Reviews – Page 228

Biostrap activity tracker fitness band review

Did you start the new year off with a resolution to become more active and healthy? How’s that working for you so far? Resolutions and goals are wonderful things but sometimes we need some extra help with motivation. One way to “see” your progress is to track stats like daily activity, calorie burn, etc. Wearable fitness trackers are good tools to help you monitor your progress. Today I’m going to tell you about the Biostrap fitness tracker which uses a clinical-quality PPG sensor to gather and analyze extremely precise heartbeat data.

What is it?

The Biostrap is a full body fitness tracker that pairs a wrist-worn tracker with a shoe pod sensor. The wristband counts your steps, monitors your sleep, tracks your resting heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. The shoe pod is used for recording workouts with their activity classification feature.

What’s in the box?

The Biostrap total health set includes:

Wristband Sensor (Pulse Oximeter, Gyro, Accelerometer)
3 Wristband straps
Shoepod Sensor (Gyro, Accelerometer). Required for workouts.
Shoe clip
Dual-coil Induction charger base
USB Cable

Design and features

The Biostrap includes a traditional tracker that you wear your wrist and a separate sensor that you attach to the laces on your shoe.

The wrist tracker is the main tracker that you’ll wear all day. The waterproof tracker is housed in a silicone wristband.

The tracker can be removed from the strap to clean it or to clean the strap itself. The Biostrap Total Health set comes with 3 wristbands of different colors so you can choose the color you like best. The strap has a metal button with two sets of “teeth” that snap into slots in the strap. I found it awkward and difficult to put the Biostrap on my own wrist. I’m not a fan of these types of wrist straps because they aren’t easy to put on and I just don’t find them to be very comfortable.

The shoe pod sensor is a small module that snaps into a plastic clip that you slide under one or more shoe laces on your shoe.

Here it is clipped to one of the laces of my steel toed work shoe. Although you might think that the shoe pod is a pedometer that will count your steps, it’s not. The shoe pod is only used to collect activity data when you work out. It can help collect better activity data when you’re running, playing golf, hiking, playing tennis, and many more activities.

Note that the shoe pod is splashproof but not waterproof.

The Biostrap and the shoe pod are charged through a wireless charging dock that you plug into a free USB port on your computer or into a USB power adapter. The charger has two slots, one for each sensor, and two status LEDs that glow white when the sensors are fully charged or the charger is empty.

When the Biostrap and shoe pod are placed on the charger, the LEDs glow yellow until the sensors are fully charged. Then the LEDs turn white.

The Biostrap will only last about 2 days per charge and the shoe pod will last about 3-4 days per charge – if you’re lucky. This one of the biggest issues I found with this fitness tracking system. Battery life is just too short and it felt like I was always needing to charge the tracker on my wrist or the shoe pod.

The Biostrap app

To start using the Biostrap, you have to install the Biostrap app on your iOS or Android device and set up an account which will ask for your gender, weight, and height. You can customize your daily goals for steps, active calorie burn, hours of sleep and workout length.

The app provides a view of each day’s stats that include how many steps you walked, sleep, workout length, calorie burn, heart rate, and breathing data.

Clicking each item lets you see a more detailed view of the data. For example, for steps, it will show you an hourly graph of the time you were walking and more details about the calories burned while walking along with distance and duration.

Here’s what the sleep data looks like.

The app shows you a lot of data about your heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation levels. Why would you want to know these things? These stats show your overall heart health. According to the Biostrap site:

Our clinical-quality PPG sensor allows us to gather extremely precise heartbeat data. Biostrap captures over 2,000 heartbeats every 24 hours. Every single pulsewave is analyzed for 29 different parameters, then analyzed against all of your other heartbeats from the last 24 hours.

Each day you can check to see if your stats were low, high, or normal. The app will also show alerts at the top when it detects problems like not enough sleep the night before.

