GADGETS :: October 7, 2020
by Gregg Ellman
(@greggellman)
It’s amazing how much portable power is needed today and Mophie is an industry leader when it comes to putting more than enough into the Powerstation line of pocket-sized devices.
Inside the Mophie powerstation PD ($59.95) is 6,700mAh of rechargeable power, for up to 23 hours of the extended life of a smartphone, tablet or any USB-A or USB-C device. The fast-charging Powerstation PD is built with an 18 watt USB-C PD fast charge. This produces a charge and recharges up to 2.5 times faster.
Priority and charging are a great feature, permitting the powerstation PD portable battery to charge while a device is also connected for charging. Power is sent first to the device and then the battery is recharged.
With dual USB ports, two devices can be charged simultaneously; the USB-C port provides up to 18 watts of power, while the USB-A outputs 12 watts.
Mophie’s Powerstation Plus XL wireless ($59.99) is built for more than a full day of charging. Inside is the 8,000mAh rechargeable battery, which according to Mophie produces up to 42 extra hours for iPhone Xs, up to 11 extra hours for iPad mini 5, up to 7 extra hours for iPad Pro.
There are several ways to get the power out of the battery and the Powerstation Plus XL has three options for charging multiple devices at once. All this is built into a 2.83-by-5.89-by-0.75-inch, 0.506900-pound battery with a high-gloss top surface and metallic perimeter.
More and more smartphones and earbuds are Qi-enabled, allowing wireless charging. With this battery, all that’s needed for charging is to place the device on the battery’s charging surface and push the start button.
An integrated fast charging Apple Lightning cable means you’ll always have the cable with you, assuming you have the battery. The side of the battery has a thin magnetic compartment door, which snaps open to reveal the cable. When charging is complete, put the cable back in for safekeeping.
And the third changing option is a built-in standard USB-A port. With your cable, virtually any portable gadget can be charged.
Both the Powerstation PD and Plus XL have four LEDs on the side to show the charging status and how much power is left in the battery before it needs an AC charge.
Just last month, Mophie announced a global partnership with TUMI for a co-branded product lineup, featuring five premium technology products designed to keep travelers’ devices powered throughout their journeys.
Focal Sphear Wireless earbuds are exactly as advertised with strong sound quality and comfort.
They are designed with a pair of equalizer modes; neutral, staying true to the original artistic work, and loudness for adapting to noisy environments or listening to low volumes.
As for the sound, that comes from an Electrodynamic sandwich diaphragm on the outside of the earbud. The earbuds themselves are small and along with the included ear-tips choices of three pairs each of silicone and memory foam ensures a perfect fit.
Comfort comes from the spherical lightweight design, which encourages long listening times with no discomfort. A lightweight in-line three-button remote controls volume, modes, and music selections along with an 8-hour rechargeable battery. An Omnidirectional microphone works great for hands-free calls.
www.focal.com $124.27 Black, Blue, Olive and Purple
