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Mophie adds USB-C ports to refreshed Powerstation batteries
Mophie, the makers of a popular line of external batteries, announced today an update to its Powerstation family of portable chargers. The refreshed versions of the Powerstation line come in four different capacities, a variety of colors and now includes a shared USB-C input and output port.
Moshi's IonBank 5K with Lightning Connector: No need to carry cables
With literally hundreds of iPhone/iPad battery packs available, it takes something special to get this reviewer excited. Moshi's IonBank 5K with Lightning Connector (US$88.95) has enough power stored up to give your iPhone 5 a few full charges, and it does it all without you having to lug around a tangle of cables. Let's take a look. Specifications Dimensions: 4.76 x 2.68 x 0.83 inches (12.1 x 6.8 x 2.1 cm) Weight: 7.19 ounces (204 grams) Color: White Cables: Integrated Lightning cable, integrated USB charging cable, plus one open USB port Capacity: 5,000 mAh Design Highlights Although there are the oddball external battery packs that are shaped like cylinders, most of them follow the tried-and-true design meme of "rectangular box with curved corners." That's what the IonBank 5K looks like. It has an anodized aluminum top and bottom, while the rest of the pack is made of white polycarbonate. The big thing that's different about the IonBank 5K is that the two frequently-used cables -- one for charging your iPhone and the other for recharging the IonBank -- are integrated into the case. Slide the top of the case (with the Moshi logo) to one side to reveal the USB charging cable. When the IonBank 5K is fully charged and you want to top off your iPhone, slide the bottom of the case to one side to reveal the Lightning charging cable. There are four white LEDs on one side to provide an indication of how much charge is left, and a single button is used to both reveal the battery level and start charging your iPhone. If you have another non-LIghtning device you wish to charge, there's an open USB port ready to accept a cable. Functional Highlights Although the IonBank 5K is a bit "chunkier" than other 5,000 mAh external battery packs I've tested, the Moshi product's integrated connectors get the thumbs-up from me. The IonBank is MFi-certified, and worked flawlessly recharging a pair of iPhones in our home. The IonBank also comes in a 10,000 mAh version ($109.95) that would be more useful with an iPad. While that version doesn't come with an integrated Lightning cable, it does have a travel case into which you can slip both the battery pack and a separate cable. It also comes with two open USB ports. Conclusion My only concern about the IonBank 5K with Lightning Connector is that it is rather expensive. There are a number of battery packs available on the market with three times the capacity at half the price. But if you're looking for a convenient external battery pack that can solve the usual "where are my cables" quandary, the Moshi IonBank 5K is going to be your best bet. Rating: 3 stars out of 4 stars possible
TravelCard Charger is the battery you'll always have with you
Samsung's recent "wall hugger" TV ad is, unsurprisingly, quite misleading. Many of Samsung's smartphones get their extra battery life not from better design, but from replaceable internal battery packs. In the iPhone world, those battery packs are external, so to be safe from "wall hugging" you need to make sure you always have a battery pack with you -- just like you'd need to have a charged internal battery pack in your pocket with a Samsung smartphone. Well, in the iPhone world there's a new battery pack that you can always have with you called TravelCard (US$45.00). Specifications Dimensions: 3.58 x 2.44 x .16 inches (9.1 x 6.2 x .4 cm) Weight: 1.5 ounces (42.5 grams) Connector: USB to micro-USB for charging, built-in Lightning cable for output to iPhone Capacity: 1500 mAh Design Highlights The TravelCard Charger is designed to fit into a wallet or purse easily. Although the company's website says that it is "credit card sized", the card is actually a bit longer, wider and thicker than a standard credit card. It comes in a variety of colors: black, silver, red and blue. The color is on one side and in a metallic finish, while the other side is white or black plastic. There's just one button on the TravelCard that's used to start the flow of electricity to your iPhone -- when pressed, a small blue LED turns on. To charge your iPhone, there's a Lightning cable that pops out with a push. The TravelCard is also available in a micro-USB format for non-Apple smartphones. Functionality Highlights How much juice can a small battery like this provide for your iPhone? According to the TravelCard folks, it will charge an iPhone 5s up to about 51 percent. That's not a full charge, but can give you the added power you may need at the end of a day. TravelCard is definitely something you can drop into a wallet for that emergency power, and I love that the Lightning cable is built right in so I don't have to carry a separate cable around. Conclusion The TravelCard is very compact and can be carried in a wallet easily, the cable is MFi-certified, and it has enough capacity to get you through an emergency. On the negative side, there are a number of not-as-compact external battery packs that are half the price of the TravelCard. It's up to you as to whether or not the extra portability of this battery pack is worth the premium price. Rating: 3 star rating out of 4 stars possible
