Review: ibattz Mojo Armor Battery Case for iPhone 4S and 4

by Bill Palmer

iPhone users who spend long hours in harsh environments have long had their choice of a ruggedized protective case, or a battery extending case, but never both. The Mojo Armor from ibattz for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 sets out to change that. It starts off as a standard battery case, with your iPhone sliding into a black sled and then a silver plastic guard snapping on the front to form a standard looking case. The rear panel hides a 1700 mAh battery module, which is enough to almost fully charge your iPhone 4S up from zero, or almost enough to double its battery life if it’s already fully charged; a second battery module is also included.

The fun begins when you ignore the standard silver front piece and use the protective front piece instead. It covers the iPhone’s screen with a thin clear membrane that you can still operate the screen through, and combines with a rubber wraparound piece to place cover flaps over each of the iPhone’s ports and controls. It makes for a case that’s about as protective as other outdoors-y iPhone cases, except this one is recharging your iPhone’s battery while keeping the elements out.

By offering these two different modes, a standard case with battery and a ruggedized case with battery, the Mojo Armor offers the kind of flexibility rarely seen with such products. I’ve criticized previous Mojo cases due to the fact that only one of the two battery modules could be charged at a time, and only while inside the case, meaning that you couldn’t charge one module while using the other and you couldn’t charge them both while you’re asleep at night. But ibattz now offers a free USB charger for the second module, alleviating this concern.

So what’s not to like? While you get a choice of black, white, or purple rubber, the ruggedized front piece only comes in bright orange. The orange is only partially visible with the rubber wrapped around it, but it’s an odd color choice which may not appeal to all users. But if you can look past that, the Mojo Armor is one of the most versatile iPhone battery cases to ever come to market. And as battery case pricing goes, $99 for a combined 3400 mAh of power is a comparative bargain.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 • Price: $99 • ibattz.com

About Bill Palmer

Bill Palmer is Editor in Chief of Beatweek Magazine. His editorial contributions include interviews with musicians and iPhone industry coverage.