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PowerSkin Pop'n a fresh look at an external iPhone battery pack
PowerSkin, that company with the logo that looks like some sort of alien facehugger, today announced the Pop'n (US$79.99), a 2,000 mAh external battery pack that is touted as one of the first MFi (Made For iPhone)-certified iPhone 5 external charging solutions. The Pop'n doesn't require a protective case of any sort to take away from the natural beauty of the iPhone 5. Instead, it sticks to the back of your phone using a grid of 24 small suction cups. If you do happen to use a case, those same suction cups can stick the Pop'n onto the outside of the case. Pop'n's rather thin -- 10 mm at the thickest point -- and weighs only 86 grams. The idea of the Pop'n is that you don't have to carry around that weight all the time just to have some extra battery power at hand. Instead, once your iPhone 5 has been recharged you can just pop the Pop'n off. The Lightning connector for the iPhone 5 is on the end of a flexible cable that extends from the bottom of the Pop'n to the Lightning port. The pack is currently available in black and white, with red and pink versions coming within a few weeks. We'll have a full review and giveaway of the Pop'n in the near future.
Mophie ships Juice Pack Helium, gives iPhone 5 a 6-hour shot in the arm
Although Mophie isn't the first to have an iPhone 5 battery case, there's no doubt that some have been waiting for the company's take -- and it might justify the patience. The just-launched Juice Pack Helium slides a 1,500mAh secondary battery on to the back of Apple's flagship in a protective frame that's 13 percent thinner than earlier Mophie cases, but still promises a hefty amount of extra runtime. Mophie estimates another six hours of cellular calling and data (seven on WiFi), or about enough to push through an all-nighter or a long airport layover. Color-coordinating black and silver versions of the Helium are shipping from the 14th onwards for about $80. That's lot for something so model-specific, but it's possibly the sleekest way to extend an iPhone 5's charge. [Thanks, Nik]
CES: Moshi shows off the Ion Bank battery pack, and other new wares for 2013
Moshi is back on the floor of CES this year in Las Vegas, and the accessory manufacturer kindly took a few moments to show us the latest and greatest for 2013. As you might imagine, the biggest innovation in the overall lineup is the Lightning adapter: Moshi's rep told us that the company has been working hard to try and pass all of the certifications necessary for Apple's new cable format, but it hasn't been a quick journey. Nevertheless, Lightning is coming for Moshi, and it's hoping to include that tech in a brand-new power pack, called the Ion Bank. The pack, which should arrive sometime in the second quarter of 2013, is designed to provide up to 10,000 mAh of power to your iOS device, which Moshi says is about four charges on an iPhone, or two and half on the iPad. The Ion Bank uses a lithium-polymer battery, too, so it's a very high quality build, matched with a very stylish exterior of aluminum. The Bank hasn't been officially priced yet, but it should be around US$100, according to Moshi, when it launches this year. Moshi's also offering a new version of its memory card reader, called the Cardette. Version 3 of the reader will feature USB 3.0 capabilities, along with slots of all of the usual memory cards you need to read. The Cardette version 3 should also be available in a month or two, and it'll start out at $49.99. Finally, Moshi told us that the company's Thunderbolt cables are also on the way soon -- like Lightning, the company has taken its time on getting them through all of the necessary certification processes, but they're almost ready. The cables will include the generation 2 chip, which is the latest and greatest from Apple's production lines, and should be available for $49 in six to eight more weeks, we were told. Moshi's been making accessories and cases for quite a while now, and they don't skimp on quality one bit. We'll keep an eye out for these later on this year.
