[Q] Which do you prefer: spare battery VS external battery pack ? - Galaxy Note 4 Accessories

Can't seem to make up my mind on this!
most of the time i have access to power socket, but after i ran out of battery the other day, leaving me without navigation system and clueless on how to drive back home, i realized i need some sort of back up!
so first thing first, i added Anker 24W Car Charger to my list.
second, I'm trying to decide between a spare battery, like Anker 3220mAh Li-ion Battery , Or a power pack like Anker Astro E3 /// Astro E4.
like i mentioned, most of the time i have access to power socket, as well as car charger (soon).
also, when i wake up in the morning, i plug my phone right away to the charger, so i usually leave the house with 90%+ battery.
which of the two options would you recommend?
no matter which one, most chances it will lay in my bag for a while until i do need it, won't be on regular use.
i nearly ordered the Astro E3, but then i ran some of the comments on amazon, claiming it works fine at the beginning only!

Sounds like all you need is the car charger and a couple of Anker 3220mah spare batteries. The spare batteries are much more convenient to carry that a power pack. Along with the fast charger you should be set, unless you are travelling to the moon without a power source.

Just a matter of what purpose you want it for.
Battery pack pros:
-can charge any device
-can charge itself with usb cord, phone isn't needed
-no phone interruption
-can charge multiple devices at once.
-larger capacity than spare battery
Spare battery pros:
-easier to carry
-phone will be instantly charged to 100%
-not prone to idle drain like some battery packs

Extended battery
BAD ASS NOTE 4 + BAD ASS GEAR S

of course the power bank.
just try replacing the batteries (turning on-off, putting the back cover off/on), etc.
you also have to fully charge the spare battery... need a spare charger for that.
with the good power bank you can just add as much juice as you need and continue to use the phone hassle-free.
i just dont understand those swapping the batteries in a device that charges 50% within 30 minutes...

lisbon2004 said:
i just dont understand those swapping the batteries in a device that charges 50% within 30 minutes...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't always have a 2a output charger sitting around though... If you try charging a note 4 on some PC usb slots and you use the phone a little bit, it basically won't charge faster than it drains.
Also holding the phone and using it with a power bank + usb cable attached is not as convenient as swapping the battery and instantly having 100%.

thanks for your replies .
i just bought a replaceable Anker battery+external charger. the main battery last me the entire day most of the time, so for the occasional battery emergency drain, i prefer to instantly replace with a 100% charged one.
although the power bank seems like a nice idea for any long vacation i go to each year. but they are cheap anyway, so will buy one as well later on.

lisbon2004 said:
of course the power bank.
just try replacing the batteries (turning on-off, putting the back cover off/on), etc.
you also have to fully charge the spare battery... need a spare charger for that.
with the good power bank you can just add as much juice as you need and continue to use the phone hassle-free.
i just dont understand those swapping the batteries in a device that charges 50% within 30 minutes...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spare batteries are great for when you are out and about without access to a charger. The spare battery route works for me as I did the same with my S3.

I vote for the spare battery which is why I got one. I have used external chargers often in the past and I hate having to walk around with the darn thing and its cable. You cannot beat swapping in a battery which takes less than a minute. It is also more compact as well. Sure, you have to charge it separately, but you will have to do that with an external charger anyway.

bleuiko said:
I vote for the spare battery which is why I got one. I have used external chargers often in the past and I hate having to walk around with the darn thing and its cable. You cannot beat swapping in a battery which takes less than a minute. It is also more compact as well. Sure, you have to charge it separately, but you will have to do that with an external charger anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly this. I have both but the spare battery is my "go to". The official OEM spare battery kit is awesome for our N4 since it charges separately and is super compact. I have an external battery pack that can charge several devices but it'll usually be left behind with a few exceptions. It's mainly to charge devices when away from power but is not a good solution if you want to continue using the device since you have to lug the wire and charger with you if you choose to go that route.
---------- Post added at 10:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:09 AM ----------
lisbon2004 said:
of course the power bank.
just try replacing the batteries (turning on-off, putting the back cover off/on), etc.
you also have to fully charge the spare battery... need a spare charger for that.
with the good power bank you can just add as much juice as you need and continue to use the phone hassle-free.
i just dont understand those swapping the batteries in a device that charges 50% within 30 minutes...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
0 to 100% in seconds. 'Nuff said.

jlczl said:
Exactly this. I have both but the spare battery is my "go to". The official OEM spare battery kit is awesome for our N4 since it charges separately and is super compact. I have an external battery pack that can charge several devices but it'll usually be left behind with a few exceptions. It's mainly to charge devices when away from power but is not a good solution if you want to continue using the device since you have to lug the wire and charger with you if you choose to go that route.
---------- Post added at 10:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:09 AM ----------
0 to 100% in seconds. 'Nuff said.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can buy a similar item from a good company half the price:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Q4NQQA0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&m=A294P4X9EWVXLJ&tag=ianker-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00Q4NQQA0
it's what i ordered.

666pluto said:
you can buy a similar item from a good company half the price:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...17145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00Q4NQQA0
it's what i ordered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but Amazon recently had the OEM version on sale for $29. I had Best Buy price match it since I had a $25 BB gift card laying around I hadn't used so I paid nearly nothing for it. Plus I prefer OEM (nothing against Anker, I actually have a great portable battery charger from them I got on Amazon).
I mention the price because OEM versions of products can frequently be purchased at great discounts if you watch for them. I use the slick deals app to notify me of good deals.