I wore the Biostrap wristband and shoe pod for a full week to track my steps, sleep, etc. Other than some difficulty putting the wristband on my wrist and having to charge the sensors frequently, I didn’t have problems with the hardware itself. But I did notice some issues with the Biostrap app (Android) that were a little annoying. Mainly the app / band would think I was sleeping when I was lounging on the couch for a few hours. I can understand how that can happen and at least the app allows you to delete faulty sleep sessions.

The main problem with the app is that it’s really slow syncing data after you’ve completed an activity like taking a walk or working out. I would check the app to see how many steps I’d walked after a walking session and it would show a very low number which would confuse me. But if I would flip back and forth between days and come back to the current day, the step count would increase each time.

Sometimes it would show weird totals like the image above on the right. This problem with syncing speed led me not to trust the data because I never knew of the stats were up to date or still syncing.

What I like

Heart rate data
Automatic exercise tracking
Wireless charging dock

What needs to be improved

Battery life
Wristband comfort
App is slow to sync data
Expensive

Final thoughts

Having more data about your health and fitness is obviously not a bad thing, so this tracker does have that going for it. The heart rate variability and respiration tracking data is a feature missing with most other trackers that are currently on the market. But, what are you going to do with that data? Is it really useful for most people? I’ll admit that after the first day testing this fitness tracker, I didn’t really pay much attention to those stats. Because I didn’t really care how many breaths that I take per minute.

Since this fitness tracker is pricier than a lot of other trackers that you can buy right now, you’ll need to ask yourself if the extra health data are important to you. If they are, and you don’t mind that the app is sluggish when it comes to updating stats, and the sensors need to be charged frequently, the Biostrap might be the fitness tracker that can help motivate you to reach your fitness goals.

Price: $250.00
Where to buy: Biostrap
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Biostrap.

Tapplock one smart fingerprint padlock review

Today most of the products we use are more secure than ever and security features like fingerprint sensors are commonplace in high-tech items like phones, tablets, and laptops. Now Tapplock has taken that technology and put it into a paddock. The Tapplock one combines today’s technology with unbreakable durability. It’s the padlock reimagined and I got the chance to review one for the Gadgeteer. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

Quite simply the Tapplock one is the world’s first smart fingerprint padlock. It’s available in 3 colors Sterling Silver, Gun Metal, and Midnight Black.

Whats in the box?

Tapplock one
Charging cable
User manual

Design and features

The Tapplock one has a bold and sturdy design. The first thing you notice is that the combo dial has been replaced by a fingerprint sensor and a small power/mode button. Say goodbye to keys and combinations. The lock’s body is forged using Zamak 3 zinc alloy, with a 7mm cut resistant stainless steel shackle, and it has a double-layered lock design with anti-shim and anti-pry technologies making Tapplock one virtually unbreakable. All in all, it’s really a nice modern take on the boring old padlock.

The lock is rust-proof, water resistant up to IP66, and has full functionality between 14 and 140 degrees F. The users manual, however, does point out that “Tapplock one is not waterproof when it is unlocked. Water entered through open socket may cause permanent damage.”

Tapplock uses a rechargeable battery that allows it to run for an entire year per 2-hours charge time (or 3,500 unlocks per charge). It charges using a USB charging cable that magnetically attaches to the locks charging port.

Setup

Setting up your Tapplock is quick and easy, just download the free Tapplock app from the App Store or Google Play. After a quick account setup, which includes entering an e-mail address and a password you will receive an activation code via the e-mail address you provided. Once activated you will be asked to add a new Tapplock.

After the lock has been added you’ll be asked to add a fingerprint. Enter the name of the fingerprint owner, which hand, and which finger you want to be recorded. Then simply place your finger on the sensor and voila you are now ready to start unlocking your Tapplock with your fingerprint.

3 ways to unlock

Not only can you unlock Tapplock with your fingerprint it can also be unlocked with Bluetooth using your phone or Morse-Code by pressing long/short combinations on the power button.

