Proporta’s $27 TurboCharger Back Pack power case for the iPhone 4/4S is a rechargeable 1700mAh capacity battery that doubles as a slim profiled protective case. The TurboCharger is a two-piece design that slides together to form a snug fit. To insert your iPhone 4/4S into the case simply separate the two sections by sliding them apart along grooves located on the sides. The case will begin charging immediately after a connection with the iPhone’s 30-pin dock connector is made. There are 4-LED lights on the back of the charger that indicate how much charge is left in the case. Next to the LED lights is a silver button that you press and hold to both turn the case on or off. However, whether the iPhone is charging or not, the LED lights will continue to blink on the TurboCharger as long as it still has reserve power remaining.
Included with the TurboCharger case is a Micro-USB cable for replenishing the depleted charge. This cable can be connected to any USB port or USB AC wall plug. If you plug in the case with an iPhone installed it will continue to charge the phone until full capacity before the case itself is charged. In addition, you can also synch your iPhone with your computer with provided USB cable.
The TurboCharger Back Pack case has an opening for the headphone jack and noise canceling top microphone along with a slotted opening for the volume buttons and Ring/Silent switch. There are also openings in the back of the case for the camera and flash that were deep, but did not appear to compromise the picture quality in any way. The bottom of the case has an opening that is covered from the inside with a wire mesh that protects the speaker and lower microphone. Lastly, the leading edge of the case wraps around the front of the phone, providing a layer of protection for the screen when/if you lay it face first on a flat surface.
In the field the TurboCharger performed admirably. This case is thinner than most battery cases that provide a full phone charge. It was lightweight, and had a coating on it that was like smooth rubber–grippy, but still easy to slide in and out of even a tight pocket. Proporta claims that the case provides more than one full charge for your iPhone. I found this to be a little bit of a stretch, but close enough. I also like the fact that the case separated into two pieces along the top third of the case. This made it nice for those times when I couldn’t plug in my audio cord because the headphone jack opening was too small. I also liked the fact that this design allowed for minimal exposure for the iPhone, but still continued to charge it even when the top of the case was removed.
There were a couple of things I wasn’t as fond of with the TurboCharger. The first was how long it took to re-charge. My testing experience resulted in a re-charge time of over 3.5 hours–a long time to wait unless you only charge your iPhone and case overnight. The second feature that I was only slightly unhappy about was the LED lights that continued to flash as the case charged. I know this probably is how most charging cases behave–but I still didn’t like it. However, the silver lining here is that they were smart enough to put the lights on the bottom of the case, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and for many this may be a non-issue altogether.
I have been using the TurboCharger Back Pack case for over a month now, and have found it to be an excellent addition to my accessory collection. With the battery hit I took upgrading to an iPhone 4S from my iPhone 4, I would never get through an typical day without it.
Pros-
Stylish, Slim profile
Feels good in your hand
Affordable
Provides complete re-charge +
Cons-
Long re-charge time
Can’t turn off LED lights and still charge
The TurboCharger Back Pack charging case was provided for review on iSource.com by Proporta. For further information regarding our site’s review policies, please see our “About” page.
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