New Trent iDual 5000mAh 1A/0.5A Dual USB Ports External Battery Pack for the new iPad, iPad2, iPhone 5 4S 4 3Gs 3G, , iPod Touch all versions; Samsung Galaxy Note/Nexus/S3/S2/S; HTC Titan, Sensation, ONE S/V/X, EVO Thunderbolt, Desire; LG Optimus series; Blackberry Bold, Curve, Torch; Motorola Razr HD/MAXX & Bionic, Atrix/2; Nokia Lumia 700/800/900 and GoPro

If you buy simply on features/price, you may miss the benefits this battery pack has to offer. Read on...

This is my second IMP50D, I managed to leave my previous one which I had bought a year ago, on a plane.

I had been very happy with the previous one: without having done specific testing, it seemed to provide the expected recharges (mainly being used to supplement my underpowered big-screen phone).

Benefits: It recharges fast (very important 1A output, compare others' maximum output)! Also, if the phone (at least) is charged, the power pack no longer drains - a very important detail, NewTrent have spent time developing this logic, and it works great. 2 USB outputs so you can charge 2 phones/iPods etc.

Good, convenient size, well thought out cabling too. It comes with 2 adapters that allow you to charge the pack from the PC's USB, and to charge your appliances either via mini-USB or micro-USB. Of course, you can just plug your iPod cable into it as well.

This model represents for me a good trade-off between cost, size/weight, and convenience. If you want, there are power packs that more than double the 5000mAh rating, but this is the equivalent of 3x charges of my phone battery.

With my second one, I had the misfortune of getting a faulty cable - I got in touch with NewTrent, and a replacement cable set was delivered within the week. Impressive customer service - I thought I would have to return it via Amazon, which is slow & costly. NewTrent gave superlative service, took note of the issue and resolved it the same day (international postage took care of the rest of the time).

Conclusion, well designed and well executed. A great company to deal with. Look beyond the price of the 2000mah battery packs, they will disappoint you - this one won't.

This battery pack could have been tremendous for travel. An iPad and/or iPhone can be used continuously on intercontinental flights, maintaining power throughout using this battery pack. It charges readily with a commonly available micro-USB cable, and overnight connection to the mains is adequate to provide a full charge. There is both a 500 mA outlet for a device such as an iPhone, and a higher current 1A outlet for units such as an iPad (some other battery packs I have used have struggled with charging the iPad), and you can even charge two items at the same time, if necessary.

Despite these positive features, however, there is a single design flaw that seriously impairs the units reliability in everyday use. The Power button is flush with the surface of the unit (see product photo), making it all too easily depressed by accident. This means the unit will often discharge while in a bag or case, so that when it comes time to recharge there is little power left. This is amply demonstrated by the charge status bar, which will often be found glowing when I go to use the unit, but by this time only a single bar is lit instead of the three bars illuminated at the time of connection to the mains.

All it would take to make this item recommended without reservation would be a slider switch, or even a recessed button that is less easily depressed by accident. I have taken to wrapping the unit in elastic bands in an attempt to "recess" the button, however slightly, but this has had variable success. As it stands, it is disappointing to be unable to rely on this battery pack when travelling.

I'm a returning New Trent customer. The IMP50D, although a different beast to my other iPhone jacket charger (New Trent IMP130 Slim-Fit Extended Rechargeable Battery Juice Case Air for IPHONE 3G and 3Gs), feels to me like a milestone in the evolution of travel chargers. It's a sexy and stylish little number and will comfortably sit alongside your iPhone or iPad without disgracing it. But the most distinguishing feature is the performance. It's a monster in terms of capacity. This thing will keep on charging your iPhone, even after you think it couldn't possibly have any charge left. I've actually achieved 3 (just about) full charges to my iPhone! I do look after my iPhone's battery though, so perhaps your mileage will vary.

Pros:
- huge capacity, will just keep on charging
- surprisingly light and compact (145g, 110x70x16mm, just slightly shorter, wider and thicker that the iPhone, feels like the iPod classic in the hand)
- stylish and modern (shiny black casing and large cool blue lights)
- solid construction
- super easy to use, with no fiddly bits (even its charging cable is compact)
- 2 output charging ports, one for iPhone/iPad (5V 1A), the other for most other mobile devices (5V 0.5A) (comes with mini-USB adapter, but you can use your own device's USB cable)
- fast charge time (I've just charged it in just over 3.5 hours, compared to the iPhone's 2 hours, but the quoted time is 8.5 hours, which probably includes trickle top-up)
- cool charging and discharging, doesn't feel hot to touch
- can charge 2 devices at the same time (I've tried it!)
- automatic trickle charging mode where the IMP50D's battery runs down before the iPhone/iPad's own battery (meaning you could probably use apps, have wifi turned on and listen to music at the same time on your iPhone for over 30 hours straight)
- I personally like the fact that it is more environmentally friendly

Cons:
- even though it fits in a jacket pocket, it will probably live in your rucksack or laptop case pocket (but is this really a con?)
- no charger (but just use your computer's USB outlet or the iPhone's charger, or buy a cheap USB charger if you must, problem solved)
- I would have liked an iPhone/iPad adapter included, but that is just me looking for cons (just use the cable that came with your iPhone/iPad)

Conclusion:
Outstanding charger, very hard to fault. If you're after a travel charger that will last you for long journeys and charge multiple devices, this is the one you should get.