"If you're a loyal iPhone user you're probably used to toting around its charging adapter and cable just in case. Apple has done a good job at making it tiny, but by cutting the cord, the JuiceBuddy looks even easier to pocket."
This is a pretty slick little charger, and since it has a usb port on the bottom I think I may have to get one. I know the new iPhones are rumored to have a new charge port so I always hesitate at this point in the year to buy any new chargers just in case the rumors are true. But this device comes in variety of colors and is only $25.00 USD from Juice Buddy, and that usb port might be enough to get me to buy one. What are your thoughts?
"If you travel withe a bunch of gadgets, this one's for you-accessory maker Sanho has dropped the HyperJuice Plug, a charger capable of juicing up two iPads at a time."
There is a lot to like about the HyperJuice Plug, such as the ability to charge two iPads at once, a retractable plug and 15,600 mAh of charging power. Not to mention it comes in six different colors so you can coordinate it with your iPad cases. The only downside is the $130.00 USD price, but that does go a long way to getting rid of all your other power chords doesn't it? You can find out more here.
If it is for you as well, this PowerDock Dual from Griffin might be for you, as it charges your iPad and iPhone at the same time, and allows space to put keys, change etc all in one place. It's available now from Griffin for $59.99 USD.
"The Converge USB charging hub from Think Geek is a fun, futon-inspired stand for your iPhone, iPod tour or iPad."
Nice looking stand, and it's available now right here. Only $39.95 and you get a clean, compact design that will charge up to 4 devices via USB connectors, all hidden neatly behind the stand.
"Kudos Power is showing their Wireless Charging Power Kit at this last week's Macworld Expo, and we took a moment to learn more about this system for the iPhone 4 and 4S from Jerry Escobar, Brand Marketing."
Well, it certainly is a hefty enough case to be shock resistant, or at least that is what I get out of the picture. I like the idea of simply putting my iPhone down on some kind of pad to charge it, but I'm not too keen on such a bulky case. I think I'm going to stick with my extra power chord and keep the streamlined looks of my iPhone intact. But if you need a bulky case that doubles as part of a charging system, and are willing to fork over $99.00 USD for it, by all means keep in contact with Kudos over at their website.
"Just Mobile has launched Just Mobile Highway, an US$34.95 in-car charger for the iPhone, iPad and other USB-powered devices."
I have a couple similar devices, but this one really looks slick. But for $34.95 USD, compared to the $10.00 USD or so I spent on mine, it better look good right? The bonus here is that it also comes with an Apple certified charging cable, something that didn't come with my chargers. You can find out more at Just Mobile.
"I live in a constant nightmare of wrangling cables. So anytime someone suggests a solution that might cut down on the number of cables I have to deal with on any given day, my ears perk up."
I'm always looking to slim down what I carry, so having an all in one device without having to add or take off attachments is a plus. This sounds like a pretty slick system, and the fact that it charges at 15W is a bonus!
"SunLeaf Solar has introduced the US$179 SunLeaf Pro, the iPad solar charger. It's an USB-based device that plugs into an electronic gadget like the iPad or a Kindle, and can fold up to an eighth of its size."
This appears to be well made, and if it can output the power needed to charge an iPad 2, even better! Kind of steep at $179.00 USD but if you need a charge and are out in the middle of nowhere, I'm betting you will be glad you have it. You can find out more about it at the SunLeaf Solar site.
"XtremeMac, a leading designer and manufacturer of accessories and audio solutions for Apple devices, is thrilled to announce the new InCharge Home USB Wall Charger, the perfect travel charger, slim and full power. With 10 watts of power, the InCharge Home USB provides rapid charging for iPod, iPhone or iPad as well as other USB powered devices."
This is very nice, and since it packs the 10 watts of power, you won't have that long charge time if you are trying to charge an iPad. It's available now for $29.95 USD.
Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad" @ 01:00 AM
"The ultimate charging station, this all-in-one AC Adapter includes iPod/iPhone charging dock , 3 AC surge protected outlets, 2 USB Ports, and a nightlight. All these features are packaged in a compact body that is both stylish and sleek."
This thing does it all doesn't it? A compact package, called the iSurge Travel Charger, that allows you to charge several items via USB, and adds a couple of AC plugs for other devices. On top of that, it has a charging dock for your iPhone 4 and a light. The suggested retail is $59.95 USD, which seems pretty reasonable given all that it does. The product is due to launch in October of this year.
Summary: Like power windows in a car, this little battery is the product you never thought you'd need, but once you have it, you won't want to live without it. The MP1860A gives you a pocket full of juice for your devices. Read more...
Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 07:30 AM
Please click on the video title above to watch it on YouTube in 1080p full screen video.
