When it comes to your device’s battery having a portable charger around in an emergency is a great battery saver. But when that battery charger is capable of charging two devices at a time, well then, it becomes a lifesaver.

For someone like me who constantly uses two cellphones, having a battery charger is a necessity. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on a cellphone and I start to hear a beep that lets me know that the battery level is low. And using features on the phone such as GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi can be a real battery hog. Fortunately, there are portable battery chargers but what happens when you have two devices and only one charger? Well, that’s where the TekCharge from Tekkeon comes in. With it’s dual USB ports it can charge two 5 Volt devices at a time.

The TekCharge MP1860A has a 4,400 mAh rechargeable Lithium Ion battery cell so it can hold a good amount of charge for two devices and extended hours for one device.

The MP1860A can provide output power from as less as 100mA to as high as 2.1A  It  uses a retractable USB cable with an interchangeable tip to switch from a MiniUSB to MicroUSB. It also comes with an Apple Dock connector for iPhones, iPods and iPads.  (My iPod was MIA at the time  of this review so my picture doesn’t have one shown.)

The TekCharge feels pretty solid and lightweight. It is small enough to fit into a purse or small bag without any bulk.

It also has small ribs on the sides for a secure grip and has these circles on its back which have a slight stickiness to it. So, having the TekCharge on a slanted table or even a car dashboard  the sticky circles would prevent it from doing a lot of sliding around.

Tekkeon has included a flashlight in the TekCharge which is a nice little add-on.  Basically, it is an LED light which gives off a surprisingly decent amount of  illumination. Nice to have in an emergency.

According to Tekkeon, the MP1860A can provide an iPhone up to 80 hours of audio playback, up to 20 hours of video playback, up to 14 hours of talk time and up to 20 hours of internet use on Wi-Fi. For an mp3 player, it can provide up to 50 hours of audio playback and for a Mobile phones and Smart phone between 14 and 18 hours of talk time. For e-readers, such as a Kindle or Nook,  it can power it for up to 20 days. To me these were pretty impressive figures considering some other portable battery chargers I have used in the past didn’t hold a charge as close to these numbers.

And when I used  this charger with my HTC Evo and an HTC Touch Pro2 together the MP1860A held a substantially long charge. The only thing about that was that I had to use the USB from my EVO with the charger because although it comes with 2 tips (one for a MiniUSB and one for MicroUSB) there is only one retractable USB. But no biggie. Lots of  newer cell phone’s wall chargers are coming with detachable USB cables so shouldn’t be a need to go and buy a separate USB cable.

The MP1860A is charged using the same supplied USB cable. However, the MiniUSB is plugged into the MiniUSB port on the charger and then the USB end is plugged into a supplied wall plug. The wall plug gave me a little difficulty in opening it to expose the metal prongs. It was a struggle to use my finger to flip it open. It would have been nice to have some kind of tab or something to help flip it open since it sits flush against itself. But that’s not a deal breaker.

For such a small battery charger that has a big charge that can last for hours, the TekCharge MP1860A from Tekkeon is a fantastic portable battery charger which can add extra life into your iPods, iPhones, MP3 players, Smartphones, e-readers, video game or any other Mini/MicroUSB devices and more.

The TekCharge MP1860A weighs 4.5 oz and is 3.5 in. x 2.1 in. x 1.1 in.

It goes for a MSRP price of $69.95.

Filed in categories: Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Battery, Charger, portable

Tekkeon TekCharge MP1860A Portable Battery Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 13, 2011 at 1:48 pm.

If you have a Motorola Droid X Android Smartphone, you probably love almost everything about it. I say almost because there is one thing that keeps my relationship with this phone from going to the next level. And that one thing is battery life. To say that the battery life of my Droid X is short would be an understatement. It is rare that I can go a full 24hrs without having to recharge it. I keep an AC charger at my day job desk and another at my Gadgeteer HQ desk. In an effort to reduce my dependency on the all powerful wall outlet, Wireless Emporium sent me the Motorola OEM Extended Battery for review.

Note: Some images in this review can be clicked to see a larger size.

Wireless Emporium offers Motorola Cell Phone Batteries for a variety of Motorola phones.

The battery on the Left is the original battery that ships with the Droid X and the battery on the Right is the extended battery that was sent to me. Both are OEM lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The original battery is rated for 1500 mAh and the extended battery is 1880 mAh. You can see from the image above, that the extended battery is noticeably thicker.

Installing the battery is a simple matter of swapping it out with the battery already in the Droid X.

The original battery door can then be replaced with the door that is included with the extended battery. I’ve read that some people have been able to shoe-horn the original battery door over the extended battery, but I don’t mind that the new battery door is slightly thicker.

Original battery + battery door = flush fit.

Extended battery + extended battery door = very slight hump.

The only issue with the added thickness caused by the extended battery door is that some form fitting cases will probably no longer fit… I don’t use a case, so it’s a non-issue for me.

As I had mentioned previously, with the original battery, I was lucky to get 24hrs of use before needing to recharge. Most days I would plug it in to charge before going to bed, unplug it the next morning and then need to plug it in at my day job desk at some point that afternoon. I guess I wouldn’t mind having to do this if I was constantly using the phone for calls, surfing, etc. But this was the case even when only using the phone for a handful of text messages, android app market updates and email checks. Definitely not hard work.

I’ve only been using the extended battery for 6 days now, but so far I’m noticing a big improvement. Even though it isn’t 2 times the capacity of the original battery, I’ve found that when doing the same tasks as before, it lasts at least 48hrs between recharges. That’s just switching out the batteries. I haven’t done anything new to try to optimize battery life. The screen brightness is still set at the same setting and the various apps that ping the internet for info are still running as before. I should note that I always leave GPS and WiFi turned off unless I need them.

I’m going to give this battery a big thumbs up. I sure as heck won’t go back to using the original battery now that I don’t have to remain chained to the AC adapter.

Filed in categories: Android related, Reviews

Tagged: Battery, droid x

Motorola Extended Battery for Droid X Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 23, 2011 at 5:03 pm.

With the proliferation of electronic gadgets it gets difficult to keep your tools charged. Most electronic devices have moved to a standard USB port for charging. This is a welcome change. Now I can use my AC USB port at home, the USB port in my laptop at work, my USB car adapter on the road, and finally, my USB portable charger anywhere.

The Arctic C1 is cleverly designed to enable me to recharge any device with a USB adapter (or one of the included adapters) with what is essentially, a spare battery. The twist with this device is the inclusion of a solar cell. I can recharge this battery using the sun (or indoor light) as well as the more conventional USB port.

What’s in the Clamshell

First off, it comes in a plastic clamshell. So things did not start off well. I am not a fan of this packaging, it is an unfortunate choice. I wish I could wrestle this gadget from Julie.

Once you manage to free the charger from its plastic tomb you discover a number of items:

• Charger
• Manual
• Cable with multiple tips

Here is a look at the back of the charger:

The specs for the Charger:

• 4.3″ by 1.7″ by .47″
• 4440 mWh Li-ion battery
• 5.5 V, 80 mA Solar Panel
• 5.5 V, 300 mA USB input
• 5.5 V, 500 mA USB output

The cable includes adapters for:

• Nokia
• Sony Ericsson
• Samsung
• Mini-USB

However, if you have a USB charging cable for your device, you do not need the included cable or tips.

Charging the Charger

Before you can use the charger, it needs to be charged. There are two ways to charge it. You can let the solar panel charge it, or plug it into a 5V USB power source. The solar option is nice, but can take awhile. To charge it using USB you plug the power source (for example, your computer’s USB port) into the Mini USB port of the charger.

The Mini-USB port on the left is used to charge the charger, the regular USB port on the right is used to plug in the device you want charged. A very simple, and straightforward approach.

The C1 has 3 unlabeled LEDs on the front. These indicate if the battery is charging.

The LEDs are the three dots in the above picture. The manual labels them A, B, and C. In this picture, A is the top LED, and C is the bottom.

When the battery is charging via the Solar Panel, LED C lights up. When you are connected via USB to charge, LED A lights up. So, if you are not sure there is enough light, you can check the third LED. If it is not lit, you either have insufficient light, or the battery is full. I found charging via USB to be a better option. Simply plug it in, and when the first light goes out, your battery is full.