PowerMonkey keeps your iPhone charged off the beaten path
Over the holidays I tried out several external battery packs for the iPhone. One of my more favorite ones is the Powermonkey Discovery. Made by Powertraveler, the Powermonkey Discovery is a slim and light battery pack weighing a slight 107 grams and just 46 x 13 x 114mm in size. Inside you'll find a 3500mAh lithium-polymer battery. The battery is enough to charge an iPhone two times when the Powermonkey is fully juiced. The external casing of the Powermonkey is what really (ahem) shines, though. It's made of a polished aluminum that almost looks like a silver bar you'd find on a pirate ship. The unit has six LED lights at the top. When all are lit green, the Powermonkey is full charged. When the last light is lit red, it's time to charge up the Powermonkey again. Like similar battery packs, you charge the Powermonkey by simply plugging it into your computer's USB port. The Powermonkey Discovery I tested comes with the unit itself, one USB connection cable, and a travel pouch. It also comes with a standard dock cable and five additional adapter tips for Blackberry, HTC, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, LG and Motorola devices as well as mini- and micro-USB cables. The adapters are a nice touch as you could charge multiple devices (including PSPs) from a single battery pack. The Powermonkey Discovery is UK£45 (about US$72).
Timbuk2 Power Commute carries your gadgets, keeps 'em charged for $199 (hands-on)
If you're like us, every one of your mobile devices could use a performance boost in one crucial area: battery life. Timbuk2 saw the exigency to keep phones, tablets, PMPs and cameras in the juice, and aims to meet that need with the Power Commute messenger bag announced earlier this year. And now you, dear reader can pick one up starting today for $199 from REI or through Timbuk2's website. Before you rush off to part with a pair of Benjamins for the bag and its waterproof Joey T1 portable power source, however, read on for our hands-on impressions.
Satechi Portable Energy Station 10000: The Strategic Reserve for your devices
If you need portable power and don't want to spend a fortune, then you should take a closer look at Satechi's US$60 Portable Energy Station 10000. The portable charging unit packs a high-capacity 10,000 mAh battery with 2A output that'll charge an iPad and an iPhone at the same time. Design The Satechi Portable Energy Station 10000 has a long, rectangular shape with glossy black surfaces and aluminum trim on the sides. It's not pocketable, but does fit in a purse, small bag or briefcase. The Portable Energy Station 10000 includes two USB ports on the side of the device, so you can charge two devices at once. The sides are also home to a mini-USB charging port that is used to recharge the power pack and a single power button that you can use to turn off the battery when you are not using it. On the front of the device are five, blue-colored LEDs that tell you the charge status of the battery. The LEDs are bright enough for you to see, but subtle enough that you can use the device on your desk and not be distracted by the blue flash. The build quality of the Portable Energy Station 10000 is decent for the price. It does feel plasticky in your hand, but it's a hard plastic that doesn't creak or bend when you touch it. The device also has some heft thanks to the robust battery inside, but it won't weigh you down. The aluminum fared pretty well in my testing, but the black glossy surfaces scratched easily. I wasn't harsh with the device, but I did use it in my car, at my desk and carried it in the main compartment of my Maxpedition bag when I was out and about. After about a week of using it regularly, the device had a fair number of scratches. Functionality The Satechi is a portable power station and includes two USB ports to power your device. One of those ports delivers a standard 1A output that'll charge your iPhone or iPod touch. The other port delivers 2A and will charge an iPad. If you have both an iPad and iPhone, you can charge both at once. Charge times for devices were acceptable, with a fully discharged iPad 3 reaching a full charge in about eight hours. The iPhone 4S also took a little over two hours to charge from a fully discharged state to 100 percent. When you have two devices connected, charge times were slower, but the convenience of being able to charge two devices at once outweighs the slight increase in charge time. The Satechi was also excellent at letting you use your device while charging. With both the iPhone 4S and the iPad 3, I was able to trickle charge my iOS device while using WiFi, GPS, a web browser and a music player. Depending on your usage, the Satechi also lasted for several charge