Belkin Backup Battery Pack for iPod 3G

• Designed to work with Apple iPod portable music players
• Provides 15 to 20 hours of additional battery life
• Indicates charge levels with 4 LEDs, so you know when to replace batteries
• Secure switch prevents accidental on/off powering
• Includes 4 AA batteries and 2 extra suction cups

To the person who had two of these burn up on him...I had a similar experience. My iPod kept locking up with the battery pack plugged in, and the pack got HOT. I replaced the batteries, and suddenly everything was fine. I was curious so I put the original batteries (the ones that came in the package with the battery pack) in a battery tester and got some really strange results...the tester gauge started bouncing all over the scale! It seems that the included batteries are funky in the sense that they don't supply a steady source of power. My new batteries, in the same tester, move the gauge and it STAYS PUT, rock solid. I can see how an iPod with an unsteady power source would have problems. It seems fine now.

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i'm an owner of a 3G/40gb ipod and the first thing i noticed immediately was that the battery leaves much to be desired. i would do a full charge at night and take my ipod out the next day...by the end of the day, after a few hours of use, it would be almost completely drained. it got really annoying. overall, the belkin battery backup is a nice product, but has it's pros/cons.

PROS

1) extended life powered by 4AA batteries. i can't quantify specifically how many hours i've gotten since i've had to recharge. but put it this way...i've been using my ipod for one week at the same frequency (which is just about every day) and have YET to recharge my batteries. i'm estimating around 15+ hours so far...btw, i bought rechargeable 2300mAh NiMH batteries, with a higher capacity, so that probably helps.

2) 4 point-power led indicator...nice to know when the battery is getting drained, even if i haven't had to recharge it yet anyways.

3) does not drain the ipod battery while plugged it...which i would probably have to send to apple for replacement before long with the success i was getting (which costs $100).

4) relatively cheaper than some other battery backups available on the market, particularly BTI's ipod battery kit, which costs $100 and is actually larger than the ipod itself. i got this product for $30.

CONS

1) BULKY. Obviously if you jog with your ipod (which you probably shouldn't do anyways), you'll probably get annoyed with the added mass. even my friends see it and comment on it. definitely not recommended for those who want to maintain ipod's portability. for me personally, i don't mind it as much.

2) can't use a case protector with the battery plugged in. the battery actually suctions to the back of the ipod. so you can't place a protective cover on the ipod. the only concern for me is the screen. ghetto solution: clear packaging tape!

3) cost. $30 + $20 for the rechargeable battery kit. but i need to use the batteries for other stuff too, so...

4) cannot use jointly with some ipod accessories such as altec lansing's inMotion portable speaker system...basically, anything that requires docking the ipod since the battery backup plugs into the same docking port on the bottom.

for those 3G owners that don't mind the added bulk and want extended playability (MUCH extended in some cases), i would definitely recommend this product. i can't speak for 4G owners, although i've heard mixed reviews regarding battery life from friends.

Overall, i'm happy with this product. sure, it would have been nice if they could have made it more sleek in design...but i really don't think they could have done a much better job considering you're adding FOUR AA batteries to your ipod. but hey, i'll take it over the increasing annoyance of having to recharge my ipod after every day of usage.

Read Best Reviews of Belkin Backup Battery Pack for iPod 3G Here

I don't usually write reviews, but there have been some negative reviews of this product and I felt the need to share!

I bought this unit because I'm backpacking across Europe and I wanted to go completely unplugged. But I still wanted to take my ipod! I saw this product and thought it would be a killer solution! And I was RIGHT!! This unit is AWESOME!! I use regular Energizer or Duracell batteries (throw away the ones that come with the unit! Don't even put them in they are always useless) and it has given me a SOLID 12-14 hours of playtime, if not a few hours more!!! The unit NEVER got Hot or emitted any kind of "burning" smell. I suspect that the people who had these problems did something wrong or got a bad unit it happens even with the best of products!

The unit does add some expected weight to the ipod. I mean you are adding a battery pack with 4 AA batteries, but it is more than a fair trade!! You can go anywhere and not have to worry about finding an outlet and/or adapters!! In my opinion, the small amount of extra weight is more than worth it and once you realize the benefits, you won't notice it! With the battery pack attached, your internal battery is not even touched!! So, you are also extending the life of your internal battery which means you don't have to have apple replace as quickly!!

All in all, I think this product is AWESOME and as long as you follow the instrucions, you will love it too! It is PERFECT for anyone who is going on long trips, flights, camping, backpacking anything that will take you away from an electrical outlet for an extended period of time!

I hope this helps and happy listening! Enjoy your tunes!

PS This will keep your ipod running even after your internal battery is completely dead. So, you can keep listening to your ipod until you are able to get it to apple to replace the battery!!

Want Belkin Backup Battery Pack for iPod 3G Discount?

I'm a new proud owner of a 5g black iPod with video. A wonderful product with only one major flaw: not nearly enough juice for any lengthly video watching.

The Belkin Battery Pack nicely remedies this problem, providing some much needed longevity to the iPod's video function. I can now watch several movies and TV shows before I have to worry about the battery running out. Also nice is how neatly it integrates with the iPod itself, attaching itself to the back to become one seemless unit.

The reason I did not give this product a 5 is due to some minor flaws in its design. Firstly, it does not actually charge the iPod's own internal battery, but rather runs the iPod independantly. This isn't really a bad thing except for the fact that the energy is drained from the battery pack even when the iPod itself is turned off! If you forget to switch the battery pack off as well you'll wake up the next morning to drained batteries.

Also, the unit adds a bit of bulk to the iPod. It's nothing you can't eventually get used to, just be ready to learn how to hold your iPod differently when operating it with the battery pack attached. But overall I must say that the folks at Belkin have made the design of the battery pack about as efficient as they possibly could, all things considered.

For best performance use 2500 mAh NiMH rechargeable AA batteries. A decent set plus a charger will set you back roughly $20, but they will last longer than throwaway alkaline batteries, plus they can be recharged hundreds of times, saving you a ton of money in the long run. It's also more convenient to simply recharge the batteries in the battery pack rather than constantly run to the store for a fresh set.

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This unit does not work with the 40GB iPod at all. After a while of using it with totally brand new fresh batteries, it just freezes up the iPod and causes a scratching sound. I have checked some online forums and others with 40 GB iPods and the Belkin Battery Pak have this same problem.

I have contacted Belkin with no response. I regret purchasing this unit totally. If you have a 40 GB iPod, take my advice and avoid this item unless they come out with some sort of fix.