Powerbag introduces a ton of ways to charge just about everything

If there's one pain we know better than any at CES, it's the heartbreak of an empty battery. Powerbag feels our pain. The company has just launched a whole mess of ways to make sure your mobile gadgets don't lose their ever-precious charge. At the top of the list, of course, is the new Powerbag, the company's bread and butter. At tonight's CES kickoff event, it was showing off a messenger bag version of the product.

Not surprisingly, this carrier doesn't have the sort of cache of, say, a Crumpler bag. This is a big bag that charges up to four mobile devices at the same time -- it looks about as dorky as you'd suspect from such a product, but when it comes to the love of your mobile devices, sometimes such vanity has to go out the window, right? Among the upgrades to the line is a slimmer battery, for charging your devices on the go -- certainly a welcome change. You can pick a Powerbag up now for $140.

Also new is the myCharge Folio, an iPhone 4S case with a built-in USB cable that mimics the design of the Apple Smart Cover for the iPad and promises to double your battery life for $80. The $100 myCharge Duet also has a built-in USB cable and comes in two pieces, so you can slide off the battery, when you need the thing to be a little less bulky. The myCharge Concierge, meanwhile, is a portable charger with two USB ports for and an integrated car adapter that pops out. It'll run you $40.

The myCharge Scout runs the same, featuring an integrated USB cord and a proprietary Apple connecter. For $60, you can pick up the myCharge Quest, which packs in a USB cord, and connecters for Apple and microUSB devices.

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

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myCharge Portable Power Keeps CES Turned On

Fast Selling Hit of 2011 Unveils New Lightweight, On-the-Go Charging Systems for 2012, Extending Battery Life for Power-Hungry Digital Devices

LAS VEGAS and COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. - January 8, 2012 - It's a pathetic looking, yet predictable scene: tired souls lying on the hallway floors of the Las Vegas Convention Center during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) as they desperately plug their smartphones, tablets and other digital gear into wall sockets to revive dead batteries and help reconnect them to the outside world.

RFA Brands, innovators in portable power and makers of the ultimate survival tools for gadget lovers, will help CES attendees get up and go with myCharge®, a new collection of on-the-go, lightweight, extended battery packs with all connectors and cables built in to deliver instant power and offer up to double, triple or quadruple the run times for Apple®, LG®, HTC®, BlackBerry®, Samsung® smartphones, tablets and hundreds of other digital devices. RFA Brands will showcase its new line of myCharge products at CES in the North Hall, Booth #4610 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, January 10-13, 2012.

"It's so important to us to develop real solutions for today's always on-the-go, connected digital consumer," said Ron Ferber, President of RFA Brands. "We're excited to bring to market our expanded and even more versatile collection of myCharge Portable Power Bank products to make sure people can always keep their devices charged and ready to go."

A necessity in our digital society, the already popular collection of on-the-go charging packs now adds new designs to its roster, on sale beginning in April, including:
• myCharge® Folio
o 1300 mAh rechargeable battery case with built-in USB power-in cable o Matches the look and feel of the Apple Smart Cover, with a matte case and magnetic
closer o Doubles iPhone 4S battery life o Available in a variety of colors o $79.99 Retail
• myCharge® Duet o 1300 mAh rechargeable battery case with built-in USB power-in cable o 2-part design: ultra thin, protective iPhone case and custom fitting battery pack o Doubles iPhone 4S battery life o Includes 3 protective cases (black, white, blue) o $99.99 Retail
• myCharge® Flex o 1300 mAh rechargeable battery case with built-in USB power-in cable o Double injection case with silicone rubber ribbing o One-piece construction for quick phone removal/replacement o Doubles iPhone 4S battery life o Available in a variety of colors o $79.99 Retail
• myCharge® Concierge o Two USB ports to charge up to two devices simultaneously o Fully integrated, flip-out wall charger for ultra-fast charging o Integrated car adaptor o Compact for easy storage and travel o $39.99 Retail
In addition to the new products, RFA Brands has also updated the original myCharge Portable Power Banks to incorporate our exclusive "All-in-One" construction where all cords and connectors are already built into the individual models.
•myCharge® Scout
o 1000 mAh rechargeable battery pack provides up to 4 hours of talk time, 3 hours of Wifi 24 hours of music*
o Fully integrated USB cord to charge the power bank + integrated Apple connector to charge iPhone/iPod
o Available in a variety of colors o $39.99 Retail
myCharge® Quest
o 2000 mAh rechargeable battery pack provides up to 6 hours of talk time, 5 hours of Wifi and 34 hours of music*
o Fully integrated USB cord to charge the power bank + integrated Apple & micro-USB connectors to charge virtually all handheld devices
o Charge up to 2 devices simultaneously o Available in a variety of colors o $59.99 Retail
•Flip-out wall charger for ultra-fast charging o 3000 mAh rechargeable battery pack provides up to 12 hours of talk time, 10 hours of
Wifi and 69 hours of music* o Fully integrated USB cord to charge the power bank + integrated Apple & micro-USB
connectors to charge virtually all handheld devices o Charge up to 3 devices simultaneously o Tone & voice notifications in 12 languages o Available in a variety of colors o $79.99 Retail
myCharge® Voyager
o Flip-out wall charger for ultra-fast charging o 6000 mAh rechargeable battery pack provides up to 24 hours of talk time, 21 hours of
WiFi, 137 hours of music* o Fully integrated USB cord to charge the power bank + integrated Apple & micro-USB
connectors to charge virtually all handheld devices o Charge up to 3 devices simultaneously o Tone & voice notifications in 12 languages o Available in a variety of colors o $99.99 Retail

