iPad battery case modded; powers Android Pipo Max M1 tablet

The Pipo Max M1 is an Android-powered tablet that is quite similar in size to Apple’s original iPad.

The Pipo Max M1 features a 9.7-inch display and is powered by a Rockchip RK3066 dual core processor, Mali 400 graphics and Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).

Because of the similarity in size, some of the original iPad accessories out there will fit the M1 tablet. The next logical step was taken by a SlateDroid forum member by the name of Carnivire who modded an iPad case with an integrated battery to increase the runtime of the Pipo Max M1.

The mod is fairly straightforward, if not somewhat labor intensive. The openings and ports on the iP6000 case itself had to be widened in some cases to be able to access the M1’s controls. If your Android-powered tablet is designed to look like a first-generation iPad you can probably use the iP6000 to extend its battery life.

Modifying ports on the case may mean nothing more than a bit of time spent with the Dremel or drill. Ripping out the proprietary iPad docking connector and wiring the case to connect to the Android tablet is another matter altogether. This is where soldering and electronics know-how comes into play for the project.

Carnivore connected a full-size USB port to the case after hacking the internal charging connector to work with the tablet. With the extra USB port, you can use the battery inside the case to charge any USB gadget from headphones to MP3 players. The person who pulled off this hack claims that the battery life using the new case is about 17.5 hours for reading and 5.25 hours of gaming, which is a couple of hours more than the tablet internal battery provided alone. The case used in this project costs about $20.