Related

Portable Backup Power / Solar Power

Trying to find gadgets of the type "external portable power".
That is power sources that is light enough to carry in a backpack or pocket, and have a battery (or in my dreams a fuel cell...) that can be plugged into SGS mini usb port for "emergency" power.
Also of interest is solar powered solutions, maybe to charge said portable power device while relaxing at the beach.
I believe this is what you are looking for:
spider-foot. com/1900mah-extended-backup-battery-power-charger-for-cell-phones-with-micro-usb-charging-port-1900mic-p-759.html
Ive seen a solar + wind up one as well, but not sure how good that would work.
There are few micro usb backup battery packs. Some are sealed rechargeable batteries (like the one in above post) while others allows you to use standard AA size ones (these are good in an emergency).
But IMO better to have a spare battery. That way you don’t have to wait for the phone to charge, you get instant power. Since SGS s batteries are very small you can even carry one in your pocket.
Personally I'd prefer something that used AA/AAA batteries. That way I can carry LSD batteries, and I can use a proper conditioner/analyser/charger on them to keep them in decent condition. It also means the phone doesn't need to get turned off at any point - I find mine isn't great after a restart for quite a while. Finally very high quality batteries are not that expensive for AA/AAA and you know what you're getting, aftermarket mobile batteries can be a little bit risky and performance can vary.
I use a solution from Philips, it is called Power2Go. I use the SCE4430. Works great, only thing is that it does not support micro usb out of the box. But a standard micro usb cable does the trick. Used this also on a Nintendo DS.
http://www.philips.co.uk/c/universa...UNIVERSAL_POWER_SOLUTIONS_SU_GB_CONSUMER=true
[Q] Solar Charger
Hey guys,
First post here and it may end up costing me a bit soo..
Would it be possible to harvest one of these solar phone chargers you see on ebay and build it into the backplate of the phone?
I know it may not be powerful enough to charge your phone, but maybe we can extend the life when we just need those few extra hours.
So, really, does anyone know what we would need? I have little to know electronics experience so not sure what i'm looking for but i'm more than willing to actually do it if someone is able to explain what/how its done.
No, it's enough for you to charge a phone, even other more powerful device. But first of all you need a good solar cell.
i got one from DX it works fantastic!
4200mAh Portable Dual-Panel Solar Power Battery Pack for Cell Phones and USB Gadgets
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.40210
just leave it by any window, or light source and it turns it back into energy, then just plug your phone into the pack for recharge
you can easily recharge twice with a full charge
red light = charging
no light = off
green light = in use
comes with all the plugs for our phones
and a build in LED flashlight
it can also be charged via USB if you are in a hurry, and can't take advantage of the free light source recharge
i use it mostly for long outdooring like camping / picnics, and you know that even 3x1500 mAh will not last you for a day/week
you can get a full charge in just 1 day (from sun rise to sun down) even on a cloudy rainy sky
But what about physically attaching a panel to the back so I don't have to carry extra stuff? Is it possible? How would I wire it up?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
that works, but you wont be able to use the phone for like a whole day meanwhile waiting for it to charge, and be drained almost instantly
Have a look here>>>http://tinyurl.com/y2nrvsv
I have ordered one of these will do a small review when it arrives>>>http://tinyurl.com/2fun3k6
I have this traditional solution for emergency charging: http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/
They have Solar Charger, too.
that solar one from portable uk is okay, i only like the "bag" idea of it, but it's shy in power & recharge rate when competing againts the 4200 mAh beast from DX
mini/micro portable power pack
check this out
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320572770657&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I have one, it has to be charge via usb, but I do that while I am on my laptop, and the bonus is that it will charge anything that connects via a mini/micro connection,
Applecrusher said:
But what about physically attaching a panel to the back so I don't have to carry extra stuff? Is it possible? How would I wire it up?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And leave the phone under the sun ?? A very bad idea, the heat will surely damage your phone.
PhoenixFx said:
And leave the phone under the sun ?? A very bad idea, the heat will surely damage your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed
I don't think a little solar panel on the back of the phone will be capable of putting out that much power
I don't know about you but my phone spends most of its time inside my pocket so it is rarely out in the sun for the solar panel to work
Just carry a spare battery or get yourself the Samsung extended battery
mobilefun
.co.uk/genuine-samsung-galaxy-s-extended-battery-case-p25834.htm
It will extend your battery life without having to leave the phone lying in the sun
Solar charger for SGS and other mobiles.
Few days ago I was searching for the Solar charger for my SGS in India.In local stores I brought 2 solar chargers but these are the china made chargers with very low quality internal battery.
Then one of my friend suggest me the Amzer 3500 mAh Battery Backup Solar Charger and Solio Emergency Mono Solar Hybrid Charger.
I ordered the Amzer 3500 mAh Battery Backup Solar Charger and believe me, the charger is one of the essential accessory for every mobile phone.
Also this Charger is available in India, USA and UK regions.
For India, take a look at this, http://www.fommy.co.in/Amzer-3500-mAh-Battery-Backup-Solar-Charger-P83981.htm
For USA and UK, visit http://www.fommy.com/
the one i mentioned back in post #8 is way better and cheaper
and free shipping with tracking number
trusted site
actually i hv read all the backup power all u guys suggest but i found that these all are just rebranding some chinese low quality products and it cant survive for long and there r some potential hazard that may end up damaging our sgs...i hv tried solar charger and some portable backup power before, the solar charger dun hv a high efficiency to exchange solar energy to electrical energy...it takes me too long time to charge it and it can only recharge the battery once. for the backup power, the mAh thing is not accurate, u need to try it yourself n c how many cycles u can charge the stock battery in order to estimate the true backup power battery capacity
I love my PORTAPOW
Received it yesterday.
5000 mAH USB rechargeable battery in a piano black case.
Fantastic.
This means I can go out on an all-day hike with GPS on.(Yep, I'm that sad)
The phone battery would last 2- 2 1/2 hours max with GPS (and MyTracks or similar on) while hiking.
Really good build quality.
Really good price.
(PS I am in no way connected with the company etc...)
HTML:
http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/portapowPremium.htm

