iLounge

Mipow Juice Book for iPad 2

By Nick Guy

Accessories Editor, iLounge
Published: Thursday, June 9, 2011
Category: Batteries, Cases - iPad

China-based Mipow has just released Juice Book for iPad 2 ($119), probably the most unique of its recent battery case offerings. It combines the company's Power Tube 6600 battery with an authentic leather folio-style case. The battery fits inside a round opening that runs the height of the case and connects to the iPad 2 with a small cable, included in the package. Like all of the products we have seen from Mipow, Juice Book charges too slowly for the product it was intended for -- 1A instead of the 2A the tablet takes -- although this enough to provide full-speed recharging of an iPhone or iPod. Expect 1/2 to 2/3 of a half-speed iPad battery recharge from the 6600mAh cell here. The case itself is pretty plain, with a leather frame on the right side to hold the iPad 2 in place. It has flat edges reaching to the back cover, rather than contoured ones. This makes it more difficult to press the buttons along the edges. However, the front flap can be tucked into the back for landscape viewing or typing. Juice Book is available in chocolate, saddle, and brown variations, and each comes with a wall charger. Updated: In a full test of the Juice Book battery, the iPad 2 received a 73% boost in capacity, though it took 4 hours and 43 minutes, slower than the device's peak charging speed.