Charging Your Device

The included cables and tips cover a wide variety of devices. Fortunately, most of the devices I use today charge via USB, therefore I just use one for the cables I already have. Plug the cable into the regular USB port (it is clearly marked as OUT on the back of the charger) and attach your device. Now the three LEDs indicate how much charge the Charger’s battery has:

• 1 LED 10-30%
• 2 LEDs 30-70%
• 3 LEDs 70-100%

I have used this to successfully charge multiple Android phones, an iPod Touch and an iPod Nano. I have had no issue with it, and it is quite handy. Besides packaging, my only complaint is the battery size. I would definitely be interested in a version with a larger battery. Even fully charged, it will not fully recharge my Droid X, but it is a great way to keep my phone going in a pinch. This has earned a permanent spot in my laptop case.

Filed in categories: Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Battery, Charger, Solar

Arctic C1 Mobile Portable Universal Charger Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 10, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Remember 10 years ago when your phone just made calls only and the battery lasted for days?  Well you won’t see that happening nowadays when we all have smart-phones with nice big colorful screens!  I recently upgraded to a Blackberry Torch 9800 and the stock battery barely lasts me through a work day.  My last phone, iPhone 3G, has to be constantly tethered to the wall outlet to get through the day also.  That’s where the PhoneSuit Primo and Primo Cube batteries come in.

With our phones getting more power hungry, what will happen if you’re away from an outlet and your phone just happens to run out of charge?  If you have an iPhone then the Primo Micro Battery Pack is for you.  If you have any other type of smart-phone that has the micro/mini usb port for charging then the Primo Cube is for you.

Included in the Primo Micro Battery Pack for the iPhone/iPod is the battery, battery cover, mini usb cable, and lanyard.  Included in the Primo Cube is the battery, micro usb cable, and lanyard.

Let’s talk about the Primo Micro Battery Pack for the iPhone/iPod first.  The cover snaps onto the battery to protect the 30-pin dock connector.  The front has 3 led lights that light up to show the remaining charge left in the Primo when plugged in to the iPhone/iPod.

On the back is the mini usb charging port.

The top corner of the cover has a hole for the lanyard to go through.

Plugging in to my iPod Touch starts the charge immediately.  The Micro Battery Pack looks thick compared to the slim iPod Touch.  The Primo Micro Battery Pack has a 800mAh lithium-ion battery and provides up to 3 additional hours of talk time to the iPhone 3G/3GS.  I tested a fully charged Micro Battery Pack with a fully drained iPod Touch 2G and it charged it up to 80%.  That is pretty impressive for such a small sized battery.  The Micro Battery Pack sells for $34.95 direct from PhoneSuit.

The Primo Cube is made for all your other non-iDevices that have either a micro or mini usb charging port.  It’s funny that they named it the Cube even though it’s not physically a cube at all.  The top face of the Cube has a nice mirror finish to it.

The bottom of the Cube has both a micro and mini charging port.  Only a micro usb cable is provided with the Cube.

On the top corner of the Cube is the hole for the lanyard.

On the back is where the magic happens.  Located under a plastic protective flap are both the micro and mini usb connectors that will be used to charge your smart-phones.

The micro and mini usb connectors can swing out and to the side of the Cube.

Plugging in the micro usb connector to my Blackberry Torch starts the charge.  It also lights up 4 arrows which shows the remaining charge left on the Cube.  The Cube sells for $39.95 direct from PhoneSuit.

Pricing is pretty reasonable for a portable charger for your devices.  I personally use the Primo Cube daily with my Blackberry since I use it heavily and need the Cube to top off my battery mid-day.

Filed in categories: Android related, Blackberry related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Battery, micro usb, mini usb

PhoneSuit Primo and Primo Cube Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 24, 2010 at 5:05 pm.

Still have an iPhone 3G?  Draining the battery because you updated to iOS 4?  There’s a battery for that.  Kingmax Power Case provides an all in one sleeve and extended battery for your iPhone 3G.

Inside the box, you’ll find the battery sleeve, instructions, and a mini usb cable.

The battery sleeve itself is pretty thick compared to the iPhone 3G.

On the back are 4 status indicator lights that shows the amount of charge left on the battery in 25% intervals.  It activates with a push of the button.

On the bottom is the mini usb port used for charging the battery on the sleeve and iPhone’s battery.  You can also sync with iTunes through that port.

The sleeve does make the iPhone 3G a bit longer in length.  And it does feel bulky in the jeans pocket.  And as you can see, it’s a fingerprint magnet also.

There’s no way of controlling when to charge your iPhone when the sleeve is on.  Kingmax Power Case provides constant battery charge and always tops off the iPhone 3G until the sleeve runs out of juice.

There are grips on both sides of the sleeve.  The grips actually make holding the iPhone much more comfortable.

It adds to the thickness of the iPhone 3G also.  This picture compares a Apple Mighty Mouse with the iPhone 3G inserted into the Kingmax Power Case.

Kingmax provides 1500 mAH battery while the internal iPhone battery only provides 1150 mAH.  The battery inside is a Japanese made lithium polymer.  And the Power Case itself weighs 70 g.

I use my iPhone 3G heavily throughout the day.  Constant phone calls, replying to emails, some web surfing and listening to music.  The internal iPhone battery usually just lasts me until the end of the work day.  Then I usually charge it in the car on the drive back home.  With the Kingmax Power Case, the iPhone 3G lasts me full 2 days!  It’s a great extended battery option.  The only complaint I have with this product is that it does make my iPhone 3G feel very bulky.  The Kingmax Power Case is being sold in Taiwan only for now.  There’s no pricing that I can provide you until they release it into the states.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Battery, Case, iPhone

Kingmax Power Case for iPhone 3G/3GS Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 10, 2010 at 11:20 am.

Radio Shack’s Enercell #23-1113 2-in-1 Battery and AC Adapter is a handy little rig for your gadget bag. It combines a USB/AC adapter with a rechargeable USB battery power pack, with a bonus 2nd USB port and a small built-in LED light!

It uses a 1700mAh Lithium-Ion battery pack and can work on dual voltage, so can be used pretty much world wide (always a handy feature for a travel accessory.)  The compact unit is 3.5x2x.75″, and the power plugs fold into the body to make it easier to carry.

What you see in the photo on top is what you get- 2 USB ports on the lower edge, along with a single LED light, about as bright as most cheap keyring LED lights. Two unlabeled LEDs on the top indicate charge status and power. The single button toggles between LED, LED and USB, USB, and off. Some reviewers claim that it only stays on for 10 minutes at a time- mine did not do this, maybe it does it when the unit’s charge is low?

Charging lights on the EVO and Enercell, and the 'flashlight' on.

I wanted something like this to toss in my gear bag to help with the battery of my HTC EVO smartphone. My battery use is generally OK but there have been a couple of times I have been unpleasantly surprised by a low battery, so a battery-powered charger seemed a good choice. This particular model was available at my local Shack, although I was hoping to score an iGo model I will touch on a bit later.

When my EVO was blinking a red ‘recharge now’ message, I hooked it up with a retractable USB to micro-USB cord (from eBay) and was happy to see that it was taking the charge nicely. About 15 minutes later, it was at about a 60% charge- not bad at all. When I was at a wall outlet, I was able to just plug the unit in and it charged the EVO and charger up nicely.

I do like this unit, but the iGo Charge Anywhere is a bit smaller with an 1800mAh battery. It has the same base price, but is often on sale, and is available through the Shack as well- Since Enercell is a Shack store brand, this is odd, but that’s the way the Shack does things.

Ever since going to a good smart phone, I find myself using the laptop or netbook less and less with the result that my gearbag is getting smaller and lighter. A unit like this, with the proper retractable USB cord, is a smart addition to my kit.

Filed in categories: Gear, Travel Gear

Tagged: Adapter, Battery, USB

Enercell 2-in-1 Battery and AC Adapter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 18, 2010 at 12:17 pm.

The Battery Boost from Technocel is a portable battery pack with a built-in MicroSD card reader. It doesn’t offer a lot in the way of extra juice at 600mAh, but what it lacks in power, it makes up for in portability. Clip this little guy on your keychain and you’ll be able to add some extra power to any micro USB enabled device whenever you might need it. It’s available for $29.99 at Sprint Stores nationwide, Web sales, and 1-800-SPRINT1.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Battery, Spotlight Gadgets

Carry an extra hour of talk time on your keychain originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 12, 2010 at 10:00 am.