OEM external charging dock, battery, adapter $46.44 from Samsung.com

Note: t-mobile galaxy s2 battery is the same battery as the skyrocket.
Update: You can purchase this for $42.26 shipped free from Amazon. Thanks to propsizzle
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung--CGPK...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1321206635&sr=1-1
If you want to buy it from samsung:
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/ET-CGPK004GSTA
COUPON CODE: samsung#1 ($7.50 off)
Shipping is $3.95
When you buy any Galaxy (or any phone) in Korea, they all come with 2 batteries and a external charger. And all the Galaxys come with external charging case and adapter like this one. It is unfortunate that you have to buy this separately, but I highly recommend getting this after using this method of charging for a year when I lived in Korea.
Let the second battery charge, swap it in the morning (they give you a few seconds to do a battery swap without having to reboot the phone if you have the usb cable connected). It is not a well known feature of the phone because Mr. Jobs has got us so accustomed to chaining ourselves unnecessarily while we wait for our phones to charge but it is a very cool and useful feature. It will make your life better in so many ways, and possibly extend the battery life and the life of the battery because you will always be doing a deep cycle charge. Plus. you will have a spare battery and a case to carry it in for long trips!
As you can tell, I love this thing.
Lucidmike said:
Note: I'm making an assumption that the t-mobile galaxy s2 battery is the same battery as the skyrocket. I believe it is after looking at the model number of the battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Skyrocket battery has NFC. Are you sure the T-Mobile battery does also?
CZ Eddie said:
The Skyrocket battery has NFC. Are you sure the T-Mobile battery does also?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Battery says Near Field Communication.
EB-L1D7IBA
My skyrocket battery model number is the same. My girlfriend is visiting me from Korea, and she's buying me a Galaxy SII LTE battery EB-L1D7IBK because it is cheaper there. I'm hoping it works. The polarity, voltage, size, capacity seems to be the same.
Lucidmike said:
Yes. Battery says Near Field Communication.
EB-L1D7IBA
My skyrocket battery model number is the same. My girlfriend is visiting me from Korea, and she's buying me a Galaxy SII LTE battery EB-L1D7IBK because it is cheaper there. I'm hoping it works. The polarity, voltage, size, capacity seems to be the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good info, thanks!
Looks like Samsung themselves say the battery works in both models:
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/EB-L1D7IBABSTD
No 2000mah batteries?
Amazon has it for $42.26, prime eligible.
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung--CGPK..._1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1321197686&sr=1-1
propsizzle said:
Amazon has it for $42.26, prime eligible.
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung--CGPK..._1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1321197686&sr=1-1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even sweeter. Kinda feel foolish now for making my gf go to the Samsung Anycall A/S Store in Korea, pick up the battery and charging case for $27. then buying myself a oem adapter+microusb for $4.35 on ebay. Although I am still getting it for ~$31 and a adapter+microusb is a tiny bit better than a travel charger, It is still to be determined whether the Korean battery going to work because there is a soft restriction.
Anyway, this is a solid purchase and it is worth the extra $3 than buying just a oem battery alone.
McLaren__F1 said:
No 2000mah batteries?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless Samsung releases one, which they haven't, I wouldn't bother with it. Usually generic batteries might hold the extra juice initially, but the life of the battery tends to be unreliable.
Lucky Me...
I just snagged one of these off that Amazon link (through DayDeal) for $34.99 plus shipping. Amazon.com showed only one in stock through daydeal when I ordered. Thanks for the heads-up!
Lucidmike said:
Note: t-mobile galaxy s2 battery is the same battery as the skyrocket.
Update: You can purchase this for $42.26 shipped free from Amazon. Thanks to propsizzle
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung--CGPK...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1321206635&sr=1-1
If you want to buy it from samsung:
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/ET-CGPK004GSTA
COUPON CODE: samsung#1 ($7.50 off)
Shipping is $3.95
When you buy any Galaxy (or any phone) in Korea, they all come with 2 batteries and a external charger. And all the Galaxys come with external charging case and adapter like this one. It is unfortunate that you have to buy this separately, but I highly recommend getting this after using this method of charging for a year when I lived in Korea.
