Backup Battery

EasyAcc Quick Charge 3.0 20000mAh Power Bank review

In a world where mobile devices are proliferating, the need to keep them topped off and rapidly charged is a constant struggle. While battery life is slowly improving, so is the demand on our phone and tablet processors, making them easier to drain than ever.

Fortunately, there’s also a huge market for external battery packs. The EasyAcc Quick Charge Power Bank is another entry in a sea of similar devices, so what makes this one different from the others?

The Power Bank has a solid, unassuming design, and nice features.

EasyAcc’s entry into the mobile charger arena is exceptional. The aesthetics are clean and simple. I like the color scheme, mostly black with an orange strip running along the sides. It made it easy to find in a dark backpack pocket. I wouldn’t call it rugged, but it could survive some drops.

The Power Bank sports 4 USB charging ports, one of which is a Qualcomm^® Quick Charge™ 3.0 output for use with devices that can utilize this. The other ports are “smart” in that they detect the maximum charge your device can receive and sends that amount of power through.

That green port at the top is your fastest charger.

It didn’t come with a wall adapter, so you’d have to either have one handy or charge it off of a USB outlet charger or some other powered USB source, like a desktop computer or laptop that is plugged in. I imagine most people would have some way of getting some energy to the power bank. It did come with two short micro USB cables, both of which can be used simultaneously on the pack’s two micro USB ports to bring the 20,000mAh battery to a full charge in just 5 hours.

Two, count ’em, two cables.

I suppose it’s worth noting that it didn’t come with a lightning cable, which I’ve seen other battery packs ship include, but I had some extras laying around.

Rated at 20,000mAh, the battery holds enough juice to charge an iPhone 7+ over five times, or an iPad mini twice.

Oh man, what a great feature.

That’s all well and good, but to me, aside from the double-barrel input charging, the standout feature has got to be the built-in flashlight. Seriously. When I opened the box and realized that this thing had a light built into it I thought to myself, “That’s genius.” Is this a relatively new thing? Probably not, I just don’t think I’ve noticed that as a normal inclusion on mobile USB chargers.

Their site states that the light should last about 100 hours and it’s pretty darn bright. The light is also in a good spot to handle the power bank like a proper flashlight. Making this part of my EDC kit, I could leave the other medium-sized flashlight in the car or somewhere else outside of my bag. Nice.

The one oddity I could find is when plugging in a device, sometimes it would start charging the device right away and other times I would have to turn on the battery pack first before it began charging. It seemed random. Perhaps my phone was registering as fully-charged since it was getting pretty close, and the pack was shutting off to preserve energy.

To be honest, this was the first battery back I’d ever used, but to me it’s quite a nice entry in a very saturated market.

The EasyAcc Quick Charge 3.0 Power Bank is available now on Amazon for $39.00. That’s a sale price, by the way, so I’m not sure how long it will stay that price, but what a great deal!

Source: The sample for this review was provided by EasyAcc. Please visit their site for more information or order directly from Amazon.

Product Information

Price:	$69.99 MSRP
Manufacturer:	EasyAcc
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	very rapid charging, both ways generous number of ports that flashlight… I love it
Cons:	lacks a wall plug/adapter

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Backup Battery

EasyAcc Quick Charge 3.0 20000mAh Power Bank review originally appeared on on April 22, 2017 at 8:45 am.

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Nomad Tile Integrated PowerPack Review

The Nomad Advanced Powerpack is a well-built, powerful, ruggedized external battery pack that is unique in that it has built-in Tile integration. Not only will it quickly charge your various devices, if it’s ever misplaced you’ll be able to find it easily using Bluetooth and the Tile app. The added features will cost you though.

The Nomad comes in very sturdy packaging that appears just about as rugged as the unit itself.

In the box:

Nomad Powerpack
USB-C to USB-A cable
User Manual

Inside the box, you’ll find the Nomad Powerpack, a USB-C to USB-A cord and a small manual.

The overall design and look of the Nomad Powerpack is quite impressive. The Nomad has a very militarized, stealth aesthetic. The pack feels hefty in your hand, more like a weapon than a battery pack. The large size and weight is one of the Nomad’s drawbacks. It has matte textured plastic bevels with the Nomad named imprinted in a groove down the top of the unit.

The unit is protected by a thick rubberized diamond plate-like texture. Furthering the military theme, the specifications say that has 1.2M Mil-spec drop protection. Basically, this means that it can be dropped from a height of 1.2M on to its edge without suffering damage.

The Nomad comes uncharged. A low charge is indicated by a single orange light.

