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Dell recalls hybrid laptop power adapters over shock risks
Dell's Hybrid Power Adapter is a clever way to keep your laptop running when you're far from a wall outlet, but some models pose a safety risk. The PC maker has issued a recall for versions of the combo power brick and battery bank made between January 2017 and March 2017 after 11 reports of them breaking and exposing their internal components, creating a shock risk. About 8,900 of the adapters are affected in the US, plus another 475 in Canada.
AT&T portable battery will charge both your Apple Watch and iPhone
Apple's AirPower charging mat may be a no-show, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck if you want a multi-device charger from a big-name brand. Entries at both the FCC and the Wireless Power Consortium have revealed that AT&T is working on the Power Drum, a portable wireless charger and battery bank meant to top up both an Apple Watch and a recent iPhone (or really, any Qi-compatible smartphone). While the concept isn't completely novel, it's very compact -- the biggest issue is the 3,000mAh battery, which could handle an overnight stay but not much more.
Mophie's latest portable battery can charge your laptop
If you've bought a smartphone in a carrier storefront, chances are you've been tempted to pick up a Mophie external battery. The brand has a range of power sources and wireless phone-charging cases, but they've previously been limited to the low voltage of devices. But no longer: The company's new product, the powerstation AC, is a $200 VHS tape-sized power brick that can charge laptops.
DxO's snap-on smartphone camera is coming to Android
DxO, the company best known for its lens and camera scores, is also behind one of the nicer smartphone-attached cameras out there, the $499 DxO One. Up until now, it has only supported the iPhone and iPad, but the company has revealed that it will soon release the DxO One Android via an early access program. It didn't give many details, other than saying it will attach to type-C USB connectors, so it'll likely only work with newer Android devices.
Thanks to USB Type-C, external MacBook batteries may finally arrive (update)
If you've been yearning for an external MacBook battery, you might soon be in luck. 9to5Mac reports Apple will finally allow companies to make battery packs and chargers for its devices, thanks to the newfangled USB Type-C connectors. The folks in Cupertino have typically frowned upon bricks that lend extra juice, and even sued HyperMac over using its MagSafe (and iPod) connector without permission. A redesigned USB port means that Apple wouldn't have to pass along the details of its charging tech to accessory makers. Of course, the new MacBook only wields one of these ports, and it's the only machine from Apple that sports it. There's no doubt that will change soon enough, and USB Type-C add-ons will tackle storage, a second display and more. Update: Some MagSafe-compatible options do indeed exist, like the BatteryBox. This accessory comes with clips that work with Apple's patented power connector, but the company says that it doesn't infringe on any intellectual property. With the switch to USB Type-C, though, we'll see even more options, perhaps from companies that are already making external iPhone batteries.
NomadPlus turns your iPhone's wall plug into an external battery
If you're tired of lugging around both an external battery pack and a power adapter to keep your iPhone running, today's your lucky day. Nomad (the company behind the ChargeCard) has started taking pre-orders for the NomadPlus, a 1,500mAh external battery that takes advantage of the Apple's official power plug to save space. Slide the charger in and you can top up your iPhone (or other low-power USB devices) with one peripheral, whether or not you're anywhere near a wall outlet. Logically, it will also recharge its own battery when plugged in. The gadget doesn't provide much energy on its own -- it will only bring an iPhone up to 70 percent -- but it should be enough to get you through a typical day.
EnerPlex Jumpr Slate is the thinnest lithium polymer battery money can buy
You know what you don't want? A fat external battery. Sure, you want one with plenty of juice to recharge your myriad mobile devices, but power packs with slim profiles are preferred. And EnerPlex has just the thing you need in the 6.7mm-thick Jumpr Slate. It's got two full-size and one micro-USB output ports, four LEDs to let you know how much (or how little) juice you have left, and it comes in 10,000 and 5,500mAh sizes pushing 2.4 amps. Both Jumpr Slates land at the end of the month, with the big boy costing $99 while the smaller version costs $59. Richard Lai contributed to this report.