Let the second battery charge, swap it in the morning (they give you a few seconds to do a battery swap without having to reboot the phone if you have the usb cable connected). It is not a well known feature of the phone because Mr. Jobs has got us so accustomed to chaining ourselves unnecessarily while we wait for our phones to charge but it is a very cool and useful feature. It will make your life better in so many ways, and possibly extend the battery life and the life of the battery because you will always be doing a deep cycle charge. Plus. you will have a spare battery and a case to carry it in for long trips!
As you can tell, I love this thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just bought one, thanks!
i got 2 of those, one for home, and another for the office
here's my review http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1349656
i got it from ebay only for $40 shipping included
Lucidmike said:
Note: t-mobile galaxy s2 battery is the same battery as the skyrocket.
Update: You can purchase this for $42.26 shipped free from Amazon. Thanks to propsizzle
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung--CGPK...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1321206635&sr=1-1
If you want to buy it from samsung:
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/ET-CGPK004GSTA
COUPON CODE: samsung#1 ($7.50 off)
Shipping is $3.95
When you buy any Galaxy (or any phone) in Korea, they all come with 2 batteries and a external charger. And all the Galaxys come with external charging case and adapter like this one. It is unfortunate that you have to buy this separately, but I highly recommend getting this after using this method of charging for a year when I lived in Korea.
Let the second battery charge, swap it in the morning (they give you a few seconds to do a battery swap without having to reboot the phone if you have the usb cable connected). It is not a well known feature of the phone because Mr. Jobs has got us so accustomed to chaining ourselves unnecessarily while we wait for our phones to charge but it is a very cool and useful feature. It will make your life better in so many ways, and possibly extend the battery life and the life of the battery because you will always be doing a deep cycle charge. Plus. you will have a spare battery and a case to carry it in for long trips!
As you can tell, I love this thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AllGamer said:
i got 2 of those, one for home, and another for the office
here's my review http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1349656
i got it from ebay only for $40 shipping included
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was going to ask if it also charged your phone but your review answered that for me. What a shame that they didn't include that one extra little piece of hardware. Not having it is kind of a deal breaker for me.
i got mine and love it. I like the fact that i dont have to plug the cable into my phone to charge. I go through a battery in a few hours so all of that plugging/unplugging makes me nervous (like the mini usb days when the mini usb ports breaking was more common then not)
this way i can charge my batteries without plugging into my phone, and the only time i will need to plug into my phone is in my car..
ordering another one for home now(this one is at my office)
2 spare batteries will come in handy also since i goto a lot of day/weekend long music festivals where i wont get access to chargers.
---------- Post added at 11:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 PM ----------
ordering another one now, price dropped and is now $36.18 on amazon!
OEM battery with a charging dock for $39.94
Found this and paid for it with Google checkout- discountcell (dot) com/cellular/p/ET-CGPK004GSTA -I cant post links just yet so remove the (dot) and put in the . for the direct link.
Samsung Original Battery Charger with Stand ET-CGPK004GSTA Details:
The battery charging station is the perfect way to charge your battery and explore the capabilities of your phone. While your spare battery charges your phone can sit snugly in the stand at an optimal viewing angle for watching a movie or reading the news.
Features:
Rapidly charges your spare battery giving you unlimited time to talk, text or email
Kickstand allows you to display your phone in a comfortable reading or viewing angle
LED display light lets your know that your battery is charging
Compact design makes it convenient to charge your spare battery at home or in the office
Package Contents:
Battery Charger
1850mAH Standard Battery
Wall Charger
Samsung Original Accessory
Part Number: ET-CGPK004GSTA
Warranty: 1 Year
Manufacturer: Samsung
Is it safe to leave a spare battery on the charger for days after its fully charged? will it ruin the battery ? or when the light turns green does it turn off?
Wondering if i should worry about leaving my spare in the charger over long (3 or 4 day) weekends etc or if i should take it out.
waiters said:
Is it safe to leave a spare battery on the charger for days after its fully charged? will it ruin the battery ? or when the light turns green does it turn off?
Wondering if i should worry about leaving my spare in the charger over long (3 or 4 day) weekends etc or if i should take it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have done it and nothing is wrong so far. It has an inteligent charging system so it stops when it reaches full capacity.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA App