cycles. One more than one occasion, I charged my iPad to an acceptable level and then handed the Satechi to my husband who used it to charge his iPhone while he was away for the morning. When he returned, I could then finish off the iPad charge cycle and still have 20 percent left on the power pack. Once the Satechi's battery is depleted, it takes several hours to recharge the internal 10,000 mAh battery. One useful feature of the Portable Energy Station 10000 is the LED charging meter on the front of the device. The meter includes five blue LEDS and each LED is equal to 20 percent battery capacity. When the Satechi is charging a device, the lights will flash in a pattern that shows you the battery pack is on and charging. The Portable Energy Station 10000 also flashes the current battery capacity, so you know if it is full (all five LEDs) or almost empty (one LED). Though useful, the power status of the Satechi was sometimes difficult to read as the light from one of the blue LEDs would bleed over into the next one. You don't notice the bleed over when the power pack is at full or near full capacity. When the power pack drained to 20 percent, though, you had to look closely to confirm it was just one and not two lights flashing. You can tap the power button and it will pause the charge and show the current battery capacity. Tap the button again and the charging will continue. The power button also lets you turn off the Satechi, which is useful for maintaining the charge state of the power pack. In my testing, I could power off the Satechi for over a week and it held its charge. The Portable Energy Station 10000 works with iOS devices as well as other mainstream phones and tablets. The Portable Energy Station 10000 comes with a USB cable and USB wall adapter that you use to recharge the power pack. This cable has replaceable ends and can be used to charge devices when it is plugged into the Energy Station 10000. The package ships with six charging tips including a 30-pin connector, mini-USB and micro-USB. There's also a soft bag that'll hold the charger and its accessories. Conclusion Satechi's Portable Energy Station 10000 is an excellent addition to a traveler's arsenal of gadgets. It's not too bulky and delivers an impressive amount of power for charging multiple devices. It will save your hide when you need a quick charge while you are out and about. It's also perfect for trips which require you to be away from a power source for an extended period of time. Pros The Portable Energy Station 10000 fits easily in a bag, charges your iPhone and iPad at the same time and includes charging tips for other devices. It also lasts a long time and holds its charge over time, so you can charge a device multiple times before you have to recharge the power pack. Cons In my usage, the surfaces of the Portable Energy Station 10000 scratched easily. The power status of the Satechi was sometimes difficult to read as the light from one of the blue LEDs would bleed over into the next one. Who is it for? iPhone and iPad owners who travel or work in the field and need a reliable power source wherever they go. %Gallery-167571%
Mophie readies Galaxy S III Juice Packs, coming very soon
If you thought Mophie was planning to keep its smartphone Juice Packs exclusively Apple-based -- we'd have probably agreed with you. But then we got to take a look at this pair of cases crafted for Samsung's Galaxy S III. Yep, the battery-packing cover (which looks likely to fit all the current iterations) promises to give "over double the battery life" of your un-augmented handset. This was just a brief peek -- but expect the (as-yet unpriced) cases to appear in stores around the end of October, early November.
Exogear's Exovolt Plus 'stackable' battery pack claims to be the first of its kind
We've seen (and tested) a fair share of interesting power packs during our time, and Exogear's hoping to make a mark of its own in this very juicy department with what the outfit's calling "the world's first" stackable battery pack. The newly minted Exovolt Plus consists of a main 5,200 mAh kit, which can then be paired -- or, in this particular case, stacked -- alongside a "Sub Battery" unit to create the ultimate portable charging station. One thing worth noting, though, is that each extra stack will be sold separately for nearly $50, while the essential Exovolt Plus is set to run at about $90 minus some change. Given its universal capabilities (30-pin, USB and micro-USB), something tells us the Exovolt Plus won't have trouble landing any suitors despite its somewhat hefty price tag. Still, you'll have to wait a little while before you can snag one of these, as it's currently listed as "coming soon," and its creator's yet to reveal when we can expect it to go on sale.