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POWERBAG, THE ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GEAR FOR THE DIGITAL AGE, GETS CARRIED AWAY AT CES

CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Award Honoree Puts Battery Power in the Bag

LAS VEGAS and COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. – January 9, 2012 – Out in the urban jungle, the tech gadgets we rely on most tend to let us down with batteries dying quicker than ever. The solution? Powerbag, a collection of backpacks, messenger bags, slings and more that charge mobile devices right in the bag.
RFA Brands, creators of Powerbag, will showcase its latest collections of stylish and functional bags with a built-in smart battery and pre-routed charging cables at the International Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 10-13, 2012, in North Hall, Booth #4610, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Powerbag was recently named a CES Innovations 2012 Award Honoree.
Powerbag is the ultimate charging system disguised as the coolest bag you'll ever use. Seamlessly integrated into every Powerbag is the exclusive universal smart-charging system, which powers mobile devices that can be charged using a USB cable, including iPad, iPhone, iPod and most leading smartphones, MP3 players, tablets, eReaders, Bluetooth headsets and more, right in the bag.
"Powerbag was created to provide a real solution to the fast growing collection of power-hungry digital devices all of us carry and rely on to stay connected to work, family and friends," said Ron Ferber, President of RFA Brands, creator of Powerbag. "Our new, expanded portfolio of Powerbag styles offers something for gadget lovers of all ages, from the student, to the business executive, to the young, creative urbanite who lives an always connected digital life."
How Powerbag Works:
• Powerbag comes with a built-in, lightweight, rechargeable and removable battery for "charge on the go" capability (3000 mAh, 6000 mAh or 9000 mAh batteries available). Plug your Powerbag into any standard wall outlet with the included AC adapter to recharge the internal battery.
• Connect up to four (4) mobile devices at a time using the included pre-routed connectors (1 micro, 1 mini, 1 Apple) and one USB port inside every Powerbag; keep devices connected or plug-in when you need more power.
• The exclusive, universal Powerbag smart-charging system will automatically detect the connected devices in the bag and send the right amount of power to optimally charge each one.
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• When plugged in, Powerbag will charge all connected devices first and then charge its own battery.
• Powerbag comes charged and ready to go for immediate use! New Powerbag Collections for 2012:
Powerbag will introduce several bags from its three collections this year, including:
• Urban Collection – For the young urbanite, these sleek bags accommodate everything for an on- the-go digital lifestyle, including special pockets for your tablet, cellphone and MP3 player. The collection will feature the Underground Backpack, Crosstown Messenger, and Rebel Backpack.
• Executive Collection – For the professional that values form and function, these bags are equipped with the latest in traveler conveniences like the TSA-friendly "Fly Flat" feature as well as a larger battery for extended use. This collection will host the Business Class Pack backpack, the Instant Messenger, Rolling Office and Business Class Case.
• Fūl Collection – Fūl designs stylish bags that appeal to a diverse set of shoppers and lifestyles from students to seasoned business professionals on-the-go. These bags house the ultimate charging system disguised as the coolest bag you'll ever use. Bags in this collection include the Deluxe Backpack, Backpack, Sling, Tablet Messenger, Messenger and Wheeled Briefcase.
Powerbag is available now starting at $139.99, at Best Buy, OfficeMax, QVC, F.Y.E., WirelessZone, Amazon.com, select college and airport stores, and at www.myPowerbag.com.