Full power charging dock?

I want a charging dock for my S4 that will feed the phone the full amount of power that it can take, for quickest charging. I believe the stock charger that came with it supplies 2 amps.
I also would like said charger to have a slot for charging a spare battery at the same time.
All the charging docks I've found so far only claim to supply 1 amp to the phone, or less. Except one dock I found that did say it outputs 1.6 amps.
Does anybody know of a charging dock that will supply the full 2 amps? How about one that also has a slot for charging a spare battery?
Thanks.
stuartv said:
I want a charging dock for my S4 that will feed the phone the full amount of power that it can take, for quickest charging. I believe the stock charger that came with it supplies 2 amps.
I also would like said charger to have a slot for charging a spare battery at the same time.
All the charging docks I've found so far only claim to supply 1 amp to the phone, or less. Except one dock I found that did say it outputs 1.6 amps.
Does anybody know of a charging dock that will supply the full 2 amps? How about one that also has a slot for charging a spare battery?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would you like it to serve you eggs and ham as well?
Damn.. you are really asking for so much and not nearly searching for it yourself enough if that makes sense.
There are charging docks that have a battery charger slot as well. They have a microusb port for power input. You can use a 2A charger with it and I believe it should be charging the phone at 2A but only when you're not charging the spare battery. I do not have the link as I saw it while randomly browsing through S4 docks on eBay. It's easy enough to find.
No, thanks. If it could cook my eggs and ham, it would be too bulky. LOL!
I looked through roughly 150 listing on eBay. I saw a whole bunch that said 1A output. And a few that were 700 mA, and at least one that was 500 mA. And exactly one model, available from a few different vendors, that said 1.6A output.
I did not see any that said 2A output. Just because the wall wart can supply as much as 2 amps, doesn't mean the charger will actually output that much to the phone.
stuartv said:
No, thanks. If it could cook my eggs and ham, it would be too bulky. LOL!
I looked through roughly 150 listing on eBay. I saw a whole bunch that said 1A output. And a few that were 700 mA, and at least one that was 500 mA. And exactly one model, available from a few different vendors, that said 1.6A output.
I did not see any that said 2A output. Just because the wall wart can supply as much as 2 amps, doesn't mean the charger will actually output that much to the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My advice, is you should risk it.
If you're looking a product with such precise specs, I'm afraid you're not going to find it.
I messaged several different ebay sellers last night to ask if their charger is really only 1A and if they'll be having a 2A model. So far, I've gotten responses from 3 or 4. All of them have said sorry, we only have 1A. Please note, it will charge more slowly.
Update info. This may be old news to many, but here it is.
I had an online chat with a Supervisor at Seidio this morning. Their website has 2 charging docks for the S4 and neither lists charging output.
They told me that the dock will output whatever the wall adapter supplies. The charging dock is a passthrough. So, if I use the stock OEM charger with the Seidio dock, my phone will (allegedly) still receive 2A of charging current.
This may have been intuitively obvious to some, but it wasn't to me.
So, my quest is now much easier. Apparently, the docks I looked at on eBay that say 1A charging output must say so because the supplied wall adapter only provides 1A. And ones that say that but don't include the AC adapter are just making an assumption about that AC adapter you'll use.
BUT, though the phone charging port may be a passthrough, the slot for charging a second battery (on docks that offer that) would have the charging logic/circuitry built into the dock, so that could still be limited to 1A or less. At least, that's what I think. Could be wrong.
Regardless, i ordered a cheap dual charging dock off eBay that should be here by Friday. Using Galaxy Charging Current (a free app in the Play store), my phone shows 1900 mA charging current when plugged into the OEM charger directly. After I get the dock I ordered, I'll test that and report back.
If the dock will charge the phone at full speed, I can live with the spare battery being charged more slowly.
stuartv said:
I want a charging dock for my S4 that will feed the phone the full amount of power that it can take, for quickest charging. I believe the stock charger that came with it supplies 2 amps.
I also would like said charger to have a slot for charging a spare battery at the same time.
All the charging docks I've found so far only claim to supply 1 amp to the phone, or less. Except one dock I found that did say it outputs 1.6 amps.
Does anybody know of a charging dock that will supply the full 2 amps? How about one that also has a slot for charging a spare battery?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's NOT a dock but a charger and it does come with an OEM spare battery. It charges a battery from 0 to 100% in about 4 hours, which is faster than your phone would deplete a battery, even when gaming. Paid $47, no shipping from Amazon
I see the price have changed a bit meanwhile but it's worth it if they still don't charge any shipping. Ships directly from Korea (made in Korea - both, charger and battery)
stuartv said:
Update info. This may be old news to many, but here it is.
I had an online chat with a Supervisor at Seidio this morning. Their website has 2 charging docks for the S4 and neither lists charging output.
They told me that the dock will output whatever the wall adapter supplies. The charging dock is a passthrough. So, if I use the stock OEM charger with the Seidio dock, my phone will (allegedly) still receive 2A of charging current.
This may have been intuitively obvious to some, but it wasn't to me.
So, my quest is now much easier. Apparently, the docks I looked at on eBay that say 1A charging output must say so because the supplied wall adapter only provides 1A. And ones that say that but don't include the AC adapter are just making an assumption about that AC adapter you'll use.
BUT, though the phone charging port may be a passthrough, the slot for charging a second battery (on docks that offer that) would have the charging logic/circuitry built into the dock, so that could still be limited to 1A or less. At least, that's what I think. Could be wrong.
Regardless, i ordered a cheap dual charging dock off eBay that should be here by Friday. Using Galaxy Charging Current (a free app in the Play store), my phone shows 1900 mA charging current when plugged into the OEM charger directly. After I get the dock I ordered, I'll test that and report back.
If the dock will charge the phone at full speed, I can live with the spare battery being charged more slowly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope it works out. The dock i ordered from seidio for my evo 3d did not charge at full power with the supplied adapter. I used a diff cable and power source and the results were better, but still not very good. Most nights I simply removed the cable and plugged the phone directly to it bypassing the dock, kind of defeated the purpose. I hope to find one that keeps the S4 charged.
Well, I received my eBay dock today, 2 days early. It is this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111066155507?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