Ford, GE and University of Michigan team up on sensor to track EV battery life, keep us on the road
Believe it or not, EV battery life is still something of a Pandora's Box, even for automakers: they can tell you the battery pack's current and voltage, but not how it's really performing under pressure. Ford, GE and the University of Michigan are uniting to unlock that mystery through a new ARPA-E project. In its role, GE is developing a minuscule sensor array that will track the nuances of battery cells that existing technology misses; it will promptly hand the baton to researchers at the University of Michigan, who plan to both prove that GE's data is on the mark as well as develop tricks for predicting behavior. Ford handles the last mile, almost literally: it's planning to fit the GE sensor technology to one of its cars and test in a more realistic environment. Before you fantasize about knowing the lifespan of your Focus Electric's battery down to the minute, however, the new alliance is stressing that it's only just getting started -- there's another three years and $3.1 million to go before the project wraps up. If all goes according to plan, though, we'll have electric cars and plug-in hybrids that can not only tell when they've seen better days but can eke out extra miles through smarter battery designs.
Insert Coin: POP portable battery comes with 25,000 mAh of power, charges multiple devices (video)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. If you're a geeky pack rat who likes to travel with a mini Radio Shack store in your bag a la Steve Wozniak, then you're likely always looking for ways to keep your precious devices powered up. One option that may be worth a peek is the POP rechargeable battery -- a portable power pack that eschews the brick-like design of many of its brethren and comes with 25,000 mAh worth of juice to help bring your gadgets back to life. According to POP creator and Edison Jr. co-founder James Siminoff, the portable battery has enough capacity to charge either 10 standard smartphones or 1 1/2 third-generation iPad tablets.
mophie goes pro with new 2500 mAh juice pack PRO for iPhone 4/4S
Imagine an iPhone case that gives you not only a healthy 2500 mAh battery pack, but also all of the incredible protection you'd find in a LifeProof or OtterBox case. There's no need to fantasize about this ultimate iPhone case, because it's now available in the mophie juice pack PRO (US$129.95). Read on for a full TUAW review, and then stick around to enter our giveaway for this new case. Review mophie is grabbing bragging rights with the PRO, which has the largest battery pack they've ever built into one of their iPhone cases and exceeds MIL-STD 810G for splash, rain, sand, dust, impact and drop, and vibration and shock protection. Since you might not want to have this bulky (1.02 inches thick) case in your pocket, it comes equipped with a 360° rotating belt clip for hands-free carrying. The case itself is wrapped in a rubberized material for both good gripping and impact protection, with an internal hard shell that also includes integrated screen protection, a pass-through home button, and a watertight speaker cover. The juice pack PRO weighs 5.4 ounces without the belt clip; the clip adds another 2.3 ounces. %Gallery-160346% All of the ports have watertight seals that close over them, all that much better for keeping the iPhone dry when the rain is pouring down. It's not waterproof; you won't want to go scuba diving with your iPhone in a juice pack PRO. But if you spend a lot of time outdoors and want something that's going to keep your pride and joy safe in the rain or when you're scrambling up a mountain trail, this is the case for you. As with the other juice pack cases, charging of the battery pack is accomplished through a USB to micro-USB cable. In normal usage, the iPhone is charged first, with the battery pack being topped off next. The PRO also has the four standard white LEDs on the bottom to give you an idea of charge level (from personal experience, those LEDs also makes a great emergency flashlight). I use a mophie juice pack air and usually wait until my iPhone battery is below 10 percent of capacity before switching on the mophie's power. You can keep the mophie in standby mode like I do, or keep it on and let it supply all of the power to your iPhone. The juice pack PRO comes fully assembled, which gives you some good practice disassembling the device prior to first use. I found that it was easiest to pry the rubberized material away from the hard shell near the iPhone's volume button, and then work around the device pulling it off. Once that's done, pulling off the bottom of the hard shell (where the Dock connector resides) makes it easy to split the screen cover and battery pack apart. Reassembling the case with your iPhone does this in reverse order -- you "stack" the battery pack and your iPhone, then snap the screen cover and plastic shell down over the phone. Snap in the base, and then wrap the rubberized cover over it all, and you're ready to go. Conclusion mophie continues to come out with new products that are extremely well-built and functional, and the juice pack PRO is the latest example of the company's innovation. The juice pack PRO is a worthy competitor to the OtterBox Defender series in terms of protection, but adds a 2500 mAh battery to the mix that the Defender lacks. Pros Powerful battery pack can add hours to the use of your iPhone 4S MIL-STD construction provides protection from shock, drops, impacts, dust, splashes, and other mishaps Rubberized exterior is easy to grip, even with wet or sweaty hands Belt clip holds the case securely Cons Bulky, definitely not pocketable Can be a challenge to install and remove Who is it for? Anyone who wants the ultimate in protection for their iPhone 4/4S, but also wants additional battery life. This is the perfect case for anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors. Giveaway And now the thing you've all been waiting for -- the giveaway! To enter, just fill out the form below completely, and we'll pick a winner through a random drawing. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before July 15, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a mophie juice pack PRO valued at US$129.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Timbuk2 Power Commute and Power Q bags will juice your tech from here to...
