Seidio Innocell 2600mAh Extended Battery for Palm Pre 2, Pre Plus, Pre User Reviews
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Gotta admit..impressed
User: Kyle Martin, Oct 13, 2010
Pros: Excellent overall performance, backdoor cover gives a slight grip feel over the slippery gloss feel
Cons: NONE
I have to admit, this 2600 battery is solid. I have charged it three times so (I let it drain all the way to about 5 and it usually takes about 2 hours to fully charge from there up to 100 and per the instructions i tend to leave it on the charger an extra hour or two after it reaches full) and so far I have gotten 28 hours, 33 hours, and 32 hours out of it. I am extremely pleased with it so far. My original Pre battery was lasting me about 6 hours at most. I used the web a ton, text a lot, and have 3 email accounts syncd up so they are constantly updating..AND at school there are areas where I roam and I noticed the Pre battery dies extremely quickly when jumping back and forth between roaming and actual signal, too much strain on it i suppose. I have to be honest, the increase in size doesnt bother me.it is pretty much the same size as the Treo 755p I had before, and it does kind of make it easier to hold. Very pleased so far :)
Works super!
User: happy_ 5, May 23, 2010
Pros: Lasts 2-3 days, big but not so much
Cons: Touchstone a pain, no good cases, reboot sometimes necessary
I have this battery since April 1st, and would like to comment on it. At first it was a modest increase in battery life (a single day with moderate use) but after repeat cycles of charging, this has been a lifesaver. Working as a doctor in an hospital, oftentimes I have to use apps that are quite a drain on the battery. Before, the phone only lasted until midday, but now when Im on call, I can use it heavily throughout the night, without charging, and have plenty left in the morning.
It does make the phone thicker, which is a mixed blessing, as it is bigger, but makes it more solid while texting and just holding the thing. It seems Im the only one at work who is not desperate to charge their phone because it is dying. A cool thing is the battery tends to charge rather quickly, e.g. 1 hour from wall charger.
Cons: maybe it is the phone, but at first the battery drained quickly. Rebooting once a day tends to fix this. Forget about custom hard cases with this, Seidios Innocase is a piece of crap and always breaks. There is no Touchstone either, unless someone makes a custom backplate for you.
Dont believe an extended battery will fry your phone! Buy one and live without a charger every couple of days.
No more limiting what I do/watching the battery meter
User: Steve B, Feb 17, 2010
Pros: 2x + the batter life!
Cons: No protective cases for largrer phone size
I love my Palm Pre, but the battery life is its achilles heel. I could rarely make it through one full day on one charge.
This battery resolved this problem. Sure, the phone is a little larger, but this isnt about style, its about function.
Whats the point of a do everything phone without power to use it? With this battery, I can go through 2 full days of heavy use, something that would have killed the stock battery by 6pm on day 1. No more limiting what I do/watching the battery meter all day.
To me, this makes the Pre the perfect smartphone.
The only drawback is that you cant find a protective case. You Can USE the stock case that came with the pre(contrary to what others have said) but you have to stretch it out a bit, and its still a snug fit. I recommend getting some sort of protective shield for the front of the phone.
This batter can last two days on typical use.
easy buy
User: Xavier Vergara, Dec 2, 2009
Pros: great battery life
Cons: little bigger than picutured
Definitely a smart buy if your battery has become useless. Im a high schooler and text throughout the whole day. As well as internet use and youtube. On the old battery, if I unplugged the phone at 8 a.m., I would be completely dead by 4 p.m. I ended up buying several charges and put them around various places in the house. Not only a waste of money but just a hassle worrying about the battery. With this battery you seriously dont even worry. You will make the whole day doing whatever you need to do and barely get past 50 battery. On fridays, i wouldnt even atke my phone to school because I knew i would need my phoen for the night. With this battery, I leave the house at 8 and dont get home till 1, 2 a.m. My battery wouldnt be past 20. Now that shows you wont be able to make two days with this battery, but if your like me and very good about recharging at night you wont have a problem. Lastly I would like to address the size. It actually will come to you as a surprise how bulky the phone becomes. Some people try not to say anything about it but it is definitely noticable. And it makes the palm look and feel like a brick. Personally I dont mind it, it does give extra grip for texting and holgind the phone. But dont be surprised when you see the phone becomes almost double in size. All together you must buy this battery. You will no longer worry about anything, well worth the money.
Great Functionality
User: Ryan Priest, Nov 11, 2009
Pros: Ive yet to see this battery fall below 40, even with heavy usage
Cons: Added size
A lot of other reviewers have complained about a lack of Touchestone support. I for one always thought the TS was gimmicky, so that lack of support has not bothered me at all.
I cannot imagine going back to the standard battery after using this. When its 2 am on a friday and you need to use GPS to find the nearest subway station, you wont have to worry about having not charged the phone since the morning. Im speaking from experience - you will fall in love with this as soon as you try it.
As for the size, yes, it makes the phone look enormous, and I would prefer to have an equally powerful battery and still be able to use the original back cover. That being said, though, Ive gotten used to the size fairly quickly, and its now the sort of thing that I wouldnt give a second thought had I never seen the original cover. The added size comes as a bonus though, in that the phone is MUCH easier to slide open and type, though that may have to do as much with the non-slick back as it does with the size.