The new ¼ inch thin Jump Start Slim rechargeable 1100mAh Battery from DigiPower weighs in at 2 ounces. The Jump Start Slim features a brushed metal top, a high gloss black back that reminds me of an iPod Touch. It has optimized circuitry that allow for faster charging times from a computer or standard USB charger. It also features an LED charge status display and comes with USB Micro, USB Mini, and DC barrel to USB A female connecting cables. Suggested retail pricing is $29.95.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Battery, Power, Spotlight Gadgets

Thin is in – DigiPower Jumpstart 1100mAh External Battery originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 2, 2010 at 10:02 am.

When you have an iPod instead of an iPhone, it’s not vital that you always have power. But it is very irritating to be listening to music or watching videos and have the thing die on you, isn’t it? Several companies offer emergency chargers for iPods, but many of them seem to be little bricks that plug into the iPod’s docking connector when you need the power. They aren’t designed to be always on the iPod, so you have to remember to keep them charged up and keep them with you. Mophie has a series of iPod and iPhone chargers that combine emergency battery backup in a sleek, protective, hard-shell case. Julie offered me the chance to try out the Mophie Juice Pack air for the second-generation iPod touch. I happily agreed, and I soon had a Juice Pack air in hand.

Mophie lists three colors for the Juice Pack air: red, gunmetal gray, and blue. I received the blue one, but the color is actually purple, in my opinion. There seems to be a definite reddish metallic sheen to the plastic case. The case has a rubbery texture, and it’s very easy to get a secure grip with this case on the iPod touch. The air is 2.63” x 5.24” x 0.57”. My digital kitchen scale shows the air case weighs 2.25 ounces. The touch feels noticeably bigger and heavier in the hand with the air case. It’s not uncomfortable to hold, however.

The cases’s rechargeable Smart Battery has a 1000 mAh capacity. Mophie says the battery essentially doubles the battery life for your iPod touch. There is a standby switch on the air. When it’s switched off, the air’s battery is a reserve battery. When your iPod’s battery is drained, switch the air on and you have another full charge. You can use the touch as normal while it’s using the air’s battery, or you can simply let the air charge your touch.

If you prefer to always keep your touch’s battery at full charge, leave the air’s switch in the “on” position. The Smart Battery technology is designed to drain the air’s battery first, leaving you with a fully charged battery in the touch. However, Mophie says that using the air this way results in less reserve power. Constantly keeping the touch’s battery topped off isn’t as efficient as waiting until the touch’s battery is drained before using the air’s battery.

The documentation said that the air case should arrive fully charged, but the one I received needed to be charged. To charge, you connect the air to a USB port on your computer via the included USB-to-micro USB cable. You can also use any wall-plug USB power adapter rated for iPods to charge the Mophie. The manual said it should take 2-3 hours to fully charge the air; it took about 2.5 hours to charge mine using a USB port on my laptop. Charging status can be monitored with the four blue LEDs on the back of the case. When I first plugged it in, the leftmost LED started blinking. Eventually, that one went steady and the next LED started blinking. When charging was complete, all the LEDs were on steady.

Battery indicator showing full charge

There is a button beside the four LEDs. Pressing it turns on the battery monitor. If all four LEDs light, you have a full charge. You can use this to check the stand-by power at any time.

Putting the case on is a snap. The top of the case slides off. You slide your touch into the body of the case, making sure that the 30-pin connector in the case fully connects with the iPod’s connector, then slide the top back into position. There is also a 3.5mm connector in the bottom of the case that plugs into the touch’s headphone jack. There’s a 3.5mm jack on the bottom of the air case so you can still use your earbuds while the touch is in the air case. However, because something is plugged in to the touch’s headphone jack, the little speaker is disabled. I often use my iPod touch without earbuds. I don’t like that my speaker is disabled by the case.

Power button

The power and volume rockers are covered with plastic tabs that have been almost completely cut out of the case. A small attachment point remains so that the little tab can move enough to depress the button below it. These tabs work very well; they are easily depressed and the iPod always responded. The bottom of the case has the mini USB port for charging and synching with iTunes. There is a 3.5mm earphone jack and the stand-by slider also on the bottom.

Volume rocker

When I put the case on my iPod, the touch’s battery was about 70%. I tried switching the air case on, and iPod’s battery icon changed to indicate it was charging. I put the air back in stand-by and continued to use my iPod for about 30 minutes after I got the 20% battery level warning. When I flipped the air on, my iPod started charging immediately. I continued to use the iPod for a few minutes, then I turned it off and left the Mophie on. I checked the Mophie’s battery level periodically. When the air finally showed a depleted battery, I found that the iPod had a 98% charge, according to the battery monitor in the System Activity Monitor app I use. The battery in the air case got a little warm while charging my iPod, but it was never hot.

Stand-by slider, micro USB port, earbud jack

You can charge the air case and the touch simultaneously with the micro USB cable. You can also sync the touch with iTunes using the micro USB cable. I had no problems with using iTunes with the touch in the air case.

The Mophie Juice Pack air is a nice case with a bonus backup battery – or is it a useful backup battery with a bonus case? In any event, it’s a nice protective case that doubles your battery life. The only downside I see is that the speaker doesn’t work while the iPod touch is in the case. That little speaker is so muted and weak that probably no one but me ever uses it any way. If you have a 2^nd generation iPod touch, you’ll find the Mophie Juice Pack air is useful addition to your touch.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Battery, iPod

Mophie Juice Pack air for the iPod touch Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 14, 2010 at 12:58 pm.

Brando never fails to impress me with the interesting gadgets and accessories that he finds to offer in his online shops. One of the latest is a 1000mAh backup battery pack for the iPhone (2G/3G/3GS/4). Besides adding extra talk time, music playback time, etc, the most interesting feature of this battery is that it uses EL Film to display the charging status. Blinking LEDs impress me, what can I say You can buy this product from Brando for $52.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News, Reviews

Tagged: Battery, iPhone

iPhone Backup Battery that uses EL Film originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 4, 2010 at 7:00 am.

It’s called the Diamond Multimedia DP1800 Mobile Battery and just like the Artwizz Powerbat, it’s basically a portable lithium battery, which is small enough to carry around in your gear bag.  Don’t be fooled by its size though, as it’s able to provide a good level of power to your devices such as iPhone/iPod, Blackberry and HTC (or any other devices which have a Mini-USB connection), whenever and wherever you need it.

Product Specifications

• Capacity: Powerful 1800mAh Li-Polymer Battery Pack
• Power Indication:  A ‘check’ button & LED indicators (3 LEDs, Hi – Mid – Lo) to check charge capacity
• Input (mini USB): DC4.5~6V/480mA
• Output (USB-A Type): DC5V/500mA max.
• Charging Time: 4hours for 480mA charging current
• Battery: Li-Polymer Rechargeable
• Size: L 89 x W 60 x D 9.6mm (3.5 x 2.36 x 0.38 inches)
• Weight: A lightweight 88g (3.5oz)

What’s inside?

The DP1800 arrived in a see through clam-style plastic pack, showing the battery itself, which is about the size of a credit card.

Along with the DP1800 there is also:

• 1 x Retractable USB cable (60cm fully stretched)
• 2 x USB connectors (One for iPhone/iPod and another for Blackberry/HTC)
• 1 x Instruction Manual

DP1800, Retractable USB cable, iPhone/Pod & Blackberry connectors

Charging the DP1800

On the main panel of the battery, you’ll notice that there are three small LED’s (Red – Lo, Yellow – Mid and Green – Hi) which indicates the level of charge currently available from the battery.

You can check the power level of the battery very easily, simply by pressing a small ‘check’ button, located on the side of the case.  If the red LED illuminates then the battery has less than 20% charge in the power bank and requires a charge itself before you can use it to power any of your gear.  If the yellow LED illuminates, this indicates a power level of between 80-20% which is ok and is sufficient to provide power to a device.  And finally, if the green LED illuminates, this indicates a good level of power (80% or more).

Side view of the DP1800 showing 'Check' button & connection

Out of the box, the red LED lit up when I pressed the check button, indicating that I needed to charge the battery itself before I could use it.  Although, Diamond do advise that due to the battery being packaged and left in transit, you ideally need to charge the battery for around 4 hours, either by using the included retractable USB cable, or by using a mini-USB wall charger (Not included!).