Whether it's a tropical vision quest, or a summer jaunt in Europe, the well-traveled gadgeteer faces one eternal scourge -- power. Timbuk2 hears this, and has partnered with Joey Energy to bring you two new travel bags (the Power Commute and Power Q) with internal chargers. Okay, you don't need to have the crunch of sand underfoot to benefit from one of these, in fact, dashing across town will also be a much more liberated affair, knowing that you don't need benevolent weather, or have to pack a dedicated device. The power supply has been designed to deal with the rough and tumble of the outside world, and claims to power pretty much anything that charges over USB. The Joey T1 claims to be able to provide about two full mobile charges, and both of the new bags come laden with all the tech-hiding covey holes you'd expect, costing $199 when they launch in October.
Satechi introduces Portable Energy Station to add some power to your travels
Peripherals maker Satechi has introduced the Portable Energy Station, a 10,000 mAh battery that'll solve some of your power woes on the go. The 1 Amp USB port will recharge nearly all of your smartphones and PMPs, while a second 2 Amp port will maintain pace with your iPad or other hefty tablet. Despite that capacious battery, it's a slender 7.4 ounces and should tuck neatly into your bag -- once you've picked it up for $50, that is.
Sanho HyperJuice Plug solves the multiple iPad owner's power conundrum
One for fun, the other for work? If that's how you roll with your iPads, then you might be well trained in the art of battery juggling. If, however, you're not, or you just like to keep things tip-top at all times, then makers of fine accessories, Sanho, have the product for you. The company claims the HyperJuice Plug is the world's first 15,600 mAh portable battery pack that can recharge a brace of iPads at the same time -- complete with retractable wall plug for convenience. It's not just Apple's slates, of course, with pretty much all USB gadgets being able to mainline the 15 watts (sharable over two ports) of juice. The HyperJuice Plug launched this week at the Singapore PC show, and lands in six "juicy" colors, yours from an equally juiced up $129. Update: As some of you have pointed out $129 is the price for the 10,400mAh version, with the 15,600mAh device costing $159
Brookstone fuel cell USB charger to keep phones powered for two weeks, Engadget editors happy
If there's a pain that Engadget writers know all too well, it's running out of battery life for a smartphone when we need it most. Say, at a major trade show. That's why we're enthused to hear of an upcoming fuel cell USB charger that Lilliputian Systems is developing for Brookstone. The lighter fluid-filled tank should provide up to 14 full charges for your phone before you need to spend a few dollars to top up, or two weeks if you power up daily -- we'd call that about two CES' worth in our lingo. Better still, using a solid oxide membrane on silicon not only makes a long fuel cell runtime possible, longer than we've seen for methanol, but makes the phone-sized pack safe to carry on the airliners we ride entirely too often. Pricing has yet to be sorted out, but with Brookstone stores likely to start carrying the fuel cell before the end of the year, it should be ready just in time for our next big trip to Las Vegas.
