MintyBoost or Alternative?

[EeeK]

Hi I'm using this Rechargeable 2500mAh AA NiMH Batteries at home.

Any idea if I build a MintyBoost with 2 or 4 x 2500mAh, what is the total capacity comparing those that are available in the market (for eg. Yaobao, ...) for charging my iPhone 4?

Does MintyBoost allow charging of the rechargable batteries itself?

MintyBoost cost $19.50. How does it compare against this $11.99 and this $1.93?

Please advise.

[adafruit_support_bill]

People have had good results running the MintyBoost with 2, 3 or 4x AA NiMH cells. A freshly charged 4x NiMH pack is a bit over-voltage to start, but typically drops back below 5v under load. Added charge capacity is roughly proportional to the number of additional cells.

Does MintyBoost allow charging of the rechargable batteries itself?

The MintyBoost does not have a NiMH cell battery charging feature.

MintyBoost cost $19.50. How does it compare against this $11.99 and this $1.93?

As chargers, I don't know how those other two perform. We do have efficiency numbers for the MintyBoost on the design page.
If you are looking for the cheapest charger, $1.93 is hard to beat.
If you are looking for a fully documented DIY kit with high-quality parts and on-line support, the MintyBoost is the winner.