What is it?

This is a battery powered USB power supply. It works with either 2 or 3 primary cells (AA, C or D) or rechargeable batteries and battery packs and will output either up to 500 mA or 1A (primary batteries are not recommended for 1A output). It's designed to fit with a 2xAA battery holder into an Altoids gum tin, but can also be used in a variety of other types of cases.

With a pair of fresh alkaline AA batteries, it will give an iPhone around 2/3 of a charge or so before the batteries are dead.

If you want to use LiPoly battery packs, µCharge is the ideal companion to µBoost.

This is an SMD "reimagining" of the Minty Boost, but since the design uses SMD parts, it is less expensive.

This product is just the board assembled and tested. A battery holder and case is not included.

Your choice between 500 mA and 1A of output current only changes the resistors that are the Apple iDevice passive charging current availability indicator. The actual current that can be supplied by the circuit is not changed.