Conversion kit lets you push your RAZR to the Maxx for $110
Let's pretend you went ahead and purchased a shiny new Motorola RAZR this past November. Now, just for the sake of argument, let's say Motorola -- only months later -- released a new version of that handset with a battery that had some pundits asking, 'where has this phone been my whole life?' Yeah, that happened. But if you've managed to overlook Moto's past transgression, and are willing to sink another $110 into your handset, you too can experience the battery that just won't quit. The Cellphone Repair Shop is hawking a kit that will outfit your plain old RAZR with genuine Motorola RAZR Maxx parts -- battery included. The site recommends that you send your handset to its repair facility for "professional installation," but we're sure some of you are up to the challenge. How about it, RAZR owners, are any of you tinkerers going to try and Maxx-out your handset?
Fisker plans to replace the battery packs on 640 Karma sedans
Fisker Automotive hasn't exactly had the smoothest of launches for its all-electric Karma sedan, and it's now been dealt yet another small setback. As Wired Autopia reports, Fisker now plans to replace the battery packs on nearly all of the Karmas that have rolled off the assembly line -- apparently due to the same issue that caused the car to break down during Consumer Reports' test of the car. That includes some 640 cars in all (up from 239 in an earlier recall), although Fisker notes that it has only seen the issue on a "handful" of vehicles. If you're the owner of one of those, you can expect to receive a notice in the next few days, along with a software update (unrelated to the recall) that promises improvements on everything form the powertrain to infotainment system.
Tesla to owners: Plug it in
EV maker Tesla has come under fire for allegations that its vehicles can be "bricked" when their batteries are completely discharged. Such instances require that the cells be replaced to the tune of $40,000, which doesn't sit well with folks who already forked over six figures to buy a Roadster in the first place. Tesla doesn't deny the charge (pardon the pun), but it does offer a common sense suggestion to avoid the problem: simply plug the car in. Tesla implies this danger is only likely for early adopters, and says it's also made strides to idiot-proof later vehicles with advanced warning systems -- Tesla 2.0 Roadsters can phone home to Tesla headquarters with a low juice alert, for example. Tesla documents safe battery charging practices in the owner's documentation, though, so here's an idea: if you're going to spend $109,000 on an electric sports car, maybe it's a good idea to RTFM (read the freaking manual).
Tesla Roadster EVs accused of 'bricking,' Tesla responds
Last night we were sent an interesting report about Tesla Roadsters falling into an unfortunate state -- a very terminal, very expensive state. According to theunderstatement a Tesla Roadster that is left to discharge completely, a process that could take many weeks, will need to have its entire battery pack replaced (pictured above) -- at a cost of approximately $40,000. There are said to be no countermeasures that can prevent this short of keeping your car topped up, and while that may sound simple enough, it becomes tricky if you need to put the thing in storage for a few months.While we haven't been able to confirm all the "several" supposed cases of this happening, we did hear back from Tesla issuing a statement (after the break) that more or less affirms this could happen. Tesla uses a number of so-called "countermeasures" to prevent this, up to and including a representative from the company calling the owner should a battery pack trail dangerously low. Worryingly, though, this situation is said to be possible in both the upcoming Model S sedan and Model X SUV. Here's to hoping for a little more clarity on this issue -- and maybe a solution -- before those two come to market.Update: Autoblog Green takes a closer look at the origins of this story.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sony PlayStation Vita charging accessories detailed in Japan
Sony's website now lists Japanese release dates and prices for two PS Vita power accessories that you're likely to need. The PCH-ZPC1 J portable charger is a 135g (4.8-ounce) unit that takes seven hours to charge to its full 5,000mAh capacity and is then good for around one and half charges of your console -- we reckon that'd equate to over 12 hours of mixed-use sessions or at least seven hours of solid gaming. It'll be out on April 5th for ¥4,500 ($60). Meanwhile, the PCH-ZCA1 J car charger will hit retailers a couple of weeks earlier on March 22nd priced at ¥1,500 ($20) -- and there's really not much more to say about it except that a dead Vita on a road trip would be both a travesty and an oxymoron. Oh, just in case it hasn't already been etched into your memory, February 22nd is launch day in the US and Europe.