The unit charges by using the included USB-C to USB-A cord. Plug the USB-C end into the IN USB-C port on the Nomad and plug the USB-A end into a powered USB port or a USB-A wall charger. Plugged into my Anker powered USB hub using the included cable, the Nomad went from empty to full charge in about two hours.

A full charge is indicated by three white lights. Interestingly enough, Nomad included an ambient light sensor on the powerpack right between the USB-A port and the Tile button. The unit will automatically dim the indicator lights in the dark preventing the bright lights from disturbing your sleep.

You power the unit on by pressing the small button under the charge indicator lights. I was able to charge my Android Nexus 5X from 10% to 100% in about two hours and thirty minutes using the USB-C to USB-A cable plugged into the USB-A out on the unit. I measured that charge at 5.08V / 1.05A / 5.334W; this was an average reading. Voltages always hovered around 5.00V. Amps averaged around 1.25A. Watts were anywhere from 5.25W all they way up to 8.75W.

The USB-A port is indicated as providing 2.4A out although my testing came in a bit lower.

To get the full benefit of the quick charge capability you will need a USB-C to USB-C cable for newer Android phones or a USB-C to Lightning cable for iPhones.

Setting the Nomad up to use the integrated Tile functionality is easy. Open the included user manual and scan the QR code to initiate the process and install the Tile app on your Android or iPhone. To find the Nomad using Tile simply select it in the Tile app and then select Find.

If your Nomad is within 100ft, it will start playing a little alarm tune repeatedly until you find it and press the Tile button. The alarm is a bit low so searching for the Nomad may take some time if it’s hidden someplace deep in your backpack or behind a couch for example. If the Nomad is out of Bluetooth range you still may be able to locate it using Tile’s community functions. If any other Tile user’s device is within Bluetooth range of the Nomad, you will receive an update with its location.

The Nomad Powerpack is a very powerful battery and the built-in Tile functionality is a great addition. It’s a good deal more expensive than most battery packs and it has fewer ports than a lot of more inexpensive ones. But, if a seriously rugged design and the option to track its location is important to you then it’s worth the higher price point.

Compatible Devices

iPhone 5 through 7/7Plus
iPad (4th Generation +)
iPad Mini (All generations)
iPod Touch
Android Type C and Micro USB phones and tablets
Most Micro USB Devices via USB-A port
PowerPack supports USB C, but it does not support USB PD (Power Delivery) so it will only trickle charge your 2016 Macbook.

Specifications

Capacity: 9,000mAh (29.6wh)
Input: USB C 5V/3.0A (cable included)
Output 1: USB A 5V/2.4A
Output 2: USB C 5V/3A – 12V/2A with Fast Charge technology
Panasonic lithium battery
5.31″ (13.5cm) x 2.9″ (7.5cm) x .78″ (2.5cm)
1.2M Mil-spec drop protection
Tile integration via Bluetooth

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Nomad. Please visit their website or Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$99.95
Manufacturer:	Nomad
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Very rugged Tile integration works well USB-C port Built-in ambient light sensor Very good battery life
Cons:	Expensive compared to similar chargers Big and bulky Only one USB-A port No Micro USB ports

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Backup Battery

Nomad Tile Integrated PowerPack Review originally appeared on on April 18, 2017 at 6:44 am.

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myCharge RazorUltra 12,000 mAh portable charger review

Extra power in your hands, right when you need it? Yes, please! This myCharge RazorUltra 12,000 mAh portable charger delivers. Not only is it tough, sturdy and reliable, but it looks great, too. There are a lot of portable chargers out there, but I found that this device really delivered for me. And it has a TON of great features!

I really thought the top and bottom form-fitted plastic packaging this item came in was outstanding. It firmly holds all of the components in their place. There’s no chance of the items moving around in the packaging during shipping, so there’s little chance of damage. The box it comes in, too, is very sturdy and well built. (See feature picture.)

This picture shows that the unit is a pretty standard size for a 12,000 mAh portable charger. Fits well in the hand, feels solid, and fits easily in your pants pocket. The smaller picture shows some of the specs on the back of the unit. And check out this outstanding list of features – straight from the manufacturer’s website:

TECHNOLOGY

Smart-sense: ensures complete device compatibility

Hyper-charge: ultra-fast charging of your devices; up to 65% faster than competitors

Power-stay: maintains battery power for up to 1 year

Max-power: maximum power transfer from powerbank to device

High-density battery: the smallest and lightest powerbank

Safe-cell: provides the highest level of battery safety

Rapid-recharge: powerbank recharges up to 50% faster than competitors

Pass Through Charging: will charge the powerbank and connected device simultaneously

The plug to charge the unit comes with handy fold-out pins that fit into any standard USA power outlet.