Opening Tapplock with your fingerprint is as easy as it sounds. Push the power button to turn the Tapplock on (Status Indicator light will glow white) then simply place your finger on the sensor to unlock it. Tapplock uses state-of-the-art captive fingerprint sensors that allow unlocking in under 0.8 seconds. You can even store up to 500 different fingerprints to allow access for multiple users.

To unlock your Tapplock using the app push the power button twice to activate Bluetooth mode(Status indicator light will flash blue). Then using the app tap unlock to open the Tapplock. While in Bluetooth mode the app allows you to check Tapplocks battery percentage, edit your fingerprint, and access the lock settings.

In lock settings, you can add a profile pic, name your Tapplock, setup Morse Code, and check for firmware updates.

Morse Code allows you to open Tapplock without using your phone or fingerprint. To setup Morse Code in the app, choose a pattern of short and long presses of the power button anywhere from 6-12 presses long. To activate Morse Code mode press the power button 3x (status indicator light will flash green) then enter your chosen short-long button press code to open the lock.

Shareable wireless access

Using Bluetooth and the Tapplock app you can share & control access remotely to unlimited users. The app also allows you to control the type of access each user has. You can set permanent or limited access, down to a specific date and time. And you can revoke access at any time.

Sharing is easy. Enter the e-mail address and choose a username for the person you want to share access with. That person will then receive an invite via e-mail asking them to download the Tapplock app. Once they set up an account they will be granted access to your Tapplock.

Using the app you can also track and monitor access history. The app will show which user accessed the lock, when they accessed it, and the location. The app even keeps track of fingerprint access.

What I like

Cutting-edge fingerprint technology
It’s water and weather resistant
There are 3 different ways to unlock it. (Fingerprint, Bluetooth, and morse code)
Shareable wireless access
It’s virtually unbreakable

What needs to be improved

Might be a bit pricey for some.

Final thoughts

I’ve been using the Tapplock on the locker at my gym in replacement of an inexpensive combination lock and using the fingerprint sensor really beats having to fumble with the combination dial, especially after a tough workout. I’ve even gotten a few comments and questions about the lock from other guys at the gym. Once the weather here in Michigan turns a little less harsh I plan on using Tapplock on my standalone storage shed.

The Tapplock one is everything you could want in a high-end padlock. It’s water/weather resistant and is virtually unbreakable. Add to that the ability to unlock it via state-of-the-art fingerprint sensor and Bluetooth technologies. The ability to share/control access to multiple users with the Tapplock app and the piece of mind of being able to track the locks access history. And the Tapplock one may be the last padlock you ever buy.

Price: $99.00
Where to buy: Tapplock
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Tapplock.

SOLGAARD Lifepack: The Carry-On Closet review

I travel a lot for my job and I am always in search of a more user friendly, convenient and rugged suitcase or bag to help me move quickly through the airport. I have closets full of suitcases, duffels, backpacks, etc., each with their pros and cons but none of them were exactly what I was looking for. When I received the Lifepack from SOLGAARD I was extremely excited, one because it was a new suitcase and that alone gets me excited (hey, I’m a regular traveler so I kind of geek out on suitcases) and two, it offered a unique storage solution for my clothes, shoes, and toiletries that I have never seen before but we will get into that in a little bit.

What is it?

The SOLGAARD Lifepack is a carry-on sized hard sided roller suitcase that is extremely rugged and durable and comes with a collapsible closet that stows away inside the suitcase for easy packing and unpacking for your trip.

Hardware specs

The dimensions of the Lifepack are 21.6″ tall (including the wheels), 14″ wide and 9″ deep, complying with all airline carry-on size requirements (please double check with your airline on size requirements before taking this or any bag as a carryon) and has a 38 liter volume. The hard shell is made from jet black polycarbonate, which is reinforced with a gunmetal grey aluminum frame for the perfect balance of strength and weight. A TSA approved lock is integrated into the bag so you will never again worry about leaving your lock in a hotel room or having it bent or smashed as it dangles from zippers (this has happened to me on numerous occasions). The Lifepack also comes with a lifetime warranty.