Jackery outs Bar and Mini portable battery packs, aims to give power-hungry devices a boost
Mophie's Juice Packs are all the rage when it comes to giving a meaningful power boost to popular slabs like the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III, but let's not forget others outside that group may need some help, too. Here's where the California-based firm Jackery hopes to come in. The company's just introduced its Bar and Mini external batteries, touting rather portable and peculiar designs as some of the main features present. More importantly, both of the USB-equipped power packs are loaded with 5,600 and 2,600mAh, respectively -- and, according to Jackery, this is enhanced by the peripherals' ability to hold a charge for up to six months, thanks to the company's own "unique power lock technology." Jackery's 5.4-ounce Bar is available starting today for $40, while the more petite Mini (which weighs in at less than three ounces) can be yours for 10 bucks less than its heavier sibling.
PhoneSuit Power Core Micro: a tiny package that charges your iPhone
Given all that the iPad and iPhone can do, it's amazing their batteries last as long as they do. With that being said, and while I never worry about taking my iPad on a day trip without its charger, my iPhone 5 is a constant worry. I use Maps (Google Maps) heavily and am constantly reading and composing emails on the go. I'm also researching things on the web, composing articles in Pages, etc... Needless to say, it's usually not even 4 PM each day when my iPhone battery level is dangerously low. Since my office is mobile, I'm not always close to a power outlet to plug into. There are options like external battery packs, but most are generally so big and bulky I've eschewed them for a long time. Well, no more! I've since found the PhoneSuit Power Core Micro and now it goes everywhere my iPhone does. The PhoneSuit Power Core Micro is the smallest iPhone battery pack I have found to date. It measures just 85mm x 60mm x 15mm and weighs only 99 grams. Best of all it slips into my jacket pocket easily and it is so light that it's hard to remember I'm carrying it. The device itself has both a micro-USB and a regular USB port. The micro-USB port is used to charge the battery pack via the included micro-USB cable. The full USB port is used to charge your iPad or iPhone (or any other device that charges via USB) via your 30-pin Dock or Lightning cable. The Micro's body is designed from a pleasing metallic rubber component and is stamped with a machined aluminum band around its center. On the front of the Power Core Micro you'll find four soothing squared blue LED lights. This is the unit's power storage meter. Each light square represents a 25 percent charge, so it's easy to see how much juice is left in the unit itself. On the top of the device you'll find the power button. Press it to turn on the device and see its current charge. The Power Core Micro has an automatic off function, so it's not draining precious power when it's not charging your device. In my tests, the Power Core Micro charged my iPhone 5 from a 9 percent charge to a 99 percent charge in less than an hour. It also saved my hide while I was conducting an interview with a Google employee last week. Using iOS's Voice Memo app left my phone 1 percent away from shutting off with 30 minutes of the interview left to go. Thankfully I had my Power Core Micro on hand. Inside the Power Core Micro is a high-density 3,500 mAh battery, which holds enough power for two full iPhone 5 charges (in my tests). The device also allows for pass-through charging, so you can charge your iOS device at the same time as charging the Power Core Micro (handy if you only have one USB port available). Hopefully there will come a day when the iPhone's battery lasts 24 or more hours in heavy usage. Until then the PhoneSuit Power Core Micro will continue to go everywhere my iPhone does. The PhoneSuit Power Core Micro is US$79.95.
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.
Where are the extended battery cases for the iPhone 5?
Cases for the iPhone 5 are arriving, but battery-augmented cases for the new iPhone are still largely missing. Since Apple changed to the Lightning connector, every previous battery case won't work with Apple's latest phone. That leaves many people feeling a bit naked, because the battery life of the iPhone 5 is down a bit from the iPhone 4, and about on par with the iPhone 4S. The delay is the Lightning connector. It's proprietary to Apple, and while Apple will license and approve products, it's not happening at "lightning" speed. For heavy users, the built-in battery of the iPhone 5 likely won't make it through an entire day. I checked around to see what's happening with production of new battery cases, and I wouldn't expect anything soon. Mophie, who makes popular battery cases for previous iPhones won't commit to a date, but you can sign up to be emailed with availability information. Lenmar has announced a new battery case, and priced it at US$69.99, but it has a release date of December 24, 2012. Boostcase says it has an iPhone 5 battery case coming, but offered no details and no date. Some people who can't wait are going for external booster batteries, but they are a bit of a pain. As far as saving your internal battery goes, some people claim turning off LTE reception when you are not in an LTE area can really help. You'll find the switch on your iPhone 5 by tapping Settings>General>Cellular and then turning off "Enable LTE." We'd be interested in your thoughts and solutions, so feel free to let yourself be heard in comments.
V-Moda VAMP for the iPhone: an analog converter and headphone amp with a $650 pricetag
If money really isn't an issue when it comes to your search for the finest sound possible from your iPhone, V-Moda has a new accessory for you to consider. The company has announced the VAMP: an iPhone 4 / 4S case that converts digital to analog for hi-fi listening. How does it work? Well, the kit uses a 150mW x 2 amplifier to bypass the smartphone's internals to offer the auditory elbow grease needed to adequately power that set of fancy headphones. For controls, you can expect a volume knob, hi / lo gain switch and toggle switch with LED indicator for either Pure or VQ listening mode. There's also an optical audio output for using your phone as a vehicle "for the purest and unparalleled audio listening experience," but you'll have to splurge for an extra cable to do so. In addition to the aforementioned conversion, the aircraft-grade metal add-on provides eight hours of playback from it's own battery -- which can be used as a backup for your Apple handset, should the need arise. Sound good so far? Well, the VAMP is now shipping and will set you back a whopping $650 with $50 of the asking price benefitting the InTheLoop Foundation. You know, if you happen to really love listening to Sigur Rós on the go and are obsessed with high fidelity playback. %Gallery-158052%
DIY external MacBook battery
Evan Rodgers took a CCTV battery, a third party MacBook car charger, and some soldering tools to create a do-it-yourself external MacBook battery. As he points out in his post on The Verge, a little elbow grease and electronics know-how will save you from having to buy a costly commercial solution. You can check out his DIY video below and read his detailed instructions on The Verge's website.
Bracketron GreenZero chargers keep vampires from sucking your power
Only you can prevent vampire power: when gadgets are left plugged into a wall outlet, most chargers still unnecessarily suck up a fair amount of juice, a wasteful and inefficient process. To save on your electric bill and leave some extra energy for everybody else, Bracketron's introduced a new lineup of eco-friendly chargers that keep those nasty vampires away by detecting when a device is at full charge and shutting off the incoming power. The Mushroom GreenZero charger won't start doing its thing until you push the large green button (seen above) with your hand or foot; the Stone GreenZero ultimately does the same thing but in a more travel-friendly package. Lastly, the Stone Battery is an external 1,000mAh power source that also shuts off once the device is fully charged. All of the options are compatible with iPhones and devices with micro-USB ports. This isn't anything we haven't seen before, but we always welcome healthy competition in this field. All of the products will be ready for distribution to retailers by March 2012. Instead of siding with Team Edward or Jacob, how about coming together and joining Team Green? Check out the presser for the details.
Umiushi Smapho 2800 portable charger hands-on: one plug for iPhone, another one for micro-USB
As an Engadget reader, you'll gain extra street cred if you're using an iPhone and, well, a non-iPhone at the same time; or maybe you've got all your media content on an iPod instead of having everything on your non-Apple smartphone. Either way, this means that you'd need to carry at least two types of cables for emergency charging on the go. To save the hassle, PANS Ltd. from Japan has come up with a neat solution: Umiushi Smapho 2800, which is apparently the industry's first external battery with a built-in iPod dock connector and a micro-USB plug, both of which can be used simultaneously to sip on the 2,800mAh reservoir with 5V 1A output. Sure, you could alternatively just get hold of Apple's micro-USB adapter and keep one micro-USB cable with you, but if you're also looking for an external battery anyway then the option's there, too. Expect to see the Smapho 2800 in various markets in two months' time. Update: OK, so this is indeed not the first dual-plug type battery -- reader scoobydooby pointed out that Powermat's "Power! Dual 1850" does the same thing, albeit with a smaller capacity. %Gallery-135908%
Hands-on with Nyko's Zoom Kinect and extended battery packs for the 3DS
We gave you a glimpse of Nyko's 2011 accessories lineup earlier this week, and today we got some quality time with the company's gear at E3 2011. We tried out Zoom Kinect, a set of lenses for Microsoft's favorite sensor bar that lets those residing in diminutive domiciles be the controller without rearranging their furniture. The add-on worked flawlessly when we gave it a go on Kinect Adventures -- Kinect had no trouble tracking our movements even though we were a few feet closer to the sensor than recommended. Zoom Kinect is slated for an August 16th release and will cost $29.99, a paltry sum compared to the price of buying a bigger living room. But wait, there's more! See our impressions of Nyko's other new products after the break. %Gallery-125855%
Third Rail iPhone case has detachable battery, probably won't electrocute you
For humans, coming into contact with the third rail will likely void your personal lifetime warranty, but one accessory manufacturer hopes to apply a similar concept to your iPhone -- in much smaller doses, of course. For $90, the Third Rail System includes an iPhone 4 Slim Case, which always surrounds your device, and a 1250 mAh Smart Battery that you can slide into place whenever you need a boost. The removable batteries can charge other devices over micro USB, and can be stacked up to four deep for charging multiple gadgets at once (at $60 a pop). It's also designed to be compatible with future cases, negating the need to purchase another complete solution each time you upgrade your phone. We'd love to see a similar device that includes inductive charging as well, but for now, this is one of the most intuitive external battery solutions we've seen.
Hyperkin 3DS Powerplus covers your handheld in battery-extending goodness
Nintendo 3DS users will soon have another way to extend their system's notoriously limited battery life, thanks to Hyperkin's new 3DS Powerplus. Slated for release this summer, the 2.2-ounce accessory slips on to the back of the console without obstructing the 3DS' cartridge port, SD card and game controls, while adding an extra 1800mAh to the device's standard 1300mAh battery. The Powerplus also features an enhanced grip, as well as an LED indicator that can give you an idea of how much gas you've got left in the tank. Hyperkin says its $19.99 appurtenance will more than double your 3DS' battery life, but, as we learned from Nyko, seeing is believing. Head past the break for an extra image of the Powerplus, along with a full PR.
External batteries benchmarked, the portable juice is loose
A lot of portable PC power cells last for only four or five hours, after which you'll find yourself chained to a wall socket. Good thing there are external batteries to keep us in current when a plug's nowhere to be found, and Tom's Hardware has done some benchmarking on a slew of such devices so you'll know which one's suited for you. A Dell Vostro 3300 and an Inspiron Mini 10 running Windows 7 were used to put packs from Amstron, Brunton, Digipower, Electrovaya, Energizer, Lenmar, PowerTraveller and Tekkeon through some real-world paces -- we're talking word processing and web surfing, not fragging and film editing. So if you're in the market for a mobile power unit, hit the source link and get the down and dirty on which external battery's best.
Apple patent application reveals plans for external battery pack, spells further trouble for HyperMac
Way back in September of last year, Apple filed a patent-infringement suit against HyperMac, the folks behind these external batteries. At the time, it looked like Apple was protecting its patented MagSafe power connector, but a newly released USPTO application for a "Power Adapter with Internal Battery" might reveal a more accurate view of the company's litigious motivations. From the look of things, the outfit intends to make its mark on juicing solutions with what is basically a wall charger packing an internal battery. According to the patent filing, the contraption would include a processor for parceling energy to the host device as well as the adapter, and could also incorporate a supplemental energy source like a solar cell. Among other things, it would also communicate with the device being charged to allow users to monitor the juice stored in the extra battery. If the thing does end up making it to market, it looks like HyperMac could have a whole lot more trouble on its hands than a little patent-infringement suit.
