April 13 - 9:20pm EDT   QuickerTek has released its latest notebook accessory, a new external battery for the MacBook Air. The external pack powers the device while simultaneously charging the internal battery. The company claims users can achieve 12 to 16 total hours of run time, or around 6 to 10 extra hours of power. The charger is also said to charge the internal battery in only three hours. [full story]

December 10 - 8:40pm EST   Tekkon has debuted the myPower leather sleeve for the iPhone and iPhone 3G. The case features a built-in rechargeable lithium-polymer battery that is claimed to double the battery life of the iPhone while ensuring that the external battery drains before the phone draws from its internal power. An integrated power-level indicator displays the charge status of the battery. Users can recharge both the case and iPhone simultaneously, using an outlet power adapter or a USB cable connected to a computer. [full story]

November 30 - 1:50pm EST   QuickerTek has released an external battery that connects to the iPhone 3G, iPod touch, or any iPod with the 30-pin dock connector. The additional power can be used for 30 hours of music playback, six hours of video, or three hours of talk time, the company claims. A retractable USB charging cable is included with the package. The cable simultaneously charges both the external battery and the iPod/iPhone internal battery. The product is similar to the Richard Solo backup battery, but offers the additional iPod connectivity. [full story]

November 17 - 9:05pm EST   Incase has unveiled the Power Slider, a case for the iPhone 3G that also contains an extended battery. The case is designed to drain its own battery first, then leaves the user with a fully charged phone. The hard-shell construction protects the entire phone, while a soft-touch coating offers improved feel and grip. The 1330 mAh lithium-polymer battery is claimed to increase standby time by 330 hours, audio playback by 26 hours, and internet use by five to six hours. Talk time on the 3G network increases by five hours, while talk time on the 2G network is extended by ten hours. [full story]

November 14 - 6:05pm EST   USBfever has released its latest accessory for the iPhone 3G, the Handy Battery Pack. The pack fits around the back of the phone like a case, leaving the buttons, ports, and camera accessible. Two gaps are left near the bottom corners, allowing sound from the speakers to be heard while watching video or listening to music. The charging status is indicated by two LEDs on the front of the battery pack. Users can connect the phone, battery pack, and charging cable at the same time, but cannot sync while the device is attached to the phone. [full story]

November 11 - 7:45pm EST   QuickerTek has unveiled its latest Mac laptop accessory, an external battery for 15-inch and 17-inch MacBooks that is claimed to extend the power life by 8-12 hours. The device uses a standard MagSafe connector which charges the notebook battery before taking power from the external source. The Li-ion polymer cells are enclosed in a housing that measures nine by six inches, with a thickness of one inch, and weighs approximately five pounds. [full story]

November 10 - 5:35pm EST   Mophie has introduced its latest accessory for the iPhone 3G, the Juice Pack 3G battery extender. The device features a lithium polymer battery that is claimed to offer an additional 350 hours of standby time, 6 hours of 3G talk time, 12 hours of 2G talk time, and 6-7 hours of internet use. Rather than drain the internal phone batteries before switching to alternative power, the pack drains the external supply first. The charge status is displayed with four integrated LEDs located on the back panel. [full story]

October 31 - 5:30pm EDT   FastMac has launched the FastMac iV, a charger and extended battery for the iPhone that also adds a built-in flash and can charge USB devices concurrently. The iV triples the iPhone's talk time to 24 hours, as well as 31 days of standby, over 20 hours of video or 70 hours of audio playback. The battery inside the iV is rated at 3100mAh and can power and charge the phone at the same time. [full story]

August 25 - 3:30pm EDT   Kensington has announced "Works with iPhone" certification from Apple for its line of battery packs and chargers for the iPhone 3G. The line includes full-size and miniature battery packs, car chargers and September arrivals for an International Travel Charger and a Power and Sync Cable. The products work with the Apple iPhone 3G, 2G and iPod touch. [full story]

August 12 - 9:25pm EDT   Zpower, a provider of silver-zinc battery technology, announced the inclusion of their silver-zinc cells in a major notebook computer in 2009. Zpower claims their batteries have run-times up to 40 percent longer than comparable Lithium-ion cells, while simultaneously offering safety and environmental advantages. Zinc-silver batteries have almost been forgotten about but improvements in materials and manufacturing processes have brought them to compete in a market currently dominated by Li-ion cells. [full story]

August 11 - 5:15pm EDT   Oncore Power Systems is introducing a six-bay battery charger for iBooks and MacBooks targeted at the education market. The company is also selling a "power upgrade kit" consisting of the new charger and six replacement batteries. The company says the products are designed to "give new life" to older classroom computers. The unit has built-in safety circuitry and LED status lights for each bay. [full story]

August 4 - 4:10pm EDT   Mophie on Monday unveiled the Juice Pack 3G, an updated version of its battery extender for the iPhone, offering new 3G owners similar enhancement to the device's run time. The Juice Pack 3G allows users to operate the iPhone 3G for an extra 350 hours on standby, while allowing for an additional six hours of talk time (12 on 2G) and internet, another eight hours for video playback, and 28 hours of audio. Mophie is offering the Juice Pack 3G for $100, and it will ship in September. [full story]

July 29 - 10:40pm EDT   China-based OEM manufacturer Better-Power Electric has developed a unique combination speaker and charger for the iPod and iPhone using a 4800mA, 3.7V Lithium-Ion Battery. The company says the device can charge an iPhone in 50-80 minutes and also works with various iPods and other mobile devices via USB. The speaker can play music for more than 12 hours, and iPhone owners can reportedly use it as a speakerphone. [full story]

July 17 - 1:25pm EDT   Though the iPhone 3G offers faster connections over 3G networks, it sacrifices battery life to do so. The Smart Backup Battery can double battery capacity for owners of the new iPhone. The external aluminum-cased lithium-ion battery attaches to the data-port at the base of the iPhone to charge the iPhone's battery. It can be used to charge while the phone is in operation and will charge first the iPhone, then itself, in sequence when attached to AC power. The Smart Backup Battery also works with the original iPhone, iPod touch and all other data-port iPods. It costs $50, with discounts on volume purchases. [full story]

July 14 - 7:35pm EDT   While Apple CEO Steve Jobs' concerns about 3G's impact on the iPhone's battery life were valid, the iPhone 3G still maintains a longer-running battery life than other popular competing mobile devices, including the new Samsung Instinct. PC World investigated several 3G smartphone handsets, showing that the iPhone 3G bests the Instinct, the HTC Touch Dual, and the LG EnV with 5h 38m, the only three others which featured over five hours of talk time. [full story]