For the benefit of the review, I decided to charge the DP1800 for the full four hours beforehand, thus allowing the battery to obtain a full charge.  Charging the DP1800 is very straight forward and I did this using the included USB cable, which keeps everything tidy thanks to its neat, retractable design.  When you charge the DP1800, all three LEDs remain lit.  However, when it reaches its full charge capacity, the LEDs will switch off and the battery stops receiving a charge.  At this point, you’ll know the DP1800 is ready to be used.

Charging the DP1800 (Note – All LEDs are lit up)

I plugged the mini-USB connector into the input port on the DP1800 and the cable into my laptop.  After the four-hour charge period, a quick press of the check button illuminated the green ’Hi’ LED, advising a charge of 80% or more.  The DP1800 is now ready to charge your device!

The green LED lights up – ready to provide power!!

In Use

The first thing I noticed, as soon as it came out of its packaging, is just how light the DP1800 actually is.  It weighs just 88g and measures the same size as a credit card, so it’s perfect to carry around in your gear bag, or if you don’t want to carry your bag around with you, your jacket pocket will easily suffice!

Diamond have primarily designed the DP1800 to charge either the iPhone/iPod and Blackberry or HTC handsets, but it will also charge any device with a mini-USB connection.

During the review I charged my Blackberry 8900, which uses a 1400mAh battery, from an almost flat state to fully charged, in 90 minutes.  I then also charged my iPod Shuffle, again from a flat state.  As the iPod Shuffle dock connected straight into the output connection on the DP1800, I didn’t even need to use the USB cable.

The DP1800, providing juice to the Blackberry 8900

After this point, when I pressed the check button, the yellow LED lit up, which meant that it was probably getting close to the 20% capacity stage, however even after charging both the Blackberry and the iPod Shuffle, the red LED still wasn’t lit.  So, I began to charge my wife’s iPod Nano too, which was also very low on battery power, however the DP1800 died before the Nano’s battery reached approximately 1/4 full.

Overall Conclusion?

All in all, the Diamond DP1800 Mobile Battery is a sleek, well designed and very capable mobile battery.  Although the capacity of 1800mAh isn’t huge, especially compared to other mobile batteries that are available on the market, you’ll find that when you’re on the move, the DP1800 will be the perfect companion for you and your devices.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews, Travel Gear

Tagged: Battery, Power

Diamond DP1800 Mobile Battery Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 12, 2010 at 11:00 am.

If you don’t mind looking like you’re under house arrest, this rechargeable wrist battery from Brando will give your favorite device an additional 1500mAh of juice. It comes with power tips for Nokia (2mm, 3.5mm), Mini USB, micro USB, Sony PSP, NDS Lite, Nintendo DSi and others. It’s available now for $35.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Battery, Spotlight Gadgets

Perfect Accessory for the Criminal or Gamer originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 7, 2010 at 7:26 am.

I use my iPhone a lot.  I mean really a lot. You know how much you use your iPhone? Well I use mine more.  I’ve got a bunch of great ways to keep my iPhone charged.  Let’s see if the Newer Technology NuPower Charge & Sync+ will join my charging army.

I purchase iPhone cables by the half dozen every few months and can tell you which Chinese manufacturer makes the best zip line cable and which you should avoid.  I seem to have spent roughly as much money on CHARGING my iPhone as I spent on it in the first place.

Why is this?  Well I have a short attention span and…  Sorry I faded there for a moment.  I have a short attention span and my iPhone is everything from my eBook reader to my game console. It’s how I keep in touch with my family and how I do work.  The downside of all of this is that I can run down a completely charged iPhone in about 70 minutes.  Few things are as distressing as waking up in an hotel in an unfamiliar city and, by the time I hit the lobby, my phone is down to 60%.  How will I find my way around? How will I e-mail? How will I YELP?!

I have a few  solutions to this problem, each with their own unique advantages and pitfalls.  Here are my iPhone charging solutions:

1. Mophie Juice Pack

Pros:

• Battery charge indicator
• Provides SOME protection

Cons:

• Requires a charging cable (mini USB)
• Adds weight
• Can’t use more protective silicone case

2. Energizer XPal

Pros:

• MASSIVE power – I can charge up 5+ times completely without fully draining the battery!
• Charges anything with a USB cable
• Charges laptops (except MacBook Pro)

Con:

• HEAVY
• Large

3. Zip cable plugged into USB plug

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• No battery – works forever

Cons:

• Requires an outlet
• Not portable

I remember seeing early press on the NuPower Charge & Sync+ and being excited about a couple of its cooler features.  What are these?  Well for starters, it is a battery pack with a built-in plug, so you have one less thing to carry since it doesn’t require a charging cable. It also has a short USB cable with a built-in compartment to store it.  Ok, so those are the only REAL features that you wouldn’t automatically ASSUME in an iProduct charger, but they are pretty unique and do count for a lot.  One more thing that barely counts as a feature, yet is at least a thoughtful touch is the on/off button.  Where as the vast majority of gadgets turn on when the button is depressed, but with the NuPower the device is on when you press the button and let it all the way OUT. The upshot of this is that it doesn’t turn on by accident as easily in your gear bag.  Stop and think about that for a moment.  Got it figured?  Good – excelsior!

The NuPower Charge & Sync+ comes with three different cables, any one of which can be attached at any given time.  Instead of using a standard USB port to connect the cables, there is a recessed half-height USB port for connecting the special included cables.

At this time, the unit comes with Mini USB, Micro USB and the iProduct dock connecter.  Once you’ve decided which of them you want to use, you slot the special half height USB plug into the special half height USB port and wrap the cable around the pack and tuck the head of the cable into a recessed pocket covered by a door.  Wait, this needs a picture:

This is where my complaints start.  The door that covers the recessed pocket is not tied to the unit in any way.  Once you’ve opened the door, you’ve got a door in one hand and the unit in the other.  This is potentially a problem as you can see, though I have been pretty good so far about keeping track of the door.

I suppose I might just be spoiled by my other battery-based chargers, but I would really have liked to see a dedicated battery level indicator.  Being able to press a button and quickly see how much of a charge your battery has is more than just a convenience, it’s a must.  When I’m walking out the door and I know that my ability to work (ok, and play) is dependent upon my charger, I need to feel confident that I will get through the day with my charging solution.

When it comes to charging performance, it is identical to my Mophie Juice Pack. It provides enough power to keep ahead of heavy gaming and wifi use, charging even under load.  It will provide a just under one full charge depending on what else you might be doing with the phone while you’re plugged in.

The small cables that come with the Nupower Charge and Sync may look funny, but they do function as working USB cables.  You can use them as data/sync cables in a pinch (hey, Charge AND SYNC!) though they are so short that most people will want to avoid this except in a pinch.  An issue I encountered with the included cables is that the shoulder of the cables at the end are very wide.  They failed to fit in three different devices including a Mophie Juice Pack, Mophie Juice Pack Air and a Sony camera.  I can see why they made this design choice.  They wanted to make sure that each of the cable heads would fit the same in the compartment, but it made the cable useless for my purposes.

I think the NuPower Charge & Sync+ is a solid addition to my array of charging methods.  I hope Newer Technology will add a hinge to the cable compartment and reduce the size of the cable heads.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Battery, Generic PDA related, iPhone, iPhone power

Newer Technology NuPower Charge & Sync+ Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 9, 2010 at 10:30 am.

You don’t use alkaline batteries anymore do you? Rechargeable batteries are definitely the way to go. Sanyo Eneloop batteries are very popular, but are only offered in AA and AAA sizes. If you need C, D, and 9V sizes as well, another brand worth considering is Vapex. Unlike the Eneloops, Vapex batteries can be charged in any NiMH charger. You can find these batteries at Electronics Warehouse. What is our favorite brand?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Vapex Instant Rechargeable Batteries Offer Better Value, Flexibility Than Competitor Sanyo Eneloop.

Australia — February 1, 2010 — Electronics Warehouse (EW), a leading online retailer of electronics accessories and rechargeable batteries for mobile devices, announced today that they now carry the full line of Vapex Instant NiMH rechargeable batteries, and believes that the emerging Vapex brand offers consumers better value and flexibility over the Sanyo Eneloop brand, while matching Sanyo’s level of quality and reliability.

Vapex Instant Rechargeable Batteries Come in a Variety of Sizes.

