PortableBatteryCharger
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EE's Power Bar chargers aren't coming back
A little more than a year ago EE decided to give its customers free portable battery packs in the UK. The idea was solid enough -- everyone gets a "Power Bar" for free, and can swap them for a new, fully charged replacement in any EE store. Except, they were soon deemed a fire risk after one exploded while charging, leaving a medical student with a nasty burn. All of the Power Bars were eventually recalled and we were left wondering whether the scheme was gone for good. Turns out, it is.
Eton announces Boost line, lets you crank your way to a charged phone
Is your cell phone dead and there's nary an outlet in sight? It's not an issue if you're feeling zesty and also toting a BoostTurbine hand charger, which Eton just announced as part of its new portable charger lineup. The BoostTurbine2000 and 1000 model numbers denote the mAh of the batteries in each device, which can borrow volts from a conventional outlet, then transfer up to a full or half charge (respectively) to most smartphones. In a pinch, though, you can pop out the hand-crank and grab about 30 seconds of call time for each minute of sweat equity, according to the company (depending on your motivation, natch). The BoostTurbine2000 will set you back $59 while the 1000 model will run $49, and both are now available at Eton's store. The company also outed a new line of regular plug-in portable chargers -- it's all in the PR after the break.
Panasonic pimps portable power packs purportedly powering phones (and tablets)
Panasonic isn't letting any chocolate egg hangover delay its plans for global smartphone domination. It's releasing eight new external battery packs that'll power your smartphone and / or tablet. The biggest model in the series, the QE-QL301 packs a 10,260 mAh battery that claims to charge a handset four times over, or juice two at the same time (twice). The range also includes three wireless charging plates powered by Energizer's QI platform and, just to show that Panny's thought of everything: the dual-USB ports on some of the models come with a little LED light so you can even find them during night-time power-cuts.