Limefuel Rugged L150XR battery pack: Designed for adventure
Of the many external battery packs that we see here at the TUAW Labs, just about all of them are designed not for use out in the real world, but in offices and homes. Take any one of the packs that we've reviewed over the years and expose it to the conditions you'd find in the field -- rain, dust, getting banged against rocks -- and they'd fail in a heartbeat. Not so with the Limefuel Rugged L150XR battery pack (US$84.99), which packs 15,000 mAh (57 Wh) of power into a pack that can take whatever the world can dish out. Check out the review, then take a chance at winning a Rugged L150XR to take on your next adventure. Specifications Dimensions: 5.55 x 3.27 x 1.06 inches (141 x 83 x 27 mm) Weight: 12.8 ounces (365 grams) Battery: 15,000 mAh (57 Wh), Lithium-Ion Input: 5V 2.0A (max), charging time of 9 to 15 hours Output: 5V 4.2A (max) total, per port 5V 2.4A (max) Cycle life: over 500 uses Connector: 2-in-1 micro-USB with Lightning-compatible power cable Design Highlights The Rugged LX150XR looks like it can take a lot of abuse. It's IP66 certified, and is water, dust and shock/crush resistant. Water-resistance does NOT mean that you can take this swimming; rather, it can put up with rain, splashes, etc... A protective flap covers the outlets, ensuring that they're not exposed to the elements. If you have a little time and want to see some of the "unofficial" testing that the Limefuel team subjected a Rugged prototype to, watch the following video: Additional info on the Kickstarter page for this product shows the official IP Certification testing for ingress of dust and water underway. It's not recommended, but it certainly appears that the Limefuel Rugged L150XR could take a shower with you. The exterior is a handsome smudge-proof grey rubber that's ridged to make it easy to grip. With two output ports, you can hook up a pair of iPhones or tablets for recharging simultaneously. If you happen to need to charge the Rugged LX150R and your devices, no problem -- the design allows for passthrough charging. The power indicator on the outside of the pack is touch activated, and there's an auto-on/auto-off feature that makes sure that you keep as much of that precious power as possible until you really need it. Functionality Highlights The Rugged LX150XR is the product of a Kickstarter campaign that pulled in a whopping 535 percent of its goal, so obviously there's a large community of people who want an external battery pack that can go almost anywhere. I love the touch-activated battery meter. It's in a slightly dished area on the front of the device so you can find it by feel even in the dark. It lights up with a green glow when tapped, and a circular meter tells you how much charge is remaining. Two other little details that I love: the carabiner-equipped strap that you can use to attach the Rugged LX150XR to a belt loop or backpack, and the really well-designed and lightweight flat USB cable. That cable can be used for charging the battery or your devices, and the USB end is completely flat and compact. The other end has that dual micro-USB/Lightning connector, and I was happy to see that Limefuel's planning on selling these cables separately in the near future. While I didn't take the Rugged LX150XR on a Mt. Everest climbing expedition (I do have to give away the product, after all), one look at the case photo should tell you just how well-built this battery pack is. Limefuel is also going to be selling a 10,400 mAh version of the Rugged called the L104XR for $64.99. Conclusion I've been favorably impressed with Limefuel's previous products; in fact, the company's Blast L180X (18,000 mAh) battery pack is the one that I personally use. The Rugged LX150XR takes the Limefuel line to the next level with an external battery pack that is designed to thrive in outdoor conditions. My only complaint is that it doesn't include an LED flashlight like the Blast line; that would be very useful when taking the Rugged out camping. Rating: 3-1/2 star rating out of 4 stars possible Giveaway It's summertime, a perfect time to take your favorite devices out to the country for a nice camping trip or hike. Limefuel and TUAW are going to give one lucky reader a Rugged LX150XR. 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, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Limefuel Rugged LX150XR external battery pack valued at $84.99. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Kanex GoPower Pack: Review and giveaway