Something I really like about this portable charger are the “Power Remaining” indicators. There are four of them. Very intuitive, so four lights indicate 75-100% power remaining, three means 50-74%, two means 25-49%, and one light means 24% or less power remaining. They don’t stay on constantly, either; thus draining the battery for no reason. How do you get them to light up, then? You shake it! (But don’t “shake it light a Polaroid picture”! Unless you’re dancing… or you just can’t help yourself.) Just give it a jostle, and they’ll light right up for you, then fade after about 3 seconds. Pretty cool.

As you can see, the RazorUltra unit comes with a USB 2.0 micro Type B jack (cord included) for charging, and two USB 2.0 Type A ports to charge your devices.*

*myCharge sells a variety of chargers, each with different ports, options, and styles to meet your needs, including one that uses the latest USB-C technology, which can charge and run a laptop!

So let’s talk about practical application. I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 phone, and a Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.1″ tablet. Starting with the RazorUltra fully charged, and my Galaxy S5 phone at 6% remaining power, the portable charger totally recharged my phone in exactly 1 hour, 11 minutes, and 17 seconds. Now, AFTER the phone had been fully charged, I just attached the charger to my Galaxy Tab S and started charging it without recharging the RazorUltra. The Tab S was also at 6% power remaining when I started. The portable charger got my Tab S up to 96% after 5 hours, 24, minutes, and 16 seconds, and then it ran out of juice. But the juice was pretty sweet. (Ha! See what I did there?)

All-in-all, I really like this unit, especially for the price of $59.99. It holds its charge well and definitely stands up to other 12,000 mAh portable chargers out there. I usually go for larger capacity chargers, but this is a really solid piece of equipment to have in your arsenal.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by myCharge. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$59.99
Manufacturer:	myCharge
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Tough, anodized aluminum 12000 mAh storage Various models, options and colors See ALL the features under the TECHNOLOGY section in the article, including: Smart-sense Hyper-charge Power-stay Max-power High-density battery Safe-cell Rapid-recharge Pass Through Charging
Cons:	Limited power storage. Will only charge your device 1-3 time(s), depending on the device

Filed in categories: Cables, Batteries and Chargers, Reviews

Tagged: Backup Battery

myCharge RazorUltra 12,000 mAh portable charger review originally appeared on on March 29, 2017 at 7:43 am.

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Charge your gadgets when you’re off the grid with 1 tablespoon of water

Portable backup batteries are handy to have when you’re away from an electrical outlet and need to charge your devices. But they are only good for a limited number of charges before they need to be recharged themselves. Solar chargers are another backup power solution that works great as long as you’re in an area with direct sunlight. Is there a backup power solution that doesn’t suffer from either of those limitations? The myFC Powertrekk fuel cell charger looks like it has potential.

What is it? The myFC Powertrekk is a hybrid charger that has a built-in 3800 mAh battery that can be charged from a USB cable and an AC adapter like traditional backup batteries, but the Powertrekk can also generate electricity from water and small fuel cells called Pucks.

One myFC Puck contains Sodium Silicide, Sodium Borohydride and 12 g Aluminum. When you add one tablespoon of water or liquid that contains water to the Puck, it will generate 1400 mAh of power.

Water reacts with sodium silicide to produce heat and an inert mineral called sodium silicate. Hydrogen from the water is unused in this process and is released for consumption by the fuel cell. The chemistry of the process is safe and the only bi-product from the fuel cell is a little water vapor. Expended PowerTrekk Pucks can be recycled as metal waste.

The myFC Powertrekk comes with one Puck and extra Pucks can be purchased in packages of 9, 12 and 15 for about $5.44 per Puck. I know that’s very expensive considering the Pucks are good for one use only. It should go without saying that the PowerTrekk wouldn’t be a backup power solution that you’d want to use all the time. But, it’s more of a niche product that would be good to include in a bug out bag or an emergency preparedness package since the Pucks will be ready to use at any time to generate power unlike a backup battery that will lose its charge over time even if it isn’t used.

You can read more about the Powertrekk at myfcpower.com and you can order one for $119.97 from Amazon.

Filed in categories: Cables, Batteries and Chargers, News

Tagged: Backup Battery

Charge your gadgets when you’re off the grid with 1 tablespoon of water originally appeared on on March 27, 2017 at 11:04 am.