And when I plug it in and put the phone in it, I get a message that the connected charger is not compatible with this phone. And the phone shows a red X over the battery icon in the notification bar, and doesn't charge at all.
I tried it using the OEM charger and cable, the cable that came with the dock, and I also tried both cables using my OEM charger that came with my Note 10.1 tablet.
Exactly one time, when I put the phone into the dock, it didn't display a message and Galaxy Charging Current (app in Play) showed that it was charging at 1900 mA. But, several times before, and every time after that, it just displayed the message and wouldn't charge at all.
:crying:
nacos said:
It's NOT a dock but a charger and it does come with an OEM spare battery. It charges a battery from 0 to 100% in about 4 hours, which is faster than your phone would deplete a battery, even when gaming. Paid $47, no shipping from Amazon
I see the price have changed a bit meanwhile but it's worth it if they still don't charge any shipping. Ships directly from Korea (made in Korea - both, charger and battery)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've seen that and that's a big "no way". My normal deal is, if I run out of battery, it's because I'm out and about. Traveling on a plane. Riding my motorcycle. Whatever. Situations where I don't have the option to plug in. So, I swap batteries on the go and the charge when I get to where I'm going.
This charger on Amazon would require me to carry it, plus my phone charger, plus an additional phone charger to run the separate battery charger. If I were just going to share my phone charger between the phone and the separate charger, I would rather just have the phone on the charger and, when it's fully charged, swap batteries, to charge the next one - not swap the charger cable over to the separate battery charger.
if I were going to go the route of a separate battery charger, I would spend $7 or so on eBay on one of the ones that has a flip-out plug built in and plugs right into the wall. That is the kind I have been using for a while to charge my Rezound batteries when traveling.
The biggest problem with those is that they charge the battery at something like 350mA. Ridiculously slow!
stuartv said:
I've seen that and that's a big "no way". ...if I run out of battery, it's because I'm out and about. Traveling on a plane. Riding my motorcycle. Whatever. Situations where I don't have the option to plug in. So, I swap batteries on the go and the charge when I get to where I'm going.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...buddy, that's EXACTLY what this is. It simply gives you the option of charging another OEM battery (in the charger NOT in the phone) BEFORE you go out and about and then swap them as you need.
NO, it's NOT charging as slow as you suggest. They use a technology called direct charge which means that it draws as much (or as little) as your wall plug allows it. In other words if you plug it in the PC USB, then yes, you'll have to wait until you grow a nice thick beard, but if you plug it in your original 2A charger, it'll charge the battery from 0-100% in about 4 hours or less.
stuartv said:
This charger on Amazon would require me to carry it, plus my phone charger, plus an additional phone charger to run the separate battery charger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely NOT true:
1. You ONLY need to carry the charger if you plan on recharging the depleted battery BEFORE doing another swap - that's at least 12-15 hours on EXTENSIVELY using BOTH batteries - that's 12-15 hours screen on!!!
2. ONE phone charger can be used on either/or - you'll never have to charge them both in the same time (that's the idea with swapping the batteries, right?)
stuartv said:
If I were going to go the route of a separate battery charger, I would spend $7 or so on eBay on one of the ones that has a flip-out plug built in and plugs right into the wall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Up to you buddy, but usually you get what you pay for. The one I suggested comes with an OEM battery. I always suggest using this method over any battery pack as an OEM battery will ALWAYS give you just as much "juice" (this translates into running time) as the...yeah, you guessed it, the Original Equipment Manufacturer's battery. Although the battery packs manufacturers, they all claim huge capacities and running times, this mostly never holds true to the advertised specifications. It's called marketing
nacos said:
...buddy, that's EXACTLY what this is. It simply gives you the option of charging another OEM battery (in the charger NOT in the phone) BEFORE you go out and about and then swap them as you need.
NO, it's NOT charging as slow as you suggest. They use a technology called direct charge which means that it draws as much (or as little) as your wall plug allows it. In other words if you plug it in the PC USB, then yes, you'll have to wait until you grow a nice thick beard, but if you plug it in your original 2A charger, it'll charge the battery from 0-100% in about 4 hours or less.
Absolutely NOT true:
1. You ONLY need to carry the charger if you plan on recharging the depleted battery BEFORE doing another swap - that's at least 12-15 hours on EXTENSIVELY using BOTH batteries - that's 12-15 hours screen on!!!
2. ONE phone charger can be used on either/or - you'll never have to charge them both in the same time (that's the idea with swapping the batteries, right?)
Up to you buddy, but usually you get what you pay for. The one I suggested comes with an OEM battery. I always suggest using this method over any battery pack as an OEM battery will ALWAYS give you just as much "juice" (this translates into running time) as the...yeah, you guessed it, Original Equipment Manufacturer's battery. Although the battery packs manufacturers, they all claim miraculous capacities, they NEVER actually last as per specifications. It's called marketing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think you're getting me. The point is, I get to the end of the day and I need to charge my phone AND the battery I used up. In order to charge both at the same time, using this Samsung separate battery case/charger, I would have to have 2 actual chargers. One to attach to my phone, to charge that battery, and one to attach to the separate case/charger.
Get it now?
More detailed:
- I start the day with 2 fully charged batteries. One is in the phone.
- I ride my motorcycle all day, streaming music via Bluetooth to my helmet, and talking on the phone while I'm riding.
- Before I'm done riding for the day, my battery dies, so I swap it.
- I continue riding, etc.
- I get where I'm going and I'm ready to go to bed.
- I now have a dead battery in one hand and phone with a partly depleted battery in the other hand. I want them to both charge while I'm sleeping.
This separate case/charger does not help me.
stuartv said:
I don't think you're getting me. The point is, I get to the end of the day and I need to charge my phone AND the battery I used up. In order to charge both at the same time, using this Samsung separate battery case/charger, I would have to have 2 actual chargers. One to attach to my phone, to charge that battery, and one to attach to the separate case/charger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No offense, but I believe you don't get it. You say: "I need to charge my phone AND the battery". I should ask you then, do you still need to charge your phone and the BATTERIES (this is the plural, meaning two or more) should you go by my suggestion?
