Gadgets :: 2015 December 14
2015 December 14
By Gregg Ellman & Elmo Sapwater
A few generations down the road we might have USB charging ports built right into our necks. Until then we need portable power and we want it now.
Fortunately, there are endless of choices to ensure that you have power on-the-go for all of your portable electronic gadgets.
One thing of note, if a portable battery says it will charge a USB device, that includes every manufacturer, including Apple, Android, digital cameras, GPS units, etc. Portable charging is not specific to any brand.
The AC powered Ventev s500 desktop charging hub is probably the most versatile and useful charging system I’ve seen.
It has two surge-protected standard 120 AC outlets built into the top of the hub and three USB ports on the side. All five ports can be used simultaneously.
One of the three USB ports is outlined in orange and is a dedicated 2.4A rapid charging port.
The surge protection lets you reset the internal circuit with the press of a button, after a power surge.
The feature that really makes this stand out is the top sided charging stand. This lets you plug your charging cable into one of the ports and then into your device, which can be placed in the stand while charging.
https://mobileaccessories.ventev.com $59.99
The Commuter is an ultra portable 3-in-1 universal battery charger with a built-in 12V car adapter (cigarette lighter for the older crowd), a foldable AC wall plug and an internal 2,600Ah battery.
The USB port lets you plug in your own charging cable to give your starving device some power, which can easily be a full charge from this battery.
What makes this a really great device past the mentioned features is the size; 3.6 x 2.4 x 0.8-inches, which can easily fit in a pocket, glove box or backpack.
There’s also an on/off button to control the power supply and a microUSB cable is included for charging the internal battery.
www.spyderstyle.com $49.99
And if a 3-in-1 device isn’t enough for you, how about the 6-in-1 Secur Products SP-4003 car charger and life saver.
It plugs into your cigarette lighter port and has a USB port to attach your own charging cable for charging a smartphone, tablet or most any other portable USB gadget.
Also built-in is 2,000mAh battery for power on-the-go, a 150 Lumen LED flashlight that will stay illuminated for four hours on a full charge and a window breaker and seat belt cutter.
The flashlight also has an emergency mode, with a flashing red emergency light, which has a run time of 10 hours.
The SP-4003 measures just 1.5 x 4.5-inches, with a weight of just 3 ounces.
www.securproducts.com $34.99.
It you just want portable power, Kensington has a slick 10,400mAh USB Mobile Charger portable USB battery. With that much power you can pretty much guarantee a few charges for any portable device.
The 2.1A USB port is tablet-friendly and a four-LED indicator shows you how much power is left.
Inside is PowerWhiz technology that lets the battery automatically detect what device is charging to ensure it gets the fastest and safest charge possible.
Kensington also has handy car charging cables with the fast charging PowerBolt chargers.
One end has a 12V car connection and the other has a microUSB ($14.99) or an Apple Lightning ($24.99).
Zaggs Power Amp line of batteries can give you anywhere from one plus (3,000mAh) to six (18,000mAh) full and portable charges.
Their big boy, the Power Amp 18 ($99.99) has three USB ports, is 2.4A charging ready and has a built-in LED flashlight. It weighs about a pound and a half, has a cable management strap and lets you charge your devices while the battery itself is charging.
If you want pocket sized, the smaller Power Amp 3 ($29.99) and Power Amp 6 6,000mAh ($49.99) are for you and also have LED flashlights built in.
The whole Zagg Power Amp series of portable batteries are fast charging with Quick Charge technology to ensure a safe change and all come recharged and ready to go.