The vast majority of NiMH rechargeable battery brands – including Sanyo Eneloops – only offer AA and AAA sized batteries. Vapex, however, is one of the few companies who have developed reliable NiMH rechargeable battery designs for C, D, and 9V sizes as well. The advantage is that consumers can use Vapex Instant rechargeable batteries not only on small electronics such as digital cameras and mp3 players, but also for larger electronic devices, such as flashlights, children’s toys, electronic scales, smoke detectors, and other devices that require large-sized batteries.

“Instant” Rechargeable Batteries Give You the Convenience of a Disposable Battery

Early rechargeable battery designs, such as the NiCad, had to be charged when first purchased. This design drawback led many people to shy away from using rechargeable batteries, since they were not able to be used right out of the package. Instant rechargeable batteries, however, can be used right out of the package as needed, due to their very low self-discharge rate, which allows them to be charged at any time and hold their charge until needed. Both Vapex and Sanyo Eneloop feature “instant” rechargeable battery designs, however, the Vapex brand is considerably more affordable than Sanyo while still offering the same level of quality and reliability.

Vapex Batteries Can Be Charged in Any Type of Reliable NiMH Battery Charger

While Sanyo Eneloop NiMH rechargeable batteries are quite popular among consumers, they can only be charged using a proprietary Sanyo Eneloop NiMH charger. Because of this, consumers have very limited options for the type of NiMH battery charger they can use. Vapex rechargeable batteries, on the other hand, can be charged with any reliable NiMH battery charger, allowing people to purchase a wide range of chargers for home, car, and computer use.

For more information, feel free to contact Mike Nace, Public Relations Representative, at mike@electronicswarehouse.com.au.

An Obvious Choice for a Leading Australian Rechargeable Battery Retailer

It is for all of these reasons that Electronics Warehouse has chosen to exclusively sell Vapex Instant rechargeable batteries over Sanyo Eneloop. Because of this, EW is able to offer its customers the full line of Vapex batteries at factory direct prices, which is half the suggested retail price of Sanyo Eneloops. Combined with EW’s fast, free shipping Australia-wide, no other retailer of rechargeable batteries can offer such a value on Vapex’s high-quality NiMH rechargeable batteries.

About Electronics Warehouse

Electronics Warehouse is a family-owned and operated online retailer of high-quality electronics accessories, specialising in Vapextech rechargeable batteries and chargers; cordless phone batteries; iPod, Nintendo Wii, PSP, PS2 and PS3 accessories; and PC accessories such as HDMI, VGA, and DVI cables. Started in 2002 on Ebay, Electronics Warehouse has quickly grown to one of the top online Australian retailers of electronics accessories, offering generic product brands that provide the same quality as the big brand names but at half the price. Now at www.electronicswarehouse.com.au, we offer customers a wide selection of products at unbeatable prices, together with personalised customer service and fast, free shipping for Australian customers.

We invite you to follow us at the following websites:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElectronicsAUS

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moonah-Australia/Electronics-Warehouse/260853095499

Blog: www.electronicswarehouse.com.au/blog

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Battery, Spotlight Gadgets

Need rechargeable batteries in more sizes than AA and AAA? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 3, 2010 at 3:26 pm.

The more you use them, the less you need your laptop – that’s the marketing line for smartphones. As the bellwether smartphone, the iPhone leads the pack in usage and accessories. Third in our series of battery cases for iPhone is the myPower 1250 from Tekkeon. This battery case departs from the others reviewed thus far, not only with an upgrade to the material, but with coverage on the sides and front of the iPhone and a different take on the role of a battery case. Is it better? Let’s see how it stacks up…

There are two models of the myPower available: the MP1250, which is a genuine leather case, and the MP 1200, which is a synthetic leather. Both have the same internal electronics. I was sent the MP1250 to test.

The tech specs for the myPower are:
Talk time: 5 hours (3G), 10 hours (2G)
Internet use: 5 hours on 3G, 6 hours on WiFi
Video playback: 7 hours
Audio playback: 24 hours

This case has a fairly stiff backing, which contains the battery and extends up to the full height of the iPhone. The corners are cut off just enough to allow the camera lens to show (with the other side being cut the same for symmetry). The front is all leather, with white outside stitching, and covers the edges. A narrow strap connects the front to the back with a silver snap. Finished holes are left for the screen, the home button, the reciever, and the proximity sensor. (There are cases that block this hidden sensor, so that the screen mysteriously goes dark as soon as a call connects!)

Note the white contrasting top-stiching and the large opening for the earpiece to allow the proximity sensor to work properly. There is a silver-colored snap on the back to connect the strap.

The sides are made of the same soft leather, with holes left for the volume rocker and ringer silencer. On the lower right, a mini-USB port allows connection to the included cable for charging and syncing. Subtle LEDs on the lower left show battery level and charging condition.

These shots show the USB port, the LEDs, and the overall case from various sides.

The black leather and white over-stiching around the face of the case adds a good bit of warmth and softness to the high-tech elegance of the bare iPhone. While this is welcome to some, when tapping on the extreme edges of the screen, it caused problems, due to the thickness of the leather. It was not a constant issue, but was noted several times while testing this device. In use, the case is very light, and feels sturdy and tight. Time will tell if it loosens, but it was showing no signs of wear after being in use for a few weeks.

A screen protector is included with the case, and although I have never used these in the past, I have recently been carrying my iPhone in my pants pocket and wanted to add the protection from keys, change, and the like. I put on the film with no issues, and after a few hours, never thought about it being on there. It is a glossy film, with no anti-glare filtering.

The included charging cable allows the battery to be charged and the iPhone to sync, as expected. Charge time was not quick, about the same as use time. There are three LEDs to indicate the charge remaining. When charging, only the red and green are used.

Tekkon’s three-level LEDs give the following signals as power is used:
Green (65%-100% of charge remaining)
Orange (30%-65% of charge remaining)
Red (1%-30% of charge remaining)

The battery specs are lower than the others we’ve looked at (1500 mA rather than 1800 and 2300), but this is the same as the iPhone’s internal battery, so it will basically double your battery life. For most users, this will allow them to get through times away from a recharging station and continue to operate normally. Tekkon takes a little different tack on the meaning of an extended battery than our previous products in this category, however. Most devices of this type actually charge the battery when engaged. The myPower, in contrast, powers the iPhone directly, ignoring the battery unless the USB cable is attached. While this may net the same runtime as a similarly powered device that charges the battery, it changes my usage quite a lot. I tend to put the charger on only when I know I’m going to be away from power for a while. With chargers, that means my iPhone battery will be getting topped up. When I’m next at my computer, I can take off the battery case and leave the house with a fully charged iPhone, leaving the case/charger to recharge. Not so the myPower. If you put it on a semi-charged iPhone, it will not affect the internal battery at all. This was a rude awakening when I had planned on having the iPhone in a smaller case before leaving home and plugged it into the Tekkeon while it was half charged. For those who just want a double-strength battery, this may not be a big deal, but if you’re like me and use these only when your battery has started to be depleted, it’s an issue.

I give it three stars overall. The leather and workmanship are well done, but the few little things like the raised sides and not actually re-charging the iPhone dropped the score down a good bit.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Battery, Case, iPhone

Tekkeon myPower 1250 iPhone External Battery Case Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 31, 2009 at 1:14 pm.

As can be seen in the figure, the main draw of the Duracell GoEasy Recharger ($12.99) is its succinct size — no wall wart nor long cable needed.  One of the several new Duracell “Smart Power Initiative” devices, it is a an unpretentious little charger for AA or AAA Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries.  It is compact and unobtrusive – note that the two AC prongs fold up for storage.

Here are its pedigree points:

• Charges two AA or AAA NiMH batteries in about 8 hours
• Turns off charging when complete, displays red LED during charging, green when charging is complete (see figure)
• Comes with 2 AA NiMH batteries, 1700 mAH at 1.2 V
• Prongs fold up for storage
• Input: 120V AC/60Hz, 2W
• Outupt:  2.8v DC/300 mA (for 2 AA), 2.8v DC 140 mA (for 2 AAA)

GoEasy during charging cycle - charging takes up to 8 hours

The GoEasy is light weight and truly portable and can fit in a backpack or roll on luggage (or a kitchen drawer) without getting snagged or caught.  But it still takes a long time to charge, and it only charges two batteries at a time.  And this may be fine for some consumers, depending on their requirements.  I’d probably be inclined to go for the Duracell GoMobile device, however, which can not only charge four batteries, but purportedly can do so in only an hour, and comes with a car lighter adapter (see The-Gadgeteer review for the Duracell GoMobile Charger.)