Either, or, if you're such a heavy user and you find yourself at the end of the day with 2 or more depleted batteries on a regular basis, then this becomes even more handy - admittedly, yes, using a second wall plug...or, again, if you're such a heavy user, then buy a 3rd OEM battery - case solved. (1 charger, 2 extra batteries, 1 USB cable, 1 wall plug)
nacos said:
No offense, but I believe you don't get it. You say: "I need to charge my phone AND the battery". I should ask you then, do you still need to charge your phone and the BATTERIES (this the plural, meaning two or more) should you go by my suggestion?
Either, or, if you're such a heavy user and you get to deplete 2 (or more) batteries on a regular basis, then this becomes even more handy - admittedly, yes, using a second wall plug. Furthermore, again, if you're such a heavy user, then buy a 3rd OEM battery - case solved. (1 charger, 2 extra batteries, 1 wall plug)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You obviously didn't read my whole last post. Otherwise, you would understand that saying "I need to charge my phone AND the battery" is a short way of saying "I need to charge the battery that's in my phone (but not totally dead yet) AND the battery that I depleted earlier in the day."
And if I added a 3rd OEM battery (which you would also see that there is no need for, if you read my whole previous post), it still would not change the fact that, at the end of the day, I have 2 batteries I need to charge and only 1 wall charger to use. So, the separate case/charger still does not help.
If I charge the battery in my phone and then want to use my one and only wall charger to charge the battery that's in the case/charger, I may as well just swap the batteries and charge the second battery in my phone. Thus, I would save running down the battery that's in my phone while the other battery is charging in the case/charger AND I would save spending $50 on the case/charger when I just used my coupon last night and got an OEM battery straight from Samsung for only $20.
stuartv said:
You obviously didn't read my whole last post. Otherwise, you would understand that saying "I need to charge my phone AND the battery" is a short way of saying "I need to charge the battery that's in my phone (but not totally dead yet) AND the battery that I depleted earlier in the day."
And if I added a 3rd OEM battery (which you would also see that there is no need for, if you read my whole previous post), it still would not change the fact that, at the end of the day, I have 2 batteries I need to charge and only 1 wall charger to use. So, the separate case/charger still does not help.
If I charge the battery in my phone and then want to use my one and only wall charger to charge the battery that's in the case/charger, I may as well just swap the batteries and charge the second battery in my phone. Thus, I would save running down the battery that's in my phone while the other battery is charging in the case/charger AND I would save spending $50 on the case/charger when I just used my coupon last night and got an OEM battery straight from Samsung for only $20.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, now I did get what you were saying (admittedly, I didn't read the whole post initially) but I still believe that carrying a second set (wall charger + USB cable) would render a better overall usage time without compromising on convenience or quality (again, due to using a certified OEM battery). Think about it, the only "compromise" you're making is carrying another set - which is nothing, both in terms of money and used space/volume.
So, your on-the-go package would consist of: 1 Samsung charger, 1 extra battery and 2 sets of wall chargers/USB cables.
Now, we're getting somewhere!
Your alternative would cost me something like $70 for the case/charger (w/battery) plus a second AC adapter.
My alternative will cost me less than $30. $20 that I already spent on a second OEM battery, plus less than $10 for a wall charger like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Charging-Cr...l_Phone_PDA_Chargers&var=&hash=item27d35082af
And I have less "pieces" to carry around.
Of course, the cheap wall charger won't charge the battery as quickly. But, I have been using a charger just like that for my Rezound batteries for a while now and it always seems to manage to get the job done overnight.
However, the PREFERRED solution is what I asked about in my OP in this thread. I want a dock that will supply full power to the phone and a spare battery at the same time. As I posted later in this thread, it now seems that most any charging dock should supply full power to the phone (as long as the AC adapter is providing 2A). Those docks still won't probably give full power to charge the spare battery, but I can live with that. So, with a dock like that, I would carry the same number of "pieces", but I'd have the advantage of having a dock to prop my phone up next to the bed, so I can see it.
stuartv said:
Update info. This may be old news to many, but here it is.
I had an online chat with a Supervisor at Seidio this morning. Their website has 2 charging docks for the S4 and neither lists charging output.
They told me that the dock will output whatever the wall adapter supplies. The charging dock is a passthrough. So, if I use the stock OEM charger with the Seidio dock, my phone will (allegedly) still receive 2A of charging current.
This may have been intuitively obvious to some, but it wasn't to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can 100% attest to this NOT being true. I have my OEM Samsung S4 2A charger hooked up to my Seidio Innodock Jr. at it receives a MAX of 1020mA. Yes, I realize it isn't the exact charger you are looking for since it doesn't have the spare battery compartment, but Seidio is NOT being truthful to you when they say that it is "a passthrough" dock. Just a heads up!
KryptosXLayer2 said:
I can 100% attest to this NOT being true. I have my OEM Samsung S4 2A charger hooked up to my Seidio Innodock Jr. at it receives a MAX of 1020mA. Yes, I realize it isn't the exact charger you are looking for since it doesn't have the spare battery compartment, but Seidio is NOT being truthful to you when they say that it is "a passthrough" dock. Just a heads up!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you using to determine your max of 1020A? Galaxy Charging Current? Battery Monitor Widget?
stuartv said:
What are you using to determine your max of 1020A? Galaxy Charging Current? Battery Monitor Widget?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both, they both display the same data - the BMW widget takes longer to update since I paid for the full version of GCC
KryptosXLayer2 said:
Both, they both display the same data - the BMW widget takes longer to update since I paid for the full version of GCC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have both and they do not display the same data. As far as I can tell, GCC shows the actual full incoming current. OTOH, BMW shows the current being used to charge the battery.
When I plug in my OEM charger, GCC shows 1900. But, if the screen is using 100 and other stuff running is using another 100, the BMW would only show 1700.
So, as far as your post about the Innodock, if GCC shows 1020, then that's what I would believe. But, if it's BMW that's telling you 1020, then that could simply be because there is other stuff using almost 900 mA of current.
For the record, I looked through my BMW Usage log from last night when my phone was on the charger. The log shows every 5 minutes, I think. It only had one log entry where it showed 1992. All the rest were in the 1500 - 1600 range or less. And the phone screen was off that whole time.