My only complaint is that the added size makes it a bit impractical to throw in your front pocket on a pair of jeans, especially if you wear skinny or straight-leg jeans. Ive gotten used to either putting it in my back pocket or coat pocket though.
Final verdict, when all is considered? Get the battery if you are tired of watching your meter creep under 10 by 7:00 pm. You wont regret it.
Excellent Value!
User: Paul Drinkwater, Nov 1, 2009
Pros: improved life with similar usage
Cons: makes it a little bulky
Just got this, and so far its amazing in terms of power drain against similar use! Initial charge of 8 hours is a pain, but I cant believe its still close to 100 by roughly 4pm in the afternoon......
I think it helps with holding the device as its not so slick, the Seidio back gives a bit more grip on the device, and makes it better to hold for typing. The bulk means regular covers and carriers wont work, and its now thicker than my company issued Sprint BB. However, the original battery made me cautious about using the Pre, and now I feel like I can really put it through its paces.
The other thing that is a minor issue, is the camera and flash are impacted by the cover a little. If you use the camera a lot - I dont - then you might have problems.
I would recommend this, just do not mind the bulkiness of the device, its far better to put up with the extra thickness for the extended battery time. The Pre is a great device, and this only increases its standing...
Love this battery!
User: Bob Zeryunkel, Oct 31, 2009
Pros: Uptime & thicker keyboard
Cons: Makes your Pre look like its juicied more than Barry Bonds
First off, it cant be stressed enough that the Pre battery life, out of the box, is insufficient for even minor usage over the course of a business day. This is an issue inherent with the product and Palm has to fix it thru battery mgmt or higher rated batteries.
Moving on to the Seidio product, the battery is everything it claims to be and then has some unexpected advantages. Yes, the phone is much thicker. It feels like my previous Treo, but I dont think that is necessarily bad. The added thickness actually makes it easier for me to hold the phone. And to parrot another poster, being able to balance the Pre on its side is a real boon when my kids are watching Phineas and Ferb on SprintTV. Another added benefit is that I found it hard to type on the keyboard because it was too thin. The few extra mm actually make it easier for my fat fingers on that tiny keyboard.
One weird note, and it just may be me, but it seems like the phone is a bit peppier. I wonder if the extra juice is tricking the processor into running full speed instead of trying to conserve power.
Finally, I have had none of the issues described by previous posters. Even though its thicker it easily slips in my pocket. Its basically about the same thickness as a stock Treo. The flash isnt obscured nor is my Pre restarting unexpectedly or any of the other issues. I wish my Touchstone was still capable of charging my Pre, but Ill forgo that for a usable phone at the end of a work day.
Exactly what it says it is, and worth every penny
User: Chad Estes, Aug 11, 2009
Pros: Battery life so good you dont worry about it ever
Cons: Big, but not really as big as it even looks in person
I got this over the 1350mAh normal sized extended battery because I knew that a 17-20 improvement wouldnt cut it. I use the crap out of phones, especially when I am out of town, and needed a battery that could handle it. I can easily go all day and all night with this battery, all the while using it like crazy. It has exceptional stamina, and does exactly what I needed it to.
With the stock battery, my phone would make it to about 8pm before giving me the low battery warning, and that was on a low-use day. now, I havent even gotten it below 40 in a days use, let alone to 20.
As for its size, when you put the new battery and case on, it looks HUGE compared to your slim original configuration. It sticks out more in your pocket as well, unfortunately. BUT, I sat my modded phone next to a stock Pre and the difference is actually tiny. The illusion is because a 4mm thickness increase isnt that much, except that its basically a 3mm increase over the entire length of the phone. Thats a lot of surface area to raise, but I appreciate Seidios attempt to make the cover nice, rather than having those extended battery covers that have a massive square raised out of them just to fit the larger battery. This cover matches the Pres design, albeit 4mm larger.
The added thickness is actually an asset when typing and handling the phone. The too-slim to type well and slippery back is now larger and matted, making calls, typing and other activities easier.
The only major downfall is the hole for the camera and flash. The flash, no longer perfectly fluch with the case, glares directly into every picture taken that uses it, rendering the flash completely useless without modification. I havent figured ot what I am going to do yes, but need to block the non-fluch portion of the flash from glaring into the camera lens. Silly-putty, a black marker, I dont know.
Battery - 10
Case - 10
Size - 6
Flash use - 0
Works well
User: Bri A, Apr 21, 2010
Pros: Good life, makes the phone more grippable
Cons: Drains faster after 6 months, No touchstone
Theres no question that this battery is a godsend for me. I live with my phone in my hand, i text and email constantly for my job, never mind my web use. I was killing the stock battery in a matter of 2 hours. When I first got this battery I could go all day with a 10 to 20 drain. 6 months in, it still does well but I kill 50 in less than 8 hours. Admittedly, I do charge my battery every night rather than waiting til its down to 10 or 15, but its a hard habit to break. I usually can go 12 to 14 hours and still come home with 35 left. Id still recommend this to anyone whos a battery killer like me, its a beast. Dont be put off by the size, I feel it is better thicker, it feels sturdy when typing. I cannot even imagine what Id do without this.