What’s in the box?

The SOLGAARD Lifepack comes with the suitcase and a collapsible closet system for easy packing and unpacking or when you just need to quickly get into your suitcase to find that one thing that would normally have you digging through your neatly packed bag.

Design and features

The Lifepack has been very well thought out and constructed. Starting with the suitcase itself, the shell is as sturdy and durable as I have ever experienced in a piece of luggage. The video on their website demonstrates being able to sit and stand on the suitcase with little give. The four wheels on the bottom are high quality and glide with ease, something that is a feature you look for if you have ever owned a bag that has cut costs by using low-quality wheels. The telescoping handle is very solid and doesn’t rattle around like with other bags I have owned. It responds to your movements instantly and glides with ease over hard floors, carpet, and concrete. On the underside of the handle is a very soft, plush grip that makes pulling this bag through an airport very comfortable in your hand.

My favorite feature of the shell is the closing mechanism and the integrated TSA approved lock. SOLGAARD has eliminated the zipper and instead has used an attaché style closure so never again will you have to deal with a zipper coming off the track, getting a piece of clothing or the liner stuck in it or worry that your bag can be easily cut into even when locked. The lock is built into the frame on the shell directly under the side handle and used a 3 digit wheel locking system so you don’t need to remember where you put your key to your suitcase.

All of the features mentioned above already make this my favorite hard-sided carry-on suitcase that I own but what really separates the Lifepack from the competition is the patented internal collapsible closet system that makes for extremely fast and easy packing and unpacking. As you can see in the pictures, this internal closet is made from extremely lightweight and rugged fabric and hangs easily from the trolley handle, allowing you to see all of your clothing easily and remove just what you need without rummaging through your bag to find a shirt or pair of socks. once packed, the closet collapses and fits easily into the suitcase where you can snap it securely into place so it doesn’t fall out should you open the suitcase while it is standing upright.

I have always hated living out of a suitcase when I travel so before receiving this bag, I would get to my hotel and immediately unpack my entire bag and put the suitcase in the closet or on the side of the bed. Now that I am using this suitcase for my shorter trips, I simply open it, take out my collapsible closet, hang it from the handle and voila, I am unpacked. No more accidentally leaving a shirt or pair of pants in a hotel drawer that I forgot to look in, it’s all right there just as I packet it. No more storage cubes to separate my pants from my t-shirts and no more jamming all of my stuff into the suitcase as I race out the door to catch my flight, wondering if I left anything behind.

What I like

The rugged design and durability of the shell is sure to impress even the most seasoned traveler and suitcase abuser. The collapsible closet has completely changed the way I pack and unpack and makes finding what you are looking for effortless. I am in love with the closure and locking system. I can’t count the number of times I have broken a zipper or got it caught on something, which always seems to be when I’m in a hurry. At $249 right now on their website, I think this is a great value for the quality and ingenuity you get with this suitcase.

What needs to be improved

From a design and value standpoint, I honestly have nothing bad to say about this suitcase and portable closet system. At this time it is only offered in the one color that is shown in this review so for those of you who don’t like black luggage, this will be a negative, but for me, I prefer black luggage and the combination of the black shell and gunmetal grey frame is extremely sharp and professional looking.

Final thoughts

If you are looking for a high quality and durable carry-on sized roller bag I cannot recommend this product enough. If you are like me and are tired of having to sift through all of your neatly packed clothing to look for a specific item or are tired of spending time unpacking and repacking your suitcase when you get to your destination, this is a great solution for your travel needs. I have used this on three work trips and will NEVER go back to my other carry-on sized roller bags after using the Lifepack. Every feature of this suitcase is well thought out and engineered to make your life as a traveler easier and it is extremely successful in that effort. I could not be happier with this product and am very comfortable recommending it to our readers, which is why I am giving this the highest rating of 5 stars. Job well done, SOLGAARD!