Extended battery

Wondering about the best extended battery out there for the MT4GS. Currently I use the Hyperion battery, which works great ish. Takes a long, long time to charge and lasts twice the OEM battery but still only half a day. And I'm on my third Hyperion in less than a year. They go bad rather quick :/
Any recommendations? Thoughts?
GiftigDegen said:
Wondering about the best extended battery out there for the MT4GS. Currently I use the Hyperion battery, which works great ish. Takes a long, long time to charge and lasts twice the OEM battery but still only half a day. And I'm on my third Hyperion in less than a year. They go bad rather quick :/
Any recommendations? Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the Anker 1900mAH batteries, with the external charger, and have used them for the last year while on the road. It appears the phone itself limits charging to .5 amp charging (based on the USB ports I could query to check charging rate), but the Anker charger runs at something like .8 Amp. For true long-term capacity, I just ordered http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D5T3QK4/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I'm selling my house currently, and will have about 3 months where I don't have a home, but my job is online support. I'll be needing my phone more than ever, and figure that will help. As a next layer of defense, I'll be carrying in my car a http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y24DEU/ref=oh_details_o07_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Yea, you can't beat that to power a cellphone. Don't expect to carry it on a plane however. <grin>
ebrandsberg said:
I use the Anker 1900mAH batteries, with the external charger, and have used them for the last year while on the road. It appears the phone itself limits charging to .5 amp charging (based on the USB ports I could query to check charging rate), but the Anker charger runs at something like .8 Amp. For true long-term capacity, I just ordered http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D5T3QK4/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I'm selling my house currently, and will have about 3 months where I don't have a home, but my job is online support. I'll be needing my phone more than ever, and figure that will help. As a next layer of defense, I'll be carrying in my car a http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y24DEU/ref=oh_details_o07_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Yea, you can't beat that to power a cellphone. Don't expect to carry it on a plane however. <grin>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dang...the combined price is akin to a new phone. Hmm. I'll save my pennies and get the external charger, probably. Thank you.
GiftigDegen said:
Dang...the combined price is akin to a new phone. Hmm. I'll save my pennies and get the external charger, probably. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Instead of the APC, you'd probably be much better off just getting a portable car battery booster, like the Schumacher XP750C Instant Portable Power Source. (I'd give you a link but I don't have enough posts yet.) Those come with a USB port and can jumpstart your car in an emergency too!
extended batt
Mugen carries a 3500mh that is around 80 bucks, needs a special back as the batt is thicker than the one that comes with, and lasts me about 2 whole days with heavy use, charges over night.
CaptnJJ56 said:
Mugen carries a 3500mh that is around 80 bucks, needs a special back as the batt is thicker than the one that comes with, and lasts me about 2 whole days with heavy use, charges over night.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this sounds great, but does anyone make a protective shell/case that works with this?

multiple batteries or extended battery?

Hello
Newish user of Note 4! Which is convenient to you, multiple batteries or extended battery? I plan to buy a second battery.
Thank you!
Multiple batteries for me. Easier to find cases that you will like from an already very limited selections.
Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk
kickkit said:
Hello
Newish user of Note 4! Which is convenient to you, multiple batteries or extended battery? I plan to buy a second battery.
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everyone is different it really how much do u need the battery and how good is ur memory to remember to grab the other when ya rushing out the door.
Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk
I use multiple batteries on my phone.
i also use multiple batteries with the samsung external charger. never needed before lollypop update though.
audiobookman said:
i also use multiple batteries with the samsung external charger. never needed before lollypop update though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the same setup. Like someone has already said above, this still let's you use all the cases. And your note 4 never has to be plugged in.
I use Multiple batteries as well.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Free mobile app
Is there an extended battery that fits the original case? I know of polarcell but any it otters? Thanks
a5ian300zx said:
Is there an extended battery that fits the original case? I know of polarcell but any it otters? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't think so. there are batteries that claim to be at higher maH but in reality its usually the same or even less maH. I would just get another Samsung battery .
I use an external battery. I'm not getting another Note until the external battery option comes back.
I have spare batteries.
Spare batteries mean double or even triple or even more capacity without changing its form factor.
Extended battery can offer conveniences in battery capacity without restarting device but some of it change the form factor.
I have a Quick Charge 2.0 external battery pack that I just use to top up the phone. Easy and quick; works for me. Just put the phone on the pack for a little while and you can go for hours. You can also get a Quick Charge car charger that will quickly top up your phone. I wouldn't want to keep taking my phone out of its case to swap batteries or have to deal with a huge battery and case as part of the phone. Amazon has several Quick Charge 2.0 packs and car chargers. Plus these will still work when you eventually upgrade your phone.
UCSB said:
I have a Quick Charge 2.0 external battery pack that I just use to top up the phone. Easy and quick; works for me. Just put the phone on the pack for a little while and you can go for hours. You can also get a Quick Charge car charger that will quickly top up your phone. I wouldn't want to keep taking my phone out of its case to swap batteries or have to deal with a huge battery and case as part of the phone. Amazon has several Quick Charge 2.0 packs and car chargers. Plus these will still work when you eventually upgrade your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you have a link for the quick car charger you are using? I'm curious to see it
I went with the aukey. Works great!
http://www.amazon.com/Qualcomm-Certified-Aukey-Charger-Included/dp/B00LJT2EPK
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app
coolwater22 said:
do you have a link for the quick car charger you are using? I'm curious to see it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0144S0PDK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
I own a small USB meter that can report both Volts and Amps. I have checked that this car charger is working correctly on Quick Charge with the Note 4 and it is. Both ports are QC 2.0 ports. One advantage of this charger is it is really small.
I used to use a spare battery, but it was always a pain remembering to recharge the one in the phone, then switching out. Eventually just bought an external battery (actually 2 different sizes) since that's really easy to recharge. I can top it up any chance I get and charge both phone and pack at the same time (with 2 chargers or course). Also I can use it for my tablets and win 8 tablet when I'm traveling with both. But I don't have a need for it very often since I can go most of the day without charging and then almost always am near an outlet or car charger. If I ran out of power mid-day every day, I'd go for an extended battery.
coolwater22 said:
do you have a link for the quick car charger you are using? I'm curious to see it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love my choetech dual usb quick charger 2.0 car charger. Works great![emoji106]
Sent from tapatalk
_An Android guy
I keep the spare charger in the center console of the car. If I'm low or dead I just swap and let the spare charge as I drive. Never worry about forgetting it. And it's almost always fully charged by the time I need it which is much more since the lollipop update. Thinking of going back to KK.
I use the spare battery kit. The spare battery comes with its own charger housing.
I can keep on using the phone while the other battery is charging in my bag or at the wall charger. Don't have to endure carrying the already large phone while connected to a power bank
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk
I like to use both. Spare battery is when I'm out and about and don't need to worry about a dead battery as I can swap it. When I know I'm going to a place where I will need my phone to be an entertain(For myself) for however long I need to stay at a certain place to kill time, I would use my extended battery. Can't go wrong with either IMO.

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