, into a wall, and then onto the floor (Pro Tip: don’t put your iPhone on your blanket before taking a nap). I was especially impressed to find that the Power Skin’s removable top stayed in place during the whole ordeal. The only really weak portion of the case might be the rubber stop that covers the mini-USB port. While it’s true that these types of covers don’t normally fail me, I can’t help but think of them as a weak design element, and I’m always surprised when they stay on for more than a day.
Conclusion
The only thing that the MiLi Power Skin needs to become my ideal battery-case is a simple on/off switch. It really couldn’t have been that difficult to add, it’s a real shame this case is missing one. However, even in its current state, I still think the Power Skin warrants a recommendation. It fits beautifully, really does protect the iPhone, features a mini-USB port instead of the more common (but, in my opinion, more annoying) micro-USB port, and extends the battery life of my 3GS by about half. It’s also relatively cheap for a battery cases at $58, and you can pick one up in white from USBFever.com (they seem to have run out of the black ones, as of the writing of this review).
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The MiLi Power Skin was provided by USBFever.com for review on iSource.com. For further information regarding our site’s review policies, please see the “About” page.
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