I never realized the Icon doesn't take protected batteries... I have a Protoge' (the model that came before the Icon) and it fits protected batteries just fine... that is really odd of them to not make the Icon protected compatible... I'm shocked actually! I think I'll never suggest the Icon again! I vape at 5 Volts pretty much exclusively now, so the Icon hasn't actually been on my Radar.
ANYWHOOO... To answer sallizoo ... I think that jctennis summed things up pretty well, but I would like to add a few points.
The term MOD came from "modified", and initially the first MODs in the e-cig world were battery boxes and other common devices that were modified to be used as power supplies for e-cigs... from the onset it was pretty obvious that a standard e-cig power supply such as those found on your more common 510s, 901s, 808s, etc. were pretty inadequate for "all day" use... it's just not possible to mafe a 180 mah (or smaller) battery last very long driving an atty or cartomizer... atty/cartos look pretty much like a dead short to a battery, and they discharge pretty fast. The craft of "modding" came about to be able to vape longer with fewer battery changes.
In the simplest form, a mod is a battery box or tube with a switch... nothing more. Most don't even have LED indicators on them. Recently, we've seen things move up a bit into slightly higher tech. Regulated 5V mods, variable volt, and even step-up circuits are becoming more and more common these days. Microprocessor controlled Pulse Width Modulated supplies have come on to the scene as well. Some offer improved battery life while others provide more stable and predictable vaping experiences... some do both.
Which mod is for you? Well that all depends!
Analog smokers fit into a variety of classes, and so do vapers... When I smoked analogs I often used a 90 dollar Colibri Lighter, My friend used a Zippo, and many folks use the good old Bic disposible... some even purchased knock-offs of the disposible to save even more money! Some folks still use matches... there are all kinds of people.... and every method will get that nasty cigarette to burn... Some folks whear Rolex Watches... some Timex... Some put on heirs and wear the fake Rolex... The hardware a person uses often says a LOT about the person... and it is important to realize that Mods can be viewed in much the same way. Often times spending more on a Mod will NOT deliver improved performance over a lesser priced model...
If you're looking for a mod that will outperform the eGo, I have to ask about what improvements are you seeking? Longer Battery Life between charges? More Vapor? Hotter Vapor? Improved Flavor?
If you're seeking nothing more than longer battery life... get one that holds the biggest batteries you can get your hands on! If you would like more vapor, think about a elevated voltage mod... these don't have to be expensive... One of my red rockets that I make I sell to friends for 70 bucks and it's a 5V dual 14500 (protected) tube that will vape for hours on end, and holds steady at 5 V for most of that time... there are many others on the market that perform in much the same way... it's a battery tube with a switch and a regulator... Anybody with skills can make one, and the evidence is the proliferation of these devices in the market...
If you want to dial it in for the best flavor... think about a variable voltage device. There lots of those around too, for about 20-25% more than the fixed voltage variants.
Box mods are easy to build or cheap to buy... and there are all sorts of variants there... I think the best thing you could do is to make yourself a wish list of what you want your new mod to do, then look for the range of devices out there that will fit those needs. You don't need to spend a fortune, but there certainly are some snazzy higher priced mods out there that command a fair amount of respect in the status department, and they do a bang up job of making vapor, and that's what it's all about.
When you step away from the commercially made products and into the modders world, I feel the way you look at vaping will change as well. You'll be out of the realm of "e-cig" and into the world of vaping. The thoughts of having a device that resembles a cigarette will be a glimmer of a memory, and you'll probably do a lot more explaining what it is that you're doing with that box or pipe hanging out of your mouth... it's not for the shy in public... but I always say we should VAPE PROUD... don't worry about the sheeple...
This has again gotten way off the topic of the OP, so sorry about that hoogie... and if you wish to speak in PM, or exchange emails, I welcome that.
By "bigger", I mean not my standard "little" 510. That's all I know. I don't know volts, ohms, mahs... and I don't have any fancy thing, I just have a standard 510 battery, an eGo and 2 Riva batteries. or whatever you want to call them. The little pamphlet that came with my Riva says, "The Input voltage of the USB battery charger is 5v, 500mah and the output voltage is 4.2x420mah." Then it says on the next page: "The HELLO-Riva is powered by a 3.7v-750mah special power supply."