Price: $249.00
Where to buy: SOLGAARD or Amazon.
Source: The samples for this review were provided by SOLGAARD.

Ergotron WorkFit-Z Mini Sit-Stand Desktop review

So you’re thinking about the benefits of a standing desk, but it just doesn’t fit into your workspace plans. Maybe you don’t have even have a traditional desk! Here’s where products like the WorkFit-Z come in. It’s a stand that converts any work surface into a adjustable sitting/standing desk. This particular model is designed for organizing yourself in compact spaces. Let’s check it out!

What is it?

The Ergotron WorkFit-Z Mini is a stand that converts your existing workspace into a height-adjustable standing desk.

Hardware specs

Footprint = 31″ x 21″ (79 x 53 cm)
Fits on desk surfaces 22″ (56 cm) deep or larger
Work surface dimensions = 31” by 15.8” (78.6 x 40.2 cm)
Keyboard tray dimensions = 24.5″ x 9.1″ (62 x 23 cm)
Device slot dimensions = 11″ x 1.8″ x 1.1″ (28 x 4.5 x 2.8 cm)
Range of motion = 12.5” (31.7 cm)
Product Weight: 32 lbs (14.5 kg)
Total height in “low position” = 5.4” (14 cm)
Total height in “high position” = 17.9” (45.5 cm)
Maximum load capacity = 25 lbs (11.3 kg)

What’s in the box?

1 work stand, fully assembled
2 leg covers
A couple of zip ties for managing cables

Design and features

Construction and Setup

The Ergotron WorkFit-Z Mini is a surprisingly hefty beast, weighing in at a 32 pounds due to its tank-like construction. A beefy metal frame, thick composite surfaces, and what feels like commercial-grade hardware makes for a solid, stable stand for your precious electronics. Corners, edges, and finishing are all nicely executed with an elegant grey wood grain finish on the work surfaces. It’s a well-built piece of gear that will look great in either your home office, your home project area, or your corporate environs.

You can also leave the tools in the drawer because the Ergotron WorkFit-Z Mini comes fully assembled out of the box. The only required setup is to attach the two plastic covers to the “feet” of the stand with peel-off adhesive pads. Cut loose the packing straps, and you’re good to go. From unboxing to setting my gear, we were up and running in my office in under 10 minutes.

Layout and Functionality

As the smallest stand in the Ergotron lineup, the two-tiered design of the WorkFit-Z measures in at a space-friendly footprint of 31” wide by 24” deep. The top tier of your monitor and laptop measures 31” by 15.8”, and includes a clever 11” by 1.8” device slot to cradle your tablet and smartphone. The lower tier is an offset 24.5” by 9.1” dedicated tray for your keyboard and mouse. It’s a compact setup, but it does a nice job of organizing all of your work essentials in a small space.

At the lowest setting, the keyboard tray is flush with your desktop and the top surface sits at an ergonomically-friendly 4.3” above the keyboard tray. Squeeze a handle on the right side of the unit to release the brake, and lift (or lower) the unit to the desired height. Movement is smooth and linear and can be set to any position up to 12.5” above the desktop surface for standing operation. It should be noted that the keyboard tray is locked in position relative to the top surface with no additional adjustments.

Finally, the Ergotron WorkFit-Z Mini employs some nice little additions to manage cables. The desktop tray includes a pair of holes in the rear panel if you’re still using a wired keyboard and mouse. The device slot also includes a bottom port through which you can thread your charging cables. This allows you to run all of your cables behind the unit, keeping them out of the way of normal operation.

Performance

The Ergotron WorkFit-Z Mini does a great job fulfilling its mission as an accessory that turns your existing workspace into a convertible sitting/standing desk. Given the small footprint, you can use it in a variety of spaces: your office desk, a countertop, a built-in computer alcove, etc. It also looks great, so you won’t mind having it on display in high-traffic areas.

We tested the stand with two configurations, as you can see from the pictures: a 21.5″ iMac with wireless keyboard/mouse, and a Windows-based setup with a 24″ monitor, wired accessories, a Chromebook, and an iPhone. I also tested the iMac with my 13″ MacBook to test the sizing.

For a compact footprint, the Workfit-Z offers a surprising amount of room for all of our gear. You can fit a monitor and laptop on the work surface with room to spare for your small devices. After testing both configurations with the help of my son, we found that there is plenty of room to work without feeling cramped. Ergotron does offer larger models if you need more space to stretch out for dual-monitor setups or larger pieces of equipment, so you’ll want to do some checking before you settle on this particular stand.

The dedicated keyboard tray does have its pros and cons. It’s not designed to handle a full-size keyboard and mouse but works just fine with the compact keyboard/mouse setup you see in the pictures. It’s also not adjustable and can’t be tucked out of the way, so using the laptop without external accessories can get a bit awkward for extended use. Depending on your personal preferences this may or may not be an issue for you.

The manual lifting/lowering operation is very smooth and works well. The unit is rated at a maximum load of 25 pounds, so you won’t need your big muscles to operate the device. We did find it easier to raise & lower the stand with two hands if it was loaded up, but it’s not a big problem.

I’m extremely impressed with the overall build of the Workfit-Z. It’s a rock-solid stand that’s extremely stable at any height without a wobble to be found. It is so well planted that I have no concerns about the safety of my gear toppling over. I’m also confident that the frame, surfaces, and hardware will last for years without failing. It’s that good.

What I like

Compact, organized profile for small workspaces
Rock solid, stable construction
Looks good enough for the home or professional office
Smooth operation
No assembly required

What needs to be improved

Doesn’t fit a full-size keyboard and mouse; check your gear dimensions first
Not ideal for dedicated laptop use over extended periods due to the dedicated keyboard/mouse tray; you’ll be more comfortable using an external keyboard/mouse

Final thoughts

The Ergotron WorkFit-Z Mini is a great solution for converting an existing workspace to a convertible sitting/standing desk. In scanning comparable products, it looks like the $250 price point is in alignment with similar products on the higher end of build quality. I’m OK with the price-to-value ratio here. A desk is a solid investment that gets daily use, so you want to make sure that your solution is solid and safe for your precious electronics. The WorkFit-Z scores on both counts. It’s also got a two-year warranty, which adds a level of confidence to your investment.

My only two caveats about this product are related to your intended use. Depending on your working style, the keyboard tray may get in the way of extended laptop use. It is also the smallest desktop converter in their lineup, so you should evaluate your gear needs (and take some measurements) to ensure that this model would work for you. Other than those two items, I would highly recommend this product.

Price: $249.99
Where to buy: Visit the Ergotron WorkFit-Z page for purchasing information, or check out their store on .
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Ergotron.

Suaoki 150Wh Portable Solar Charger review

In the summer of 2017, my family traveled to my wife’s home in the central Philippines. While waiting for a ferry to her island, an earthquake struck. Moments later, the power went out. In a few days, the rolling blackouts, heat, humidity and need to keep medical equipment functioning drove the need to purchase a small generator. Finding one wasn’t easy; it was expensive, we were in competition with dozens of other buyers, there was limited stock, and once we found one, it consumed considerable funds for fuel. What I would have given for one of Suaoki’s Portable Solar Generators!

What is it?

The Suaoki Portable Solar Generator is a beefy, 13,500mAh battery pack with an integrated modified sine wave inverter and flashlight. It’s equipped with one “grounded” AC socket, one two-prong AC socket, four USB sockets, and four 12-volt coaxial sockets. A gaggle of electrical adapters, power supply options, and cords are supplied to fulfill a vast array of electrical needs.

