Technabob » charger

Butane-Powered Fuel Cell Can Charge an iPhone for Weeks

Shane McGlaun — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:00:34 +0000

If you don’t spend much time in the house or in the office, keeping your smartphone or other device charged can be a challenge. There is no shortage of solar chargers and external battery packs on the market, but those things are often slow and might need to charged themselves. Online retailer Brookstone is set to get a new fuel-cell charger this year that will charge any USB device using butane fuel.

The charger uses small cartridges filled with butane about the size of a lighter that are actually made by lighter manufacturers. Each little cartridge has enough butane to recharge the iPhone completely as many as 14 times. The company says that would be enough for about two weeks of use for most people.

The fuel cell charger is manufactured by Lilliputian Systems, but will be Brookstone branded. The little cartridges of refill butane reportedly cost a few dollars each, and will be able to be carried on an airplane. The manufacturer says the cartridges will cost about the same price as a cup of coffee from Starbucks (which could mean as much as eight or nine dollars each.)

[via CNET]

Andru Lets You Charge Your Android with an Android

Technabob — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:00:47 +0000

Android phone users don’t have to stick with that boring black charger that came with their phones anymore. If you’re a big fan of the Android platform, then you owe it to yourself to charge up with Andru – the Android mascot USB charger.

Andru is a dead ringer for the official Android mascot, and will charge up your Android smartphone with ease. Just plug the microUSB cable into your phone, and the other end into Andru’s head, and you’ll be juicing up in no time – and with style. While your gadget charges, Andru’s LED eyes glow a pleasant blue hue, and then return to white when in standby.

Since Andru’s head has a regular USB port in it, you could always connect your iPhone’s 30-pin to USB cable to him and charge up, if you’re feeling whimsical. If you like Andru, you can grab him over at ThinkGeek for $24.99(USD).

Third Rail iPhone Battery Case Charges Other Gadgets at No Extra Charge

Lambert Varias — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:30:38 +0000

A company called Third Rail Mobility has created the most practical iPhone battery and case combo I’ve ever seen. The company found a way to make their battery charge all other USB-compatible devices as well, which is great because the iPhone isn’t the only mobile device that runs on electricity.

Third Rail Mobility did cheat a bit though, because unlike other battery cases the company’s case is separate from the battery itself. The case has a slot in the back where you slide in its 1250 mAh Lithium-ion battery. As I mentioned above, the battery itself can be used to recharge other gadgets via USB, thanks to its integrated microUSB port.

This two-piece system has other advantages as well, not least of which is giving the user the option to have a slim protective case when the extra power from the battery is not needed. On the other hand, it also makes it easy to swap and use multiple batteries for more power. Also, even though the current case will only fit on the iPhone 4 & 4S, future updates to the iPhone won’t render the battery obsolete because Third Rail will make future cases compatible with new iPhones.

You can order the Third Rail Mobility battery case from the company’s website for $90 (USD). You can also order additional batteries for $60(USD) each. Or you know, Apple could just make their gadgets have swappable batteries.

[via Best Stuff]

PowerPot Thermoelectric Generator Charges your Gadgets Using Fire

Shane McGlaun — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 15:30:45 +0000

There are a number of backup emergency power generators on the market that allow you to charge your iPhone or other smartphones without a traditional power source. Most of those involve consumables such as fuel cells or use solar panels that may or may not work depending on the environment. A new charger prototype has surfaced that will charge devices while you cook or boil water.

Working on a similar principle to the BioLite CampStove, the PowerPot also will generate power for USB gadgets using thermoelectric power. There are three different versions of the PowerPot, offering from 5W up to 15W of electricity for charging. All three concept versions put that power out through a USB port.

In theory, all you need is a heat source of any kind from a fire to a grill and you can generate electricity to recharge your gadgets. The pot also needs to be filled with water or watery contents to work. This would be the perfect thing for emergency preparedness kit for campers. The PowerPot could also be a very useful new source of electricity in developing parts of the world.

Check out the video below to see the PowerPot prototype in action:

The PowerPot is currently raising funds over on Kickstarter. A pledge of $99(USD) will result in the donation of the 5W model to someone in a developing nation. $125 or more gets you one for yourself, while $199 buys the 10W model, and $500 will get you and a family in need the 15W model.

[via EverythingUSB]

PhoneSoap Cleans Your Phone and Charges It, Too!

Hazel Chua — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:30:26 +0000

Many people have close relationships with their smartphone. They carry it around with them every day, press it to their cheeks at least once every few hours to make a call, and poke or tap at the screen every few minutes or so to check their email, browse the Internet, or read a message.

You should be aware by now that your smartphone has probably accumulated the growth of a ton of bacteria over the course of you using it excessively each and every day. I don’t even want to begin imagining all the microbes and bacteria that’s breeding in between each key on the keypad or around the grooves of its buttons…

Good thing there’s someone out there who wants to come up with a way to “wash” our phones (without getting them wet, of course) with the PhoneSoap.

PhoneSoap is a charger and sanitizer packaged in one neat, little box. It uses to UV-C light to kill any bacteria and viruses that might be living on your phone. The UV-C light is 99.9% effective at killing bacteria and viruses, and since it doesn’t generate any heat, it doesn’t put your phone at risk during its sanitizing cycle. At the same time, it can charge up your device, since the box allows access to both a micro USB cord and Apple’s 30-pin USB cord.