TUAW reviews a lot of external battery packs, so it takes something new and interesting to get me excited. That "new and interesting" recently arrived in the form of a press release from accessory manufacturer Kanex touting the company's new line of external battery packs. The Kanex GoPower Pack (6,000 mAh for US$49.95, 13,000 mAh for $69.95) offers power to spare, dual ports, and even a built-in smartphone stand, all while providing the quality that Kanex is known for. Specifications Dimensions: 6,000 mAh - 2.46 x 4.13 x .96 inches (62.4 x 105 x 24.2 mm); 13,000 mAh - 2.46 x 5.44 x .89 inches (62.4 x 138.2 x 22.6 mm) Weight: 6,000 mAh - .3929 lb (178.6 grams); 13,000 mAh - .6174 lb (280.66 grams) Input voltage and connector: DC 5V, micro-USB (included) Output voltage and connector: DC 5.3V, USB (cables not provided), one port at 1.0A, the other at 2.1A Ability to charge iPhone: 6,000 mAh can charge an iPhone 5c/5s twice, 13,000 mAh can charge it four times Carrying case provided Design Highlights Both units are made of white and light gray polycarbonate, with the ports and a set of LEDs on one end and a slide out "tray" on the side. That tray is actually a clever stand for your iPhone -- pull it out and place the side of your iPhone in the tray, and it is held up in a viewable position by the GoPower Pack. That's about it -- the GoPower Pack does come with a nice little carrying bag that can be used for wiping off your iPad or iPhone screen, as well as the USB to micro-USB cable that you'll want to pop in the bag for charging your pack. You will need to supply your own USB to Lightning or 30-pin connector cable. Functionality Highlights Not a lot to say about functionality, other than -- these packs work! I like the way that the little iPhone stand works, adding some addition capability to what would otherwise be a rather mundane battery pack product. In particular, the 11,000 mAh GoPower Pack really has a lot going for it; the extra capacity means that you could easily plug in your iPad and iPhone and at least extend their usable battery life, although you won't be able to totally charge up both. Conclusion Kanex makes some great products, and the GoPower Pack line provides iPhone and iPad users with another source for a high-quality, reasonably-priced external battery pack. Rating: 3 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway Two readers are going to have a chance to win one of the Kanex GoPower Packs we had on hand for our review. One will receive the 6,000 mAh GoPower Pack, while the other gets the 11,000 mAh model. 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 May 18, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected in a random drawing. One will receive a 6,000 mAh Kanex GoPower Pack valued at $49.95, while the other receives a 11,000 mAh GoPower Pack valued at $69.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Neptor Portable Battery Pack proves power accessories can be stylish
Portable battery packs used to give your iPhone or iPad an extra boost when you need it have a tendency to be rather plain. Most are black or silver and consist of a box with a couple of USB ports and LEDs. What if you could get a battery pack that's a bit more stylish? That seems to be the market that new entrant Neptor seems to be aiming at with their new Portable Battery Pack. Specifications Price: US$49.99 MSRP, available for as low as $43.69 on Amazon.com Capacity: 5,600 mAh (an iPhone 5s has a 1,570 mAh battery by comparison) Number of ports: Two USB 2.0 Output: One 2.1 A (will charge an iPad), one 1 A port Dimensions: 3.97 x 1.93 x 0.98 inches (10.08 x 4.9 x 2.49 cm) Weight: 4.5 ounces (127.6 grams) Colors: Red, blue, orange, green and purple LED Flashlight: Built-in Amazon Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5 stars possible Design Highlights I pretty much liked everything about the Neptor Portable Battery Pack. It has decent capacity in a very compact size, the colors are fun, and there are color-matched charging cables (USB to micro-USB) and carrying lanyards included. The exterior of the Neptor Portable Battery Pack is covered in a soft-touch plastic that looks great, with black accents on the top, bottom, and sides. A small power button on one side lets you check the available power level, while a quick "double-tap" of the button turns on the LED flashlight. There's also a dark oval on one side that contains the four LEDs for showing charge level. Functionality Highlights I've tried a few battery packs that said that they'd work flawlessly with an iPad but didn't, either just not charging up the tablet or providing the friendly "Accessory does not work with this iOS device" error message. Not so with the Neptor pack, which worked beautifully as soon as I plugged in my iPad Air, topping it off from 97 to 100 percent. If there's one negative to the Neptor Portable Battery Pack, it's that the included cable is only for charging the device. You'll have to supply your own USB to 30-pin Dock Connector or USB to Lightning cable. Other than that, this battery pack looks good and can charge an iPad and iPhone simultaneously. What else could you ask for? Conclusion In a world of look-alike external battery packs, Neptor's Portable Battery Pack provides a needed splash of color and an attractive design. It's lightweight, can be used with an iPad or iPhone, and is readily available through Amazon and other outlets. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway As much as I liked the Neptor Portable Battery Pack, TUAW policy compels me to give it away to some lucky reader. 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 March 7, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Neptor Portable Battery Pack valued at $49.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Digital Treasures ChargeIt! charges all of your Apple devices ... and more
Like my Food Network hero Alton Brown, I'm a real fan of multitaskers; those devices that can be used for more than one purpose. In this review, I'll take a look at the new ChargeIt! 3600 mAh Power Bank (US$49.95), which definitely fits the description of a multitasker. The idea behind the ChargeIt! is that you have one small convenient package that contains everything that you need to keep the devices in your life charged up. As such, the ChargeIt! 3600 mAh Power Bank includes a 3600 mAh battery pack and a variety of cables -- a USB cable, a 30-pin Dock Connector cable, a Lightning cable, and a micro-USB cable -- all in one mouse-sized package. With that plethora of thin cable happiness, it can provide power to any new or old iPhone, iPad or iPod touch or even those odd micro-USB devices you have hanging around. The ChargeIt! even looks like a mouse, with curved edges that will keep it from getting snagged on anything in a purse, backpack or bag. It weighs just 4.4 ounces (124.7 grams), so it won't weigh you down. Under a cross-shaped door on top of the ChargeIt! that conveniently swivels out of the way are the cables, an On/Off switch, and a set of five light blue LEDs that indicate how much of a charge you have. Note that to charge the battery, you're going to need to plug the ChargeIt into a USB port or AC adapter. The cables are quite short -- only about three-quarters of an inch (2 cm) long. If there's one thing I wish they had done with these cables is to make them extendable using some sort of retractor mechanism. But there is an advantage to those stubby cables, as there are no long cables to get tangled and it's simple to pop the cable ends (the adapters) right into their respective slots for storage. Now, 3600 mAh isn't a very large battery pack. However, your iPhone 5s (you do have one, don't you?) uses a 1560 mAh battery, so you'd be able to recharge it a little over two times before needing to recharge the ChargeIt! However, it's only able to charge an iPad Air (8820 mAh battery) about 40 percent of the way to full, or an iPad mini with Retina display (6471 mAh) a little over halfway. So the ChargeIt! is probably better off as an emergency charging companion for your iPhone or iPod touch than it is for an iPad. Thanks to the micro-USB connector, you'll also be able to lend a helping hand to your Android phone-owning friends. Conclusion The Digital Treasures ChargeIt! 3600 mAh Power Bank is a standout charger/battery pack featuring just about every cable you'll need to keep your devices powered up. It's nicely designed so that all cables are tucked out of the way when it's not being used, perfect to toss into a purse or bag, and has enough power to keep your iPhone going for a long, long time. Pros Lightweight and not too big Curved edges and snap-tight door keep it from snagging in a bag Features Lightning, 30-pin Dock Connector, and micro-USB cables to cover just about every device 3600 mAh battery pack is sufficient to keep an iPhone powered for days Reasonably priced Cons Cables are a bit short Who is it for? Anyone who needs extra power on the go, and everyone who is looking for the perfect stocking-stuffer for that special person on their holiday shopping list Giveaway The ChargeIt! is so useful that we want one of our TUAW readers to have it at hand for those emergency charging needs. 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 November 17, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Digital Treasures ChargeIt! 3600 mAh Power Bank valued at $49.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Exogear's Exovolt Plus: The stackable external battery pack arrives
