Are you a heavy iPhone user that finds yourself draining your battery life before the day is done? The built-in battery on the iPhone, despite initial concerns of the fact that it is not user-replaceable, is actually quite good. This is even when you do heavy web browsing and internet use throughout the day. But some people have expressed concern for losing enough battery life that they have to recharge during the day or at least every night.

Richard Thalheimer, the founder of The Sharper Image has released a new device through his company RichardSolo.com called the Smart Backup Battery. This device basically acts as a battery extender or battery recharger for your iPhone. It works on the iPhone and all iPods (except the Shuffle) using the Apple 30-pin connector.

It’s a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery in a slick looking, black aluminum case. It feels basically like an iPod Mini with a more scratch-resistant finish. The Smart Backup Battery is super light, has colored LEDs that indicate charging status and comes with a retractable USB cable and AC adaptor.

I like this product. I tried it out on my iPhone, my iPod Video, and my first gen iPod Nano and it did everything as advertised. There was no problem connecting and the LEDs were very handy in telling you when the device was charging and when it was at 100%.
I could see using this as a nice alternative to bringing the iPhone charger with you on a weekend getaway, or keeping it charged in your briefcase or bag for emergency situations.

My only concern with this product is the way in which it connects with the iPhone. Although the connector fit is snug and the connection strong, the battery does not run flush with the bottom of the iPhone or iPod making the battery fit a little wobbly. I would have preferred the battery to lock into the iPhone much like the contoured fit of the dock but I assume this was done to ensure a universal fit for all iPhone and iPod models. I had originally thought I would be cool with walking around with it as a battery extender but because of the wobbly connection, I will only use it to recharge while my iPhone is sitting on a table or desk.

Still, at only $49.95 and a 30-day money back guarantee, this is a product worth having. You can purchase the Richard | Solo Smart Backup Battery at http://www.iphonebackupbattery.com.