Big Battery=Big Power=Big Phone
User: Mikey B, Aug 5, 2009
Pros: Rocks yer Pre All Night Long!
Cons: Rocks yer Pre like Big Bertha!
I needed an extended battery like nobodys business - sure there are days when Im at my desk all day and can recharge but there are other days when Im running around like the proverbial chicken, and using my Pre constantly, and the standard battery just couldnt make it...so when I heard about the Seidio 2600, I signed up right away knowing that thered be some cons...so heres my take on life with the Seidio 2600 after 5 days. I havent read any other reviews, so I wont be biased.
1st impressions on opening the box: wow, 4mm is bigger than I first imagined. Sure, they warned me sure I measured it out theoretically with a ruler but until youve got the battery in place and the back cover on, its impossible to really know how this will feel. Of note, the Seidio slipped into the battery compartment smoothly, and the soft-touch back cover clicked into place without hassle. The first obvious thing you already know is that the soft cover completely kills the homogenous smooth stone surface of the pre. Youve know got a stylish side, and a soft rubbery side....what was once the stylish pre, is now a smartphone, a la the Handspring Visor. Honestly, I kind of wish that Seidio was offering a back cover of the same style as the Pre, and Id even consider paying a little more for that perk.
As to the size - yes, think Handspring Visor again...but thicker. Thick enough that its kind of embarrasing to carry it around in your pants pocket (unless youre slacker jeans sorta person, in which case you can be like Leisure Suit Larry 2 and fit big slurps in your pocket). Thick enough that in my desparate attempt to rearrange my Palm branded leather Pre carrier, Ive jut 2cm slits through all 3 seems and had to lengthen the slack on the pull cord (believe it or not, it worked). And what kind of kills me about this, is it doesnt really seem like they HAD to make the back cover this big? I mean, not all the way around? So Im no design engineer, but when I take the back cover off, the phone thickness from screen to back of the 2600 is not that bad....if more design thought had gone into this...Im just sure they could have make a better back cover.
So on design asthetics: 2/5
What about functionality: SUPERB! Like I was saying before, I use my Pre intensely maybe 80 minutes per day of intensive use (streaming music/web browsing/email/calendar) consistently during my commute (use public transport=get lots more done). I like to leave cards open throughout the day so I can get back to them quickly. Im on the phone for only 20-40 minutes per day, but Im constantly texting and again web browsing and having calendar reminders go off - and cant be tied to a desk (so havent bothered with the touchstone). Ive got 4 email accounts, 1 of which is constantly updating via IMAP, the others which are a bit spread out. So with the standard battery, I was easily getting below 10 at the end of 10 hours and that was often with a 1/2 hour of recharge time in between.
With the new Seidio 2600 - I replicated and actually pushed my Pre through a 12 hour day of my use - it only dropped to 33 - so at least a 30 improvement I estimate. And with a short recharge to 45, it only dropped by 2 points over an 8 hour quiet night, without recharging.
Next test will be to have GPS constantly on, and see how it does, but Im not too worried.
So, for functionality/battery power= 5/5.
Though this has only been a short term test and I would normally give a new electronic product at least a month before giving a full review (to make sure I didnt have to replace it 2 or 3 times), the need for an extended battery for the Pre has been obvious from the beginning. And Palm needs to know that as it starts designing its Pre replacement its gotta consider function a little more over style....and hopefully find a better balance than it did with the Pre.
battery great, new back is crap
User: Ryan Young, Dec 29, 2009
Pros: superior extended battery life
Cons: cheap backplate material, cant just buy a new backplate.
The Pre was almost worthless when I first got it. I had to have a charger every where I went. Work, home, car, and a spare wall charger in car in case I stayed somewhere.
The extended life battery saved me from all that. I could go days without charging, even with moderate use. Even heavy use, I still had plenty of juice after a full day.
The back cover that comes with it however, is worthless. I dont mind the size, its the quality. the tabs that hold it on broke almost right away. A CHUNK of the top broke off, and now it has a crack through the center. Even after all that, it still mostly stays on, but I can not find anywhere to purchase a new back plate, and no one sells any higher quality 3rd party back plates for the extended battery.
The back plate really needs to be made of sturdier material, like the original Pre back plate, and also like the original, the fastening clips should be metal, not plastic. I had to dig the plastic ones out of my Pre after they broke off.
Nice life, but painful issues
User: Gabriel Chapman, Feb 22, 2010
Pros: good battery life
Cons: cheap cover, audio issues, no flash use
I love the extended battery life the is battery provides, however, when this battery and back cover are on, the audio cuts our during calls. It seems that the Pre is switching between audio sources, switching from the speaker to the regular mic, etc during a call, making it virtually unusable. After trying to work through it for a couple weeks I gave up and went back to my original battery, back to constant charging.
Also, the phone thickness with the replacement cover was more than I expected, and it rendered the flash on the camera completely unusable.
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