 If you often find your cell phone, PDA or media player running out of power with no AC or car power outlet in sight, it's time to start packing a portable power pack for away-from-outlet recharges.
Mobile-device chargers are suitable for cell phones, Bluetooth headsets, PDAs, media players, and other small devices. A charger will typically provide one to two full recharges of your phone. Depending on which type you're using, this could equate to four to five hours of talk time or 30-50 hours of music.
Here's a look at some of the choices and useful things to keep in mind:
Rechargeable Power Packs—These are sealed devices containing rechargeable batteries. Typically, rechargeable power packs are equivalent to up to four AA batteries, depending on their size, and translate to five to ten hours of cell phone talk time, or forty to fifty-plus hours of iPod Nano usage.
Popular rechargeable power packs include:
Battery Shell Chargers—As the name suggests, they consist of a shell in which you place AA (sometimes AAA) batteries. Using rechargeable batteries will save you money over time, versus buying one-time-use batteries, but you might want to also pack a set of high-capacity, lithium-ion AAs, just in case.
Popular battery shell chargers include:
Most of the rechargeable packs and many of the "battery shell" chargers include their own rechargeable circuitry, so you can plug them into a USB port or an AC USB adapter. Luggage permitting, you may want to also pack a fifteen-minute AA battery charger.
Disposable Power Packs—These are one-time-use power packs. They may not be cost-effective, but they're a convenient way to be sure you've got an emergency charge.
Many, like Cellboost, are just small non-rechargeable batteries packaged up with a charging tip.
Medis 24/7 Power Packs are fuel cells—you keep the power management cable but dispose of (or mail-recycle) the lightweight sealed power pack. The Standard 24/7 Power Pack puts out 1 watt and should be good for four to five standard cell phone charges; the Xtreme 24/7 Power Pack puts out 4 watts (e.g., for devices with color screens) and packs more power. Medis' packs are UL and CE listed and approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation to be taken and used on commercial air flights.
When considering which power pack to purchase, make sure it provides enough power to charge and run your particular device. You'll also want to be certain that it either offers the right power tip for your device or uses a USB port (assuming your device has a USB power cable).
Having to pack one more thing may seem like a pain, but when your appliance unexpectedly runs out at an inevitably crucial moment, you'll be glad you thought ahead—it's the mobile warrior expert in you!
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