Who doesn't' want more battery life from their mobile device? I think we all do. I've been on a personal quest for years to find the best multipurpose external battery that I could find. I've looked at a few of them of the years (such as this one, and this one), but every one I've looked at has had limited functionality in some way. Usually it's that it's not compatible with whatever new laptop I'm using. The Tekkeon myPower MP3750, which sells for $119 in the Digital Home Thoughts Amazon.com store, is versatile battery in that it not only serves as a power source for a laptop, but with the USB port it can power a variety of devices. I was eager to take a look at it, and for the most part have been quite impressed with it. Read more...
"The next time you're waiting for that bus that is really, really late, there's no need to worry about your iPhone or iPad battery dying. Thanks to a creative ad company and the Vitaminwater brand, bus shelters in several American cities are being equipped with a USB port for charging."
Not too bad of an option if you use mass transit, as I imagine the wait can get pretty boring if you have to conserve your battery power. Currently they are only placing these in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, and no word on if it will be expanded. Nice ad gimmick that would make Don Draper proud.
"When you want true power, power to dominate your iDevices, look no further than the Miccus ChargeBlock for iPad. Not only will it charge your iPad (1 or 2) or iPhone but practically any USB devices and does so with a size and dimension not much different than previous generations of iPhones. This is simply a must-have device for power on the road."
At $99.00 USD it isn't cheap, but for the road warrior it might be a handy tool to add to the arsenal if for nothing else it's flexibility. It was specifically designed to fast charge the iPad, both versions, but with the included USB tips and 12V charging port, it can also charge your iPhone, Droid, digital camera, netbook and Playbook among other things. The best thing is that it comes as a complete package, so not only do you get the ChargeBlock and AC adapter, you also get several charge tips for Mini and Micro USB and a handy carry bag. You can find out more about it at the ChargeBlock site, and right now it appears you can get it at our affiliate store for the discounted price of $75.00 USD [affiliate link].
"When you need an extra boost of power for your iOS device during the day, the Chargeblock XL delivers with a classy balance of form and function at an excellent price (US$39.99)."
I don't know about this product. I mean I like the convenience of it, and the form factor, I'm just struggling a bit with the price of it at $39.99 USD. It would be handy to have in times when you need a quick charge, as a backup I suppose, and I like that I can put it in a bag and not have it take up too much space. What are your thoughts?
"Remember the WALDok? It sounded like the unholy cybernetic offspring of WALL-E and Iron Man's creepy hypercephalic floating robot head nemesis, MODOK, but the WALDok was actually a Kickstarter project for a gorgeously compact speaker dock for the iPod nano capable of outputting some truly impressive sound while simultaneously juicing you up."
Initial versions were iPod Nano only but now they work with all iPod models and iPhones from 3G on. From the KickStarter Project website, the description tells the story:
"The WALdok is a small form-factor speaker/charger dock for the iPhone 3G/3GS/4 and iPod nano/classic/touch that plugs DIRECTLY into any standard wall outlet. The WALdok allows you to plug-n-play and plug-n-charge in the bathroom, kitchen, office, or anywhere there is a wall outlet. It takes complete advantage of modularity. Go from jogging with ear buds to filling the bathroom with same music in an instant!"
Very cool project and now that it's been funded, it appears your $59.00 USD or more will get you a pretty cool accessory.
"Designer Tjeerd Veenhoven has thought up a new, unique way for users to charge their iPhone. He calls it iFan, and if you've ever seen a wind turbine in action, this idea may not sound so farfetched."
Tjeerd has a blog located here, where he discusses his product. The last time he used it, it took 6 hours to charge his iPhone, but if that is all you have then that isn't too bad. Not sure how I would do it unless I held it out the car window, and if I am in my car I usually have a car charger. If you are a bicyclist, I guess this would work, or a motorcyclist for that matter. Jogger? Not sure, perhaps if you had a really good pace!
"Best known for its indefatigable bunny, Energizer launched a couple of cool charging products for the iPhone here at the CTIA mobile phone show."
I like the looks of this case, and it only takes about 30 minutes for a full charge on an iPhone 4, which is very quick. It is a silicon case, and over at the Energizer site for the AP1201 they have a pretty slick page set up with information on it, supposedly retailing for $70.00 USD or close to it.
Price: $79.95 USD (regularly, but may be on sale...)
Specifications: Battery Capacity: 1800mAh; Weight: 93.5 grams / 3.3 oz; Dimensions: 55.5 x 105.8 x 14.5mm.
Pros:
Convenient, lightweight;
Charges quickly in sunlight;
Suitable for almost any type of USB-powered device.
Cons:
Regular price is a bit high, but vendor seems to be having discount sales;
Depending upon the consumption of your unit, the battery may only provide one day of use.
Summary: There are lots of emergency power accessories and options available for phones, games systems, music players, etc. but most suffer from a common shortcoming -- lack of power when you need them most, far away from a wall socket. Enter Monaco, with a different spin on a solution. Instead of providing just a battery or set of solar cells, why not combine them into a single package - a wall or solar chargeable battery pack!