The GoEasy is a nice and inexpensive though not flashy charger.

Filed in categories: Travel Gear

Tagged: Battery, Charger

Duracell GoEasy AA NiMH Rechargable Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 23, 2009 at 7:37 am.

I love power, and when my gadgets have enough juice for the whole day, then all is right in the world. Nothing brings me more joy than being able to whip out a phone, netbook, mp3 player, or camera and know that I will have enough power to do whatever I want. Duracell has made such a product.

Right now, there is a lot of buzz about convergence devices; you know, the “one gadget can do it all” concept. Some people love it and some hate it. Well with these types of devices comes a strong need for power, and that’s where Duracell comes in. I had the pleasure of trying the Duracell Instant Charger, using my iPhone to test it. As iPhone users know, battery life is not the one of the strong suits of the phone; but again, those darn convergence devices! The charger comes with a small miniUSB to USB cable. You plug the device into any USB port to charge (or if you have a USB to wall box, you can charge it from any outlet). It took less than 3 hours to fully charge the power supply. On the side of the charger is a small switch to turn your battery on (start charging a device) or off (no explanation required!).

Duracell has a line of these new power supplies with various amounts of charging capabilities. The Instant Charger is mainly designed to work on cellphones and Blackberrys. You will use your own phone’s cord to hook up to the battery. For instance, my iPhone has a USB charger so it was a simple process of plugging in the USB into the port on the battery and flipping the switch. I let my iPhone drain all the way down to 9% because I wanted to simulate as close to dead as possible just to get an idea how much power this extremely light weight and compact battery could hold. Two hours later the little battery was dead but my phone was charged up to 70%! I also tried it at 75% and my phone was back up to 100% within the hour.

Personally I think it’s a great start and Duracell is headed in the right direction. I would recommend that everyone who relies on their phone to go and get one.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Battery, Power

Duracell Instant Charger Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 14, 2009 at 10:39 am.

Duracell’s Pocket Charger is for those who have places to be or are on the go, but never remember to charge up their cell-phone or digital camera like a responsible person – just kidding. We’ve all been there without juice, panicking about how we need to check our email for the 50^th time. Now you can just pop out your pocket charger, give the cell a hit of juice, and slink it right into your hip pocket when you’re done.

I had a spare Blackberry curve lying around, and I gave the cute lil’ pocket charger a spin.  I juiced up the pocket charger on my computer for about an hour. Obviously, if you forget to charge the charger, then the product is useless. When the pocket charger charges itself the device glows amber and goes green when fully charged.  Thankfully, it charges up rather quickly and because it has an on/off switch, you can charge it up and forget about it until you need it.

After the pocket charger charged, I turned it on and plugged it into the blackberry. The blackberry had two bars at the time. I sat and let the pocket charger work its magic. After letting it go for about an hour, the pocket charger brought the curve up to a full charge.

On a dead blackberry, the pocket charger will zap you up around two bars. Great if you really need your phone in a pinch. Although, the the backup charger can help you out in a tight situation, it can’t go from zero bars to full  because it doesn’t have enough power to get the phone fully charged. Once used, you have to plug it back into the computer to give the pocket charger a full charge.

The device doesn’t have a lot of buttons and inputs to mess with. All you see is a simple on/off switch and a mini-usb port. That’s it. Pretty simple set up and easy to use. Fits right in the palm of your hand, easy to slip in your pocket or purse. Box comes with the device, directions and a mini-usb cable.

Apple users beware. If you use an iPhone, iPod Touch or practically any Apple device the Duracell pocket charger isn’t going to be of much assistance since it only boasts a mini-usb connector. Duracell does make alternative pocket charger that does work with ipods: iPod Pocket Charger & it uses two AA batteries instead of the lithium rechargeable technology utilized within this pocket charger.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Battery, Charger, Duracell

Duracell Pocket Charger: Take it Wherever You Go originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 3, 2009 at 2:30 pm.

The iBoost is a lithium powered rechargeable iPhone battery extender that has a whopping 3000mAh capacity (are there bigger capacity iPhone batteries out there?). It will extend your talk time 8.5hrs, online time 8.5hrs and video playback time 40hrs. It looks a little bulky, but it would be great for flights or long car rides. You can grab one for $75.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: Battery, Spotlight Gadgets

3000mAh Rechargeable Battery Pack for the iPhone – iBoost originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 24, 2009 at 3:38 pm.

Dexim is announcing the new P-Flip Foldable Power Dock product line. The P-Flip is the world’s first foldable, portable, multi-functional and rechargeable power dock compatible with the latest iPod and iPhone models. The P-Flip has a 2000mA Lithium Polymer Battery that is capable of extending talk time up to eight hours, video time up to 15 hours, or audio playing time up to 80 hours. Users can flip the compact dock horizontally or vertically for hands-free video viewing or fold it for easy storage while ensuring. It’s available now for $54.95.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: Battery, iPhone, iPod, Spotlight Gadgets

Dexim Folding Power Dock for the iPhone and iPod originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 22, 2009 at 3:05 pm.

Anyone who has owned an iPhone for even a short period of time can tell you that its biggest flaw — or at least, the biggest flaw that isn’t directly related to the carrier — is its frustratingly insufficient battery life, especially compared to standard mobile phones.  The typical solution for most users is to either switch off services such as Wi-Fi, 3G or Bluetooth when they aren’t being used, or to simply charge the iPhone one or more times during the course of the day.  I rarely use my iPhone as an actual phone, and I still find myself running the battery down below 20% during an average day if I don’t take the time to recharge it at least once.  I’m not always in a position where I can sit around and wait for my iPhone to charge, however, and that’s precisely the problem that Griffin Technology‘s PowerDuo Reserve is intended to solve.

You may recall that Griffin had previously released a car charger and a home AC charger called the PowerJolt and PowerBlock, respectively.  Each of these chargers had a single standard USB port and included a USB to Apple dock connector cable allowing you to charge any of the iPod models, from the Shuffle to the iPod Touch.  Griffin has now replaced these with the PowerJolt Reserve and the PowerBlock Reserve, omitting the included USB to dock connector cable and replacing it with a rechargeable battery pack.

Battery pack docked in the PowerJolt Reserve

You can purchase the PowerJolt Reserve and the PowerBlock reserve separately, or you can purchase them together as the PowerDuo Reserve.  The major difference between buying the individual packages and buying the PowerDuo pack is that the latter includes only one battery pack to share between the two chargers.  If you anticipate needing to keep a charged battery pack in two different places, or you simply would prefer to have two battery packs charged and ready at any time, you may want to consider buying the separate packages.

The styling of the chargers has changed pretty significantly since the previous versions, both now employing a theme of shiny black plastic and rounded right-angles that is far more in line with the Apple aesthetic.  The PowerJolt Reserve features chrome trim around the area where the battery pack is docked, which not only makes it a better match for the decor of most modern automobile interiors, but it also serves to make the area more visible in a darkened vehicle.  It’s a minor feature, but it makes the device just that much easier to use, and serves as a further indicator of the kind of thought that went into the design of the product.

Speaking of both small details that I love and design cues wisely borrowed from Apple, all three pieces of this kit (PowerJolt, PowerBlock, and battery pack) have a small magnet built into the housing, making charging the battery pack as simple as putting it approximately in the right place on one of the chargers.  Get the pack within roughly half an inch of its home, and it jumps right into place, just like the MagSafe plugs on modern MacBooks.  The amount of magnetic pull is just right, too; removing the battery pack from the charger doesn’t threaten to dislodge the charger from the wall socket or your car’s accessory plug, but it holds it well enough that the pack will stay in place through all but the most violently bumpy driving.  Since the charging takes place via two metal contacts on either side of the battery pack dock connector, this also saves wear and tear on the dock connector itself, potentially extending the life of the entire system.