Hardware Specs

Heavy-duty plastic construction
Approximately 7” long, 4-1/2” wide and 5” tall
Carry handles fold into the top
Approximately 3 pounds, 3 ounces
AC/DC/USB Outputs: (2x) AC outlet (max 100W, peak power 150W); (4 x) DC port (15A / 180W max); (1x) QC3.0 USB port (18W max); (3x) USB ports (10.5W max); charges or powers products such as laptops, phones, tablets, cameras, drones, CPAP machine, small home appliances and more
On-the-Go Power Source: 150Wh (3.7V 40500mAh/11.1V 13500mAh) powerful charging station for camping or emergency backup; probably the most compact power station with a size of 7.3*4.3*4.7 inch, and the weight is only 2.9 lbs.; 2 hideable lift handles make it even more portable
Efficient Solar Generator: connect a solar panel (not included) and S270 Power Station via DC 3.5X2.1 to MC4 connector (included), it can be a silent and gas-free solar generator; with MPPT solar charge controller inside, the unit can be charged much more efficiently
Triple Input Modes: (1) can be recharged by connecting to SUAOKI 60W, 100W solar panel (SOLD SEPARATELY); (2) can be fully charged in 8 hours by being plugged into a wall outlet; (3) can also be charged by plugging into your car 12V socket. (Car charger included)
Perfect Emergency Tool: battery management system (BMS) enables voltage control, temperature control, and more advanced safety operations, ensuring ultra-safety for you and your devices; can also function as a torch for emergency lighting; 18 months warranty and friendly customer service

What’s in the box?

The Suaoki Portable Solar Generator

AC power charger

12-volt automobile charger

12-volt automobile power socket adapter

10 coaxial power connectors and connecting cable

Alligator clip cable

User manual

(Surprisingly, despite being named “Solar Charger,” no solar panels are included with the battery pack)

Design and features

Upon opening the box and gleefully removing the contents, I was rather shocked that no solar panels were included. In the interest of providing a more comprehensive review, I contacted The Gadgeteer’s Owner/Editor and Gadget Guru, Julie, and agreed to purchase an accompanying 60-watt solar panel.

The solar panel arrived a few days later and was immediately deployed to begin soaking in the sun’s illuminating rays. It’s wrapped in a canvas cover and folds into a compact, portable size. Fully deployed, it’s about 3′ X 2′, but folds down to a svelte about 1′ X 6″ X 2″.

Unfortunately, during mid-winter in Upstate New York, the sun is a rare commodity. It took almost two weeks for us to have a sunny day. That being said, at 60-Watts, the solar panel is capable of generating enough power to trickle-charge the battery pack under low light conditions, but it would take several days to generate a full charge for the battery pack. That being said, with minimal sunlight and an overcast, gray sky, the panel easily produced enough power to charge my iPhone (without the piggyback battery case) in about two hours. If all you are looking for is to keep your phone running, this Suaoki 60-Watt solar panel is just dandy without the need for the battery pack.

The Solar panel is equipped with a 12-volt and USB sockets tucked inside the storage pocket.

However… If you need to provide power where the sun doesn’t shine, the Suaoki Solar Charger battery comes to the rescue.

Once the sun was brave enough to show its happy face in snow country, it fully charged the power bank with the solar panels in approximately eight hours. It takes the about same amount of time to charge using the included AC wall charger. While being charged or providing power, two sets of four bright blue LEDs on the top surface happily blink to indicate the battery level.

I must admit, this is one of the more challenging reviews I’ve done, not because of the complexity or quality of the Suaoki products, but in gathering data to provide an idea of how long this power supply will function. Simply put, the 13,500mAh battery inside is a beast! The case is bulky, but Suaoki was wise enough to integrate handles into the top.