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Aukey 20000mAh PowerAll power bank review

Power for USB-charged devices has been the subject of many discussions surrounding the growing “mobile-first” mindset. Since we can (and do) use these devices pretty much anywhere, it’s a safe bet that a power outlet is not going to be near where we need one. Solution? Enter the large capacity portable power source – a battery that can recharge a device one or more times and can be accessed quickly and frequently. Aukey recently offered their 20000mAh PowerAll to us for a run-through. Let’s see how it fared.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

Overall, the Aukey 20000mAh PowerAll is similar to others that have been reviewed here on The Gadgeteer: roughly rectangular and hard-drive shaped (5.85″ x 3.25″ x .75″), covered in a smooth matte-finished plastic, and weighing 13.7 oz. The last model I reviewed in this capacity was a bit larger, and 4 ounces heavier for the same charge. The one before that was larger still, and a tad heavier. Nice to see improvements in bulk. (Photo below shows a few other chargers. The Aukey is the svelte unit on top.)

A single button activates the unit and also tells the battery level, via a multi-colored LED under translucent plastic. Red means 30% or less, Green means 30% – 70%, and white means 70% – 100%. Holding down the power button for 2 seconds will activate the built-in flashlight. (I really can’t call it a flashlight with a straight face. It’s a LED bulb that gives you enough light to search inside your bag, under your chair or restaurant table or the disgusting depths of the seat back pocket where your Apple Pencil slid out of your case. (Is it really worth retrieving from those peanut-buttery depths?) There is no reflector, no real distance that it will carry, but it is a light that is easier to use than your phone’s flash or screen, and a bit brighter than the latter.)

The other change from past units is the type ports contained. Not only can you charge with microUSB, but you can also charge via Apple’s Lightning cables. This means iOS device users don’t have to remember to pack two different cables (one for charging the device, another for charging the charger!) I applaud this move by third-party device makers. It served them well for many years with 30-pin connectors, but they hesitated on bringing devices to market that use the newer port. Now that they’ve decided to bite the bullet and make devices with the “new” (5-year-old) port, it will also create profit for them, until Apple decides to ditch Lightning for USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 next year. (Did I say that out loud? That’ll never happen – just a rumor.) But, meanwhile, it’s great for the over-cabled.

Output is another place the Aukey 20000mAh PowerAll scores points with those using current devices. If your device supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge (QC) 3.0 technology, the battery will fill your device’s battery as much as four times faster than regular chargers. It’s backward compatible with QC 2.0 and QC 1.0 as well. Since both ports support these, you can actually get this performance with two devices simultaneously. (I’m not able to test this since Apple and Qualcomm are currently engaged in a three comma court case around what chips Qualcomm lets them use and what licensing fees should and have been paid. So iPhones don’t yet support this technology. When elephants dance, it’s the grass that suffers.) I can, however, charge my iPad Pro 12.9 and iPhone 6s Plus without it melting into a heap or slowing down. In my tests, I could barely get it below the “full tank” indicator.

The manufacturer’s website lists these specs:

Technology: Quick Charge 3.0 & AiPower
Capacity: 20000mAh
Input: 5V 2A
Output (Quick Charge 3.0): 3.6V-6.5V 3A | 6.5V-9V 2A | 9V-12V 1.5A
Output (AiPower): 5V 2.4A
Weight: 388g / 13.7oz

While smartphones and tablets do get better battery life than laptops, they don’t go all day if you’re spending a lot of time using them, especially if you’re accessing cloud-based storage, viewing or editing video, or switching between complex apps (read: games). Thankfully, battery tech is improving almost as quickly as our appetite for power. In order to get that power into your existing devices, however, you’ll need to invest in an external source.

There’s a lot of chatter on Twitter and in some circles I keep up with about replacing your laptop with a tablet. Lack of distraction from other apps onscreen, speed of changing between apps and switching it off and on, the purity of a large sheet of glass with nothing between you and your data, better battery life – there are a lot of positives that are put up as reasons to make the change. One thing that these writers all agree on: when you’re running your iPad at full tilt, it will use more battery faster. They universally recommend having a power bank of some sort handy. I do, too. And with the Lightning charging port and lighter weight, the Aukey is my current favorite.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Aukey. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order one.

Product Information

Price:	$49.99 MSRP
Manufacturer:	Aukey, Inc.
Retailer:	Amazon
Requirements:	Charger to power battery, devices that need to be powered by USB.
Pros:	Can charge many different types of devices via two USB ports. Can be charged via Lightning or microUSB Fast-charging capabilities make this device more "future-proof" Holds charge while unused for several weeks.
Cons:	None unique to this device. (All batteries are heavy and take some time to charge.)

Filed in categories: Cables, Batteries and Chargers, Reviews

Tagged: Backup Battery

Aukey 20000mAh PowerAll power bank review originally appeared on on February 22, 2017 at 9:36 am.

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