The battery pack itself is about an inch and a half tall (including the dock connector), and just under two inches wide, so it’s easily pocketable, roughly two-thirds the size of a Zippo lighter.  The front of the pack is finished in soft-touch plastic, so it doesn’t easily scuff, is basically immune to fingerprints, and is easy to grip when plugging it into or removing it from an iPod/iPhone or one of the chargers.  A single slightly-recessed button allows you to check the battery level via a set of five green indicator lights.  It’s worth noting that this button doesn’t do anything if the pack isn’t plugged in; if you press the button while it’s disconnected, nothing happens.  The first time I pressed the button and got no response from the battery level lights, I presumed that the battery pack was dead, and only discovered otherwise when I plugged it in again to charge.  I suppose this is to prevent accidental button presses from running the battery down, but it would certainly be nice to be able to check the battery level without plugging it in to anything.  The charging process seems to take a couple of hours, and the battery level lights are illuminated throughout the process to reflect the extent to which the battery has been charged.  The base of the dock connector on the battery pack sticks out just a couple of millimeters from the body of the battery pack, no doubt to allow it to be used with all but the thickest of protective sleeves or cases.  I keep my iPhone in one of Griffin Technology’s Clarifi cases, and the case and the battery pack don’t even make contact when the pack is plugged into my iPhone.

Battery pack charging the iPhone 3G

Of course, the most important question here is, “how much power can I get out of the battery pack?”  To test this , I charged the battery pack fully and ran my iPhone down until it would no longer power on.  I plugged in the battery pack until it had exhausted its power supply, and took note of both the charging time and the iPhone battery life reported by one of the many battery life apps in the App Store.  In my tests, I found that the pack would charge the iPhone for 35-40 minutes before it was completely drained, and this was generally sufficient to bring the iPhone battery to just over half capacity.  I did also note that the first few lights on the battery pack went out pretty quickly, and the last light seemed to last considerably longer, so the lights may not be a completely accurate measure of the amount of power remaining in the battery pack.

So is there anything that could be improved about the PowerDuo Reserve?  Sure.  The iPhone isn’t exactly pocketable while the battery pack is plugged into it.  While you probably could physically cram the whole thing into your pocket, I would be worried about snapping the battery pack connector off inside the iPhone.  Second, the dock connector on the battery pack is completely exposed while it’s not plugged into something.  This hasn’t proven to be a problem in day-to-day use for me, but if a lifetime of gadget ownership has taught me anything, it’s that any nook or cranny, if not properly protected, will eventually become stuffed with pocket lint.  Some kind of protective cap for the battery pack would have been nice.  The size of the battery pack might also prove to be problematic for owners of certain devices.  The pack is wide enough that it will block the headphone jack of both the iPod Nano and the iPod Touch, making either of those devices of limited usefulness while they charge.  Finally, the omission of the USB to dock connector cable is a bit frustrating.  While it’s true that most iPhone or iPod owners who have bought a charging accessory in the past probably have at least one extra cable lying around, cables are cheap, and I can’t imagine that including one would have significantly increased the price of the package. If I had lost my Apple charger and cable and bought the PowerJolt, PowerBlock, or PowerDuo Reserve to replace it, it would be pretty frustrating to get home and discover that I also needed to buy a separate cable.

Overall, Griffin Technology has put together a pretty solid set of hardware with the PowerDuo Reserve.  While there are certainly other portable battery packs that provide considerably more power, no other battery pack is as easy to charge as this one.  No cables to plug in, no lining up connectors, just drop it in to charge and pull it out when you need it.  Furthermore, most other battery packs require their own dedicated charger, while the PowerDuo Reserve system serves as both a battery charger and iPhone/iPod charger combined.  The PowerBlock Reserve has replaced my original Apple charger as my default charger both at home and for travel.  If your regular iPhone use is such that you could probably survive a full day if the iPhone battery had just 50% more capacity, and if you need that extra power to be portable and rechargeable just about anywhere you are, the PowerDuo Reserve is probably just what you’re looking for.  If you need far more power than the standard iPhone battery provides, though, you might want to consider one of the more capacious offerings out there.

Filed in categories: Car Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Travel Gear

Tagged: Battery, Charger, iPhone accessory, iPod accessory

Griffin Technology PowerDuo Reserve Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 12, 2009 at 1:12 pm.

There are a bazillion companies selling external battery chargers for the iPhone and other USB enabled devices. This power packs are really convenient when you’re away from your computer or a wall outlet and your favorite gadget is low on juice. But it seems like most of them are pretty bulky and expensive. I just spotted the Lenmar PowerPort Mini USB Any Where Charger for the iPhone and it looks like it might be a nice alternative. It can offer an additional 600mA of power in a small package (2.2 x 1.4 x 0.4 in). It can be found at Amazon for less than $14.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: Battery, Power, Spotlight Gadgets

Extra power for your iPhone without extra bulk – Lenmar PowerPort originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 6, 2009 at 3:30 pm.

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been carrying the Artwizz Powerbat around in my gear bag.  I’ve already had the pleasure of reviewing the Artwizz Woodphones, which I really liked, so I’ve got high expectations for this product.

Basically, it’s an external battery that you can use to charge up your kit (iPhone, iPod, MP3 players or USB support Mobile phones) ‘on-the-go’ whether you’re on a plane, train or in the car, without the hassle of switching on your laptop.  When you’re back at home or in the office, you charge the Powerbat using your PC/Laptop and once fully charged this allows you to charge your kit on the go.

Specifications

• Capacity: 2000mAh / 5v
• External Lithium-Ion Rechargable Battery
• Input: Mini USB  5v / 500mA
• Output: USB DC 5v / 500mA  (Max: 8WH)
• High Quality battery that retains full power capacity even after many, many charge cycles
• Integrated surge protection
• Smart LED Power Indicator and Full Charge Auto Shutoff

First Glance

The Powerbat is packed extremely well.  The packaging is the same as you get with the Artwizz Woodphones and you can see it quite well through the clear window of the packaging.  You get a good idea of it’s size and indeed, how light it is!

So, what’s in the box?

• 1 x ‘Powerbat’ External Li-Ion rechargeable battery
• 1 x 3.5 mm jack on mini USB ‘A male plug’ (cable)
• 1 x USB ‘A male’ plug for 3.5 mm jack adapter
• 1 x Velvet Carry bag
• Instruction Sheet

In Use

The Powerbat is very slim and doesn’t take up hardly any space at all, so keeping it handy on your desk or in your bag is easy!  It’s very straight forward to charge your kit and this is made even easier, as Artwizz have kindly pre-charged the battery for immediate use out of the box.  There is a simple but effective, range of bright blue LED bars showing the current battery power.  By pressing the battery ‘check’ button you can see current charge of the Powerbat.

As the battery is already charged for you, all you have to do is press the ‘Check’ button on the front  in order to prime the battery prior to using it.  You need to do this everytime you need to charge a device.   The battery indicator bars flash for a few seconds, showing the amount of power available.

If need be, charge the Powerbat first.  If not, simply plug in either your devices own USB cable to the USB Output port on the back of the Powerbat (i.e. I plugged in the dock for the iPod Shuffle) or use the cable and attach the mini USB cable to your device.  Then, simply leave your device to charge.

As I only use the iPod Shuffle, we’re not talking massive amounts of power required for a full charge, so it only took a approximately 15 minutes and I was listening to my favourite tunes again.  So, I also tested it using my Blackberry 8820.  The battery in the blackberry is the standard 3.7 volt, so I waited until the battery warning message flashed on the handset, plugged in the device and waited for it to charge.

The Powerbat managed to charge the blackberry battery to around 3/4 full before it stopped charging.  However, I think if the Powerbat had a FULL charge on it (As I had used it to charge my iPod Shuffle), it would easily charge the blackberry to full capacity.

Charging the Powerbat

In order to charge the Powerbat itself, you simply plug in the mini USB attachment to input port, plug in the USB cable to your PC or Laptop and within around 40 minutes the battery is fully charged again, ready for use.

I would say the only downside is that the USB cable is a curly ‘telephone’ style cable (shown below) so the battery needs to sit quite close to your PC/Laptop during a charge.  You can of course stretch it right out, although maybe it would’ve been a better idea to use a straight cable in the first place?

Also, as it is a battery, I would suggest applying the normal ‘discharge & recharge rules’ (i.e. Using all available power, prior to recharging it again).  Although the instruction manual doesn’t state that you have to do this, I apply it to all my battery powered products.   It simply helps to prolong the life of the battery.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Artwizz Powerbat delivers exactly what is promises.  It’s a nicely designed, lightweight external battery that does exactly what it says on the box.  Also, at €39.99 (Approx $57) it’s well priced, against other USB batteries available on the market.

Don’t get me wrong though, there are other USB batteries on the market that can deliver just as well as this, some offering even more power.  However, the more power they have, typically the more they cost.   So, in terms of value for money linked with performance, Artwizz have produced an excellent product!

Would I have one?  Definitely!  The product looks great, the price is right and it performed very well in testing, so it will certainly have a place in my gear bag from now on!

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Battery, Power

Artwizz Powerbat Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 27, 2009 at 7:29 pm.

The Dexim BluePack S3 packs a rechargeable 2600mAh battery into a relatively smallish package. It will extend your iPhone, iPod, Blackberry for up to 10 hours talking time,12 hours video playing time or 72 hours music playing time. It even has a built in LED flash light. It’s available now at Richardsolo.com for $89.95. The price listed on Dexim’s site is $69.90 though, so I’m not sure which is correct.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: Battery, Power, Spotlight Gadgets

2600mAh of extra juice for your iPhone or Blackberry originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 3, 2009 at 12:12 pm.

Sleek. That is the word that seems to describe the Tekkeon MP3700 “myPower ALL Plus with Auto Detect” portable power unit the best. Boasting a smooth, nicely curved, shiny form with a simple button and LEDs on the top, this is one sharp-looking peripheral. Just looking at it, I knew this was going to be an exciting review.

The Portable Power Unit is a rechargeable battery for laptops and other portable electronics. The site claims about a 3.5 hour life for your laptop from the 50 watt-hour rechargeable lithium polymer battery for laptops, etc. This version is a ‘smart device’, so it will automatically provide the right output voltage to the devices being charged. The ‘plus’ is that it can charge two devices at once- a laptop and an MP3 player, for example. It claims about a 42 hour life for MP3 players or 60 hours of talk for mobile phones.

Most of the features and functions of the MP3700 are pretty typical. The top features a smooth black surface interrupted by a nicely designed grey button that, when pressed, shows the charging level on a row of blue LEDs underneath it. Three of the sides and the back have no special features. The ‘bottom’ edge is where the real work is done. There is a proprietary three-pin power port that we will discuss later, the power on/off switch and a red LED, the main output jack, a USB port, and the charging port with indicator LED.

The working end, with the USB adapter

Sleek form factor

The MP3700 comes with a lot of parts: a leatherette slipcover with a cut out for the button and LEDs, eight ‘output tips” (similar to those in a Radio Shack adapter), a retractable USB cord with a tip holder on the other end, a coiled cord for the main power jack with a tip holder on the other end, five “input tips”, a mini-USB tip, a velvet-like drawstring pouch for the tips and parts, and instructions.

Input and output tips

Unpacking the myPower is nothing special, except that the tips tended to jump all over the place. My unit arrived mostly, but not completely charged, which is typical for Lithium batteries- always charge this sort of thing fully before use. A quick Gadgeteer Creak Test showed that the unit is solidly built.

Charging the myPower is the first interesting element. You can charge it via a solar panel shown in the instructions (but I could not locate it on the website), or, the interesting option- using your laptops power cord! By adding the right “output tip” to your laptop’s charging tip, it fits the myPower charging port perfectly and lets you charge up without any other cords. Cool idea! It takes about four hours to fully charge the unit.

The “output cord” is a coiled wire about a foot long stretched out. The “input tips” fit on it easily, a D-shaped connection making it easy to line things up correctly and ensure the right polarity… which needs to be ‘tip positive’. (If your device is not tip positive, contact Tekkeon for help.) The unit came with the right tips for my Fujitsu Lifebook T4010 and my wife’s laptop- but not for my new HP Mini 1000. All of the parts seem to fit nicely and appear well made.

To charge a typical laptop, you just turn the myPower on, plug in the proper cords, and go! The results are pretty impressive. My Fuji has older batteries that do not hold a charge well. I ran them down to about 13 minutes remaining- low battery warnings going off and everything. I plugged in the myPower and I quickly had over an hour of time left. It did not register as being plugged into AC power, and the battery icon does not show that it is charging. The ‘remaining time’ seems to fluctuate based on what I am doing, which is what we would expect to see. The actual battery pack is small enough and the cord is long enough that it sits near the laptop nicely. I find myself thinking about adding Velcro dots to the laptop’s top and the myPower so it can just cling to the open lid. If I needed the battery more often, I think I would do it.

Screen shot of the Fuji's power meter with the myPower. Don't trust the 'time remaining' when idle.

The claim of 3.5 hours seems accurate for a laptop turned on and just sitting, but it drops to about 1.5-2 hours doing simple jobs like word processing, playing simple games, etc. and under an hour if it is spinning the CD drive much, like watching videos, etc. This is pretty predictable- the more things actually move (fan, drives, etc.), the more power is used. Overall, I was pleased with the battery performance. You can double the battery life by adding a ‘backpack’ battery pack- the MP3450-10. The extended battery pack includes a pair of ‘caps’ that hold the MP3700 and MP3450 securely together, and they connect via the proprietary 3-pin jack mentioned above. (Supposedly, a solar panel can fit the plug as well.)

The ‘Plus’ in the name refers to the USB port on this version of the myPower. This port allows you to plug smaller electronics directly in to charge, or you can use a retractable cord and adapter tips available for most devices. Other than the included mini-USB tip, few of the other tips seem to work for most small devices, but they have lots of them on-line.

The myPower ALL Plus MP3700 is a great tool for the road warrior. Nicely sized, attractively designed, easy to use, and offering a good battery life, I highly recommend this product. From a portability viewpoint, all you need to carry is the myPower, the right input tip, and the input cord (a little more if you are going to charge two things at once). Toss in a charging cord (your laptop’s or an AC or auto adaptor) for longer trips and you are good to go.

All is not perfect with it, however. The gorgeous housing looks like someone chopped off the real bottom and replaced it with a rather plain panel- not ugly, but not as sleek. The leatherette slip cover looks and feels cheap and the velveteen tip bag is just plain silly and too small. A nice zippered nylon case, like a fitted ‘camera’ case, would seem to have been a better choice for the $150 price tag. I just carry the needed tips in my gear bag.

Slip cover and small parts bag

The labeling of the tips bugs me. The tips work in pairs- input and output. It would be so simple to label them in similar ways, but the numbering process seems almost random. As an example, for my Mini I need to order input tip #PA-N01 and output tip #BM-AF? Not only that, but I cannot find the BM-AF tip in their catalog- searches refer me to tip #PA-L47F. It looks OK, but there are almost no specs listed with most tips to help me know if it is the right one or not. Oh, and to find the right adapter for this, I had to contact the company- it is not shown on the compatibility charts. They responded quickly and politely- although not being able to find the number they gave me in the catalog worries me. (It does show up in some versions as an alternate number.) Oh- and the S&H for a UPS Ground shipment of 2 tiny tips, total cost of $10.90, that could be mailed in a regular envelope? $10.94- yes, shipping is more than the cost of the tips.

The way the tips are listed is really annoying, they seem to be listed by part number, but the part number is only shown on a few tips on the screen, and many tips are described only by far too generic labels. Arrgh! Here is the page to see for yourself.

Looking for the tip for my Palm Centro, I find several tips called ‘Palm adapters’, all of which claim to ‘fit certain PALM devices’- not very helpful. One of them looks right (PA-A11), but the reference chart says I need one that only seems to come in a pack of 3 different Palm tips. 3 tips! What is the logic here? Most people buying a tip for the Centro or Palm TX also have 2 other older devices to charge as well??? Tip prices range from $2.95 to $4.95 for most tips. Why would I spend $6.95 for a set of three tips that I only need one of??? I have given up trying to find the right tip to charge my Apple iPod. For crying out loud, the site lists 23 hits when you search for ‘iPod’ on the site- but no tips that seem to work with the 3700. I’ll just use typical USB cords for these devices even though I was hoping to cut down on the number of cords in my bag.

Frustrations aside, this is a good device, slightly marred by a few minor touches and a website and numbering system that needs some rethinking.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Battery, charging, Laptop, Power

Tekkeon’s “myPower ALL Plus” MP3700 External Laptop Battery Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 11, 2009 at 5:01 am.