One “grounded” plug and one two-prong socket adorn the side of the power pack. I plugged in a standard table lamp equipped with an 800 lumen, 9-watt (60-watt equivalent) LED bulb and started a stopwatch. A full 12 hours later, the lamp was still shining brightly. Plugging in a 32” LED television, the power supply provided 4 hours of Netflix viewing bliss. It should be noted that using the power inverter to supply AC devices isn’t as efficient as using DC power because there are some efficiency losses converting direct current to alternating current making it impossible for me to make calculations to estimate battery capacity with any accuracy.

The modified sine-wave inverter housed inside isn’t ideal for powering inductive (motors and power supplies with wire-wound transformers), but it will work in a pinch. I plugged in a pedestal fan and it ran for about 7 hours before exhausting the battery. I also used it to power the Dell laptop used to write this report. The modified sine wave inverter made the power supply buzz slightly and become hotter than normal, but as far as I can tell, no damage was done. In the future, I will use one of the coax jacks to feed my computer.

Between the power block and solar panel, there are more power adapters than you can shake a stick at. Alligator clips, male and female automobile connectors, cables, and several kinds of adapters are included.

The four coax power sockets share a mammoth 15 Amps. That’s enough to simultaneously charge four average laptop computers. I don’t know of any other portable battery pack that can do that. I was able to power my Dell laptop using the included power tips for hours. The folks at Suaoki clearly thought the application of this power pack through. I found the utility of this device to be incredibly versatile. I searched around my home plugging the power tips into every gadget I could find and only found one that had a very tiny connector that the adapters would not fit.

The three USB sockets can provide up to 2.1 Amps shared between them. The fourth USB socket can provide 18 watts, which should be about 3.6 Amps, which is enough to charge most tablets. My iPhone is equipped with a piggyback 5000mAh battery pack to keep my Dexcom constant glucose monitor alive for more than a day untethered. Naturally, my phone and battery take substantial time to completely charge. I’m pleased to report that the Suaoki Solar Charger was able to supply 3 complete charging cycles with a little juice to spare. I will be keeping the Suaoki charged as an emergency backup.

Of course, plugging in multiple devices into the Suaoki Portable Solar Generator will reduce the amount of time it can operate correspondingly, sharing the capacity across the connected devices. To give you an idea, four average laptops plugged into the power ports would exhaust the battery in a little less than an hour. One iPhone X can be fully charged about five times, but using all four USB sockets to charge your power-hungry iPhone X collection would only yield about 1-1/4 full charges. Your mileage may vary.

The integrated double-barrel flashlight is very bright and has constant and flashing modes. It fires enough photons to adequately illuminate an entire room bright enough to read is pointed at the ceiling. I mention this because my family used this technique in The Philippines to provide enough light for nieces and nephews to get their homework done.

What I like

Well-constructed
Ample battery power
Solar charging capability
Charging tips included to power many computer types
Lots of cables and connectors are included
Relatively small and light-weight
The solar panel includes a storage pocket for connectors and cables
Integrated flashlight
The solar panel folds into a compact size.
Green, non-polluting energy!

What needs to be improved?

It would be great if a high-current connector were provided that would allow jump-starting an automobile.
The complete setup (battery pack and solar panel) is somewhat expensive.
The name “Solar Charger” implies that the solar panels would be included with the battery pack. As with all purchases, read the fine print, dear friends.

Final thoughts

What I wouldn’t have given to have one of these when the power was out in The Philippines! I was very impressed with the power capacity, ease of use, and the number of connectors included. It’s not going to replace a small generator for higher-current power production needs (like an air conditioner or microwave), but I found it’s more than capable of generating enough juice for most of my power needs.

Do you remember the Northeast power blackout on August 14^th, 2003? I do, and I would really like to avoid that helpless feeling again. Suaoki’s solar charger and panel should help alleviate some of my anxiety.

Price: Power bank: $139.99, 60-watt solar panel $179.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: Suaoki provided a power bank sample and discount on the solar panel for this review.