PhoneSoap is currently up for funding on Kickstarter, where a minimum pledge of $39(USD) will get you your very own PhoneSoap.

Plug iPhone/iPod Charger Needs a USB Port, Not a Socket

Lambert Varias — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:30:31 +0000

An external battery pack that looks like a battery icon makes a lot of sense. But what about one that looks like a power plug? That’s exactly what the Plug is. It looks like a plug but actually docks directly to an iPhone or iPod to transfer its charge. Don’t bother looking for a socket to juice it up either, because what it actually needs is a USB port.

The prongs on the Plug are actually just parts of a plastic cap that conceals a male iOS dock connector. The wire or cable end on the other hand conceals a female mini-USB connector. It would’ve been better if it had a male USB connector instead so you can just plug it in a USB port without the need for a cable. The Plug only has an 800mAh battery inside so it won’t be able to fully charge an iPhone or iPod Touch. But it is quite small and can be attached to a key ring so you can always bring it with you.

You can pre-order the Plug external battery from Gessato for $28(USD). I wonder if there’s an actual power plug that has a female USB connector on the other end. Now that would be really useful.

[via Materialicious]

JuiceTank Case Means You Never Need to Carry an iPhone Charger

Shane McGlaun — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:00:20 +0000

I don’t know why I have such a hard time keeping up the chargers that go with my smartphones. I have an iPhone and an Android device and I can never find the charge cables for either of them. The worst is the iPhone because I charge it on an alarm clock dock. That means I only use use the charger adapter and cable if I’m traveling. When it’s time to go, I inevitably end up digging through every drawer of my desk searching for that dastardly wall adapter. If you have similar charger issue, this new iPhone case on Kickstarter right now is the perfect solution to this problem

The case, designed by Jesse Pliner and Lloyd Gladstone is called the JuiceTank. It looks like any other hard-shell iPhone case, but has two fold flat prongs for an AC outlet on the back. The prongs lay flat and smooth so they won’t bother you when you’re pulling the phone in and out of your pocket.

When you need to charge on the go or at home, you flip those prongs up and actually plug the case into your AC outlet to charge the smartphone. The only problem I can see is that the plugs are designed specifically for North American 110VAC outlets. If you travel internationally or live elsewhere, you’ll need an international adapter. I also wonder how well it’ll hold into sideways outlets and some of the weird outlet placements you find in hotel rooms.

Still, it’s a slick way to ensure you never have to go looking for a wall adapter or charge cable again. If you want one, you can pre-order yours over at Kickstarter. A limited number of cases are available for a special price of just $40, after which the Kickstarter price jumps to $55. Either way, it’s a good deal when you consider the retail price will be $70 after the Kickstarter campaign wraps on May 13th.

AIRE Mask: How Darth Vader Charges His iPhone

Conner Flynn — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:00:57 +0000

Between solar energy, hand cranks and even heat from fires, there are lots of green ways to charge our phones. Some don’t work that well, while others work, but are bulky. Then there are those that are just plain silly. The AIRE mask falls into the latter category.

First off, it makes you look like some kind of comic book villain. Second, it makes you look like a comic book villain. The AIRE concept comes from Joao Paulo Lammoglia and uses the power of your breath, which it converts to electricity, using tiny wind turbines. Just keep it connected to an iOS-powered device, breathe normally and you are charging. Good idea, but let’s not do this one.

Luckily this is only in the concept stage at the moment. Otherwise we would see these all over the streets and it would look like a gathering of the League of Evil Geniuses.

[via Ubergizmo]

DIY TARDIS Charging Station is Literally a Phonebox

Conner Flynn — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:00:09 +0000

If you need somewhere special to put your phone while charging it, you might want to check out this TARDIS charging station, designed by Haley Pierson-Cox. It’s pretty adorable if you are a Doctor Who fan.

Even if it serves no other function than to act as a cozy for your phone, this is a pretty cute little blue box. If you want to try making one yourself, it looks fairly easy if you have basic sewing skills. You can find the instructions here.

Not only is this a great way to charge your phone, but all of your friends will be jealous at the office. I guess that means you’d better be careful that they don’t steal it. Remember, that’s how the Doctor got his TARDIS. Just “borrowed” it and never looked back.

[via Craftzine via Nerd Approved]

BioLite CampStove Generates Electricity to Charge Your Gadgets

Range — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:00:16 +0000

Have you ever been stuck in the wilderness and your devices are about to fail because there is just no way to charge them back up? Check out BioLite’s CampStove, which will allow you to cook or heat your food while charging up your gadgets at the same time.

The CampStove features a thermoelectric system that will transform part of the heat of the fire into electrical energy by moving the internal fan. There are no batteries or other fuels required. You can charge any USB device, from smartphones to LED lights. The overall device is quite small and packs away easily since it’s about the size of a Nalgene bottle.

It sells for $129(USD) and will be released in the spring of this year, right about when you’ll need something like this when you go out camping.

[via NOTCOT]

K-TOR Power Box Charger: Pedal to the Metal… or Whatever Your Gadget Is Made of

Lambert Varias — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:00:29 +0000

Hand-powered generators are pretty common nowadays, but this is the first foot-powered model that I’ve seen. Developed by K-TOR, