I’ve seen a lot of these cling-on charging solutions for the iPhone on my Google Reader feeds, but this one in particular caught my eye. Unlike the warm embrace of the Mophie, the Richard|Solo 1800 attaches to the bottom of the iPhone 2G/3G and has enough juice to recharge the phone fully and then some -– or so they say. My Mophie charger claimed to do the same thing, and although I love it, I’ve never gotten a complete 100% charge out of it. I’ve had about three weeks with this battery now, and it’s been with me pretty much everywhere (since it’s so pocketable) and am ready to share all the impressions…after the jump.

Design & Usage

Luckily for me (and my iPhone), I’ve really been taken by the design of the Richard|Solo 1800. It attaches to the bottom like I mentioned before, but it’s the most secure little system I’ve seen for this kind of charger. Instead of just plugging in like the regular cable on an iPhone, the 1800 attaches with a *click* like the old iPods (remember those? The ones with the click wheels?!). Once that’s done, the 1800 won’t let your iPhone go until you press the two buttons on either side to release the catch. I’ve found clicking the charger into place a lot of fun. No, that’s not right: not just a lot of fun, a ridiculous amount of fun. I know it sounds silly, but just wait until you get one and you’ll see what I mean. There’s a reason clamshells and slider phones are so popular. A lot of users enjoy having something to snap or click into place and this lets me enjoy a measure of that goodness with my otherwise candy-bar format iPhone.

Now, I’m sure you’ve noticed the size of the charger by now. This is by no means a small extra battery to attach to your phone, and Richard|Solo took notice of this, too. So they’ve included a small, transparent support brace (one for the 2G and one for the 3G) to keep your dock connector safe in case of any movement while the 1800 is attached. You’re not going to want to wave the whole setup around, but it certainly ensures you won’t be snapping off your only means of charging your iPhone. You can actually lift the whole iPhone + 1800 setup safely as long as you hold it by the dock, or hold the iPhone itself. I wouldn’t recommend holding the whole setup by the 1800, since the iPhone is a lot heavier.

Speaking of heavy, that’s one thing the 1800 isn’t. It may be big, but it’s also ridiculously light. Richard|Solo traded out the aluminum shell of older models and opted to go with a plastic (doesn’t that sound like a certain fruit-based phone model we all know of?) one, but the new plastic shell seems quite solid. The only gripe I have with the design is how far out the connector juts, and I wouldn’t trust it to stay in one piece without protection. There’s a dust cap for the connector as well as the braces to protect the 1800 while it’s in your pocket, but the dust cap is so easy to lose and some users might not want to use the brace or bring it everywhere.

Now because of the size of the 1800 you’re not going to be able to use it everywhere or at any time. This charger really warrants some sort of flat surface you can rest your iPhone on so it can complete its electric meditation in relative peace. So if you’re taking a cafe’ break, have an hour long class, or just don’t want to use a wall charger at work, leaving the iPhone and 1800 on your desk for a few minutes is a great way to keep it topped off. It doesn’t block the screen and it’s easy enough to detach. Obviously this is a different usage pattern than one you’d be used to with the Mophie charger, but I think the real key to the 1800 is its portability (although I recommend keeping the support brace on to protect the port while it’s in-pocket). It’s thinner and smaller than a Mophie, and it’s also got two extra enlightened reasons for you to keep it handy at all times. So the 1800 is what I’ve been keeping with me everyday and the Mophie has been re-assigned and only sees action for extensive e-reading or movie shifts.

The Extras

In the picture directly above you can see the back of the 1800 with a warning about the laser and an on/off switch. This on/off switch is really more of a ‘hold’ switch, as the 1800 will always charge the iPhone regardless of that switch’s state, but you won’t be able to use the two other features while it’s “off”. There’s an LED flashlight that’s good in a jiffy as well as a laser pointer – because you never know when you’ll be entertaining an audience….or a cat (or an audience of cats). The flashlight isn’t going to light up a room, but it’ll help you illuminate that dark corner of your desk when you’re just too lazy to turn a real light on. The buttons for each can be a little stiff to press, but these aren’t things you’re going to be using for long periods of time.

Aside from the features on the battery, Richard|Solo was good enough to throw in a few things that I think most other stores would make you pay for. First of all, there are the 2G and 3G support braces (which you can only use with a ‘naked’ iPhone). Then there’s the retractable mini-USB cable to charge the 1800. Finally there are the car and AC adapters. Did I mention there’s free shipping (even to Canada!) since the order is over $25 ?

Battery Life

Once the phone is fully charged, the 1800 will automatically stop charging to make sure no harm is done to either battery. This also helps to clarify the philosophy behind the battery, since this means it’s great for keeping the iPhone constantly “topped up”. Whenever you’ve got a few minutes where you won’t need to use your phone (if that ever happens ), just put the iPhone and 1800 on a flat surface and charge back up to 100%. I’d guesstimate I get around 110% from the battery, so it’s enough to fully charge my phone and then top it off after an hour or two of use.

Conclusion

Having the Richard|Solo 1800 with me everywhere I go guarantees that I’ll have more than enough battery to get through any day, and the fact that it’s so pocketable and easy to use is icing on the cake for me. The price of $70 is on the high end of the scale, but I think the product has earned it in this case (heck, I’ve paid more for for normal ‘extended’ batteries on my HTC TyTN). It’s also cheaper than Mophie’s offering, which is around $100.

What I liked:

• great 110% battery charge
• 2G/3G braces to support ‘naked’ iPhone
• pocketable and light

What could use improvement:

• some other way to protect the dock connector on 1800 while in storage; perhaps have it recede into case when not in use?

You can pick up your Richard|Solo 1800 for $69.95 @ Richard|Solo.com. There’s also one for the Blackberry Bold, although that one attaches via a wire.

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