There are a ton of external battery packs for iPhones and iPads. I remember the good old days when it seemed like the only packs available were little blobs that you'd plug into the bottom of an iPhone to keep it going for a few more hours. Now everybody and their brother-in-law has an external battery pack in their line, so it's nice to see one that's completely different from the rest of the pack. It's the Exogear Exovolt Plus, which has the distinction of being a stackable battery pack. Read on -- we're going to give away some goodies to one lucky TUAW reader. Design and Functionality The Exovolt Plus comes in two models: the main battery (US$89.95) and sub batteries (US$49.95 each). To power your iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad, you need at least one main battery. It has a micro-USB port for charging and a full-sized USB port to charge up your devices. There's also a power button and four white LEDs that give you the relative charge level of the stack of batteries. The sub batteries are slightly thinner, don't have the ports, but do have a small socket on one top corner that contacts a male connector on the bottom of the main battery. The sub batteries also have one of those male connectors on the bottom, so you can stack as many of them as you want to to create a tower of power. %Gallery-162741% The Exovolt units are white, about 3-3/4" square, and have rounded corners. The bottom sides are blue, and there are small latches on the sub batteries to insure a solid connection to the main battery or other sub batteries. To make sure that your stack 'o power is safe to be around, Exogear built in double circuit protection, overheat protection, short-circuit protection, and an automatic input/output control. The main battery package comes with a carry pouch, micro-USB and Dock Connector cables, and a simple user manual. How much capacity do these things have? Each Exovolt Plus battery has a capacity of 5,200 mAh, and stacking ten of them would give you an astounding 52,000 mAh of energy for keeping your iPad going when the zombie apocalypse starts. Of course, that would put you back a whopping $539.50, but you'd have bragging rights... In fact, nowhere on the Exogear website or in the limited documentation that comes with the Exovolt Plus did I see anything about a limit on how many of these things you can stack. Doing a little math and knowing that the main battery is 1.5 cm thick and the sub batteries are 1.2 cm thick (and assuming that the plastic would stand the weight of a huge column of batteries, which it wouldn't), you could equal the height of the Burj Khalifa (829.84 meters or 82984 cm) by stacking approximately 69,153 of these things at a cost of around $3,454,282. That thin tower would supply 359,595,600 mAh for your iPad movie watching marathon. In all seriousness, though, the Exovolt batteries are well-built and a stack of these guys would get you through a lot. Conclusion The Exovolt Plus battery pack system is a unique, but pricey, way to make sure that you have power to spare for your electronic devices. The ability to stack the batteries for extra capacity is brilliant. Pros Nicely designed and built Stackable design expands capacity as you need it Cons Expensive; by comparison, Satechi's 5,200 mAh battery pack is only $39.99, and their 10,000 mAh model is only $59.99 Who is it for? Someone who needs a lot of power to go, and has the bucks to buy a lot of these stackable packs Giveaway We're giving away a pair of Exovolt Plus battery packs -- one main battery, one sub battery -- and a sweet Tabu tablet pouch to one lucky TUAW reader. 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 August 21, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive one Exogear Exovolt Plus main battery valued at $89.95, one Exogear Exovolt Plus sub battery valued at $49.95, and a Tabu tablet pouch valued at $39.95. Click here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Satechi's Portable Energy Station ups the ante for external power
Just about every time I turn around, there's another new external battery pack for iOS devices that has more storage capacity than the previous capacity leader. Yesterday, accessory manufacturer Satechi came out with the Portable Energy Station, a relatively inexpensive (US$49.95) external battery pack with a huge battery capacity. Like the $99.95 mophie juice pack powerstation duo, the Portable Energy Station has two USB ports enabling charging of two devices at once. However, Satechi has managed to squeeze 10,000 mAh of power into their device -- 4,000 mAh more than the mophie product. One of the two ports on the Portable Energy Station can handle 1 Amp of current (enough to charge an iPhone or iPod touch), while the other puts out 2 Amps and can handle charging an iPad. With all of that power, the Portable Energy Station is still incredibly lightweight. It weighs just 7.4 ounces, and takes up only 5.5" x 2" x .75" of volume in your computer bag. The Satechi Portable Energy Station is available today, and we'll have a review of the device in the near future.
Mo' power from mophie: juice pack powerstation duo, mini
The hits just keep coming from accessory manufacturer mophie: they've announced two new power packs to keep your iOS devices purring happily. The juice pack powerstation duo (US$99.95) and juice pack powerstation mini ($59.95) are the latest in a series of external battery packs designed to provide power for hours of fun ... or work. mophie juice pack powerstation duo The powerstation duo (seen above) is the perfect idea for travel. As the name implies, the 6000 mAh device has two USB ports and 2.1 Amp output so that you could provide two iPads with a bit more power for the road. With that amount of juice packed inside (see what I did there?), you might be worried about what could happen if this power pack decided to short out. Worry not, for there inside the box is built-in short circuit and overcharge protection. The powerstation duo is packaged in a black soft-touch case with a metal band around the exterior, the perfect accessory for your iPad or iPhone. It has an LED power indicator built in so you can see how much power you have left, and when you're ready to recharge the pack, the powerstation duo supports high-current charging so you're back on the road quickly. All of this power is only going to take up a scant 2.28" x 4.30" x 0.78" in the midst of your socks and underwear in your suitcase, and adds 6.9 ounces to the weight. %Gallery-158372% mophie juice pack powerstation mini When you need a bit more power than mophie's juice pack reserve keychain fob can provide, but still want to be able to have power in your pants, the powerstation mini may do the trick. It packs 2500 mAh inside, over three times the amount of power provided by the juice pack reserve. The juice pack powerstation mini looks a lot like a shrunken-head version of the powerstation duo, only with a single USB port instead of two. Size-wise, it's 1.92" x 3.64" x 0.53", so you won't look like you're happy to see your friends if the powerstation mini is in a front pants pocket. At 2.8 ounces of weight, it's not going to feel like you have a brick in your pocket. The powerstation mini isn't designed to recharge your iPad; it only has an output of 1 amp. It will keep your iPhone and iPod touch happy. Giveaway As much as we use up battery power on the iPads and iPhones here at the TUAW labs, we don't keep the sample devices provided by vendors. That means that two TUAW readers are going to end up with a mophie product just in time for summer vacations. To enter the giveaway, just fill out the form below completely and submit it. We'll select a pair of winners next week. 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 June 17, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected. One will receive a mophie juice pack powerstation duo valued at $99.95, one will receive a mophie juice pack powerstation mini valued at $59.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Mophie juice pack powerstation PRO: A big gas tank for your gizmos
We test a lot of external power packs here at the top-secret TUAW labs, most of which are just powerful enough to top off an iPhone or iPod touch. But what if you need enough juice to top off a couple of iPhones or an iPad? That's where Mophie's new juice pack powerstation PRO (US$129.95) comes in handy. Read on for a full review and a chance to win a juice pack powerstation PRO. The juice pack powerstation PRO is to most external power packs as a gasoline tank truck is to the tank in your family car. It has a capacity of 6000 mAh, which is over four times the capacity of the 1432 mAh battery in your iPhone 4S. Imagine being able to completely charge an iPhone 4S four times from the powerstation PRO, and you have a pretty good idea of its capabilities. That won't completely recharge a new iPad, which has a huge 11666 mAh battery, but it will extend the operating time by another five hours or so. The original iPad battery (6600 mAh) and iPad 2 battery (6930 mAh) will see almost a doubling in operating time from the juice pack powerstation PRO. The pack pumps out energy at 2.1 Amps, about what you'll get from the standard iPad power brick. %Gallery-154194% The powerstation PRO is incredibly well-built -- in fact, it's IP-65 rated, which means that it's protected against dirt, sand, and water. Sure, you won't want to bring it into a bathtub with you, but it could probably withstand the spray from a shower as the charging and output ports both have their own watertight seals. The entire power pack is made of aluminum and steel with a rubber-like impact resistant exterior. Size-wise, the powerstation PRO is only 2.63" x 4.53" x 1.03" in size and weighs 7.6 ounces. It's small enough to fit in a pocket, although I wouldn't recommend putting into a pants pocket unless you don't mind getting strange looks. A set of four LEDs on the front of the case act as a "fuel meter" to tell you the charge level of the powerstation PRO. How did the powerstation PRO work? Just great. I didn't have a chance to drop it down a hill and into a river like the guy in the video below, but I was quite impressed with both the speed with which it charged my iPhone and the rugged looks of the case. And now for a giveaway! To enter, just fill out the form below completely and click on the submit button. Only one entry per person, and you must follow the rules: 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 April 30, 2012 at 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a mophie juice pack powerstation PRO valued at US$129.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
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.
Scosche's goBAT II portable battery pack handles two USB devices at once, including your iPad
We'll just keep it real simple for you: the object you're looking at above is the Revive II charger, but slimmer, and with a rechargeable battery pack thrown in rather than a wall / cigarette adapter. Got it? Good. The goBAT II contains a 5000mAh rechargeable lithium ion battery, and it offers a pair of USB ports for charging. One's a 10-watt (2.1 Amp) port capable of handling high-maintenance devices like Apple's iPad, while the other is a more conventional 5-watt (1 Amp) socket. Scosche is also throwing in a USB adapter for the Galaxy Tab, theoretically letting those with divided households charge both an iOS and Android tablet at the same time. Brain melting, we know. It also works with the company's Revive charging app, which indicates how long a device will take to charge on any of Scosche's chargers and can also be configured to send an email notification once a device has been fully charged. She's all yours down at the source link for $89.99.
HyperMac to become HyperJuice in response to hyperactive Apple legal team
Apple legal has been abnormally busy over the last year as it engaged a who's who of cellphone makers and government agencies. They've also come down hard on Sanho Corporation's HyperMac subsidiary for using MagSafe and iPod connectors without approval. In response, HyperMac announced that it would stop selling MagSafe cables thereby rendering its HyperMac lineup useless for charging the non-removable batteries in Apple's MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro (although they can still charge USB connected devices like the iPad and iPhone). Now Daniel Chin, President of Sanho Corporation, is informing us that they'll be changing the HyperMac name to "HyperJuice" as part of its ongoing "comprehensive licensing negotiations" with Apple said to cover a "wide array of technologies and issues." He also reminded us that you only have a few hours left to snag a HyperMac with the all important MagSafe cable as sales will be suspended as of midnight tonight -- 00:00 US Pacific Time. Hey, with few alternatives, you might as well go down swinging selling.
Exolife Exogear iPhone 4 battery case review
You asked for it now here it is, part two of our iPhone 4 battery case review featuring fan-fave Exolife from Exogear. Like the Mophie Juice Pack Air and Mili PowerSpring 4 battery packs we already reviewed, the Exolife case promises to "virtually double" the life of your iPhone 4 -- something neither the Mophie nor Mili could quite pull off. Exogear's claim is even more bold given its additional boast about being the "world's thinnest and lightest battery case" for the iPhone 4. Can it possibly compete and knock the Mophie Juice Pack Air out of its title position? Click through to find out.%Gallery-104545%
Mophie Juice Pack Air vs. Mili PowerSpring 4 review
If you're an iPhone owner then you've certainly heard of the Mophie Juice Pack. It's emerged as the external battery pack of choice for any iPhone owner needing more untethered power than Apple can provide from its non-removable batteries. But what about all those feisty upstarts? Can they compete in terms of design, functionality, and price? Let's find out. We put two iPhone 4 external battery pack cases -- the Mophie Juice Pack Air and Mili PowerSpring 4 -- head to head to see how they perform. Both promise to double the iPhone 4's 1420mAh li-poly battery life without adding too much bulk. And surely the 1600mAh capacity Mili outlasts the 1500mAh Mophie, right? You'd be surprised.%Gallery-102982%
Samsung Galaxy S Power Pack: when internal batteries are just too convenient
Somebody at Samsung apparently forgot that its very popular Galaxy S handset (in all its varieties) has -- are you ready for this -- a user-replaceable battery. Now, we don't mean a warranty breaking, two-screws-and-it's-out replaceable battery. No, the battery in the Galaxy S is designed (and promoted) to be switched out by the user. Just pry off the back cover and there it is, ready to swap whenever more juice is required. So why anyone would slap a big, bulky, external slab onto their svelte S is beyond us, regardless of the extra 8.5 hours of talk time listed in the Samsung Germany newsletter. We'd understand if it had a working GPS radio, but like the Galaxy S, it doesn't.
HyperMac external battery powers MacBooks for 32 hours
Yep, Sanho's Hypermac is a big clunky external battery pack. Sure, we're intrigued by the idea of running a MacBook Pro for 32 hours straight, but we'd really rather hunt around for a power outlet than drop $500 on the 222Wh unit required to make that happen. On the other hand, we could definitely see splurging for the $150 car charger or the $200 60Wh model, but we're crazy like that. Shipping later this month, we're told.
Princeton's PMB-BP18 external battery pack for USB devices
Whether in the form of compressed images spun from disk or received over the air, portable video is a battery killer. Toss in a bit of WiFi and Bluetooth wireless to grind modern handhelds to a halt in just a few hours. This unfortunate truth makes sad chunky slabs of plastic and lithium polymer a must for those of you in need of some extra go-go juice. The Princeton PMB-BP18 is a 75-gram external battery pack capable of re-charging any portable USB device such as cellphone or iPod when away from the mains. What's more, Princeton touts the device's ability to charge the typical Japanese cellphone (via accompanying au and DoCoMo cables) twice before the PMB-BP18 external battery requires a refill. Sorry, that's an adjustable stand, not the backside of an LCD you're looking at, which somehow manages prop up your phone or mp3 player for viewing without the device sliding into your lap. Available now in Japan for ¥4,980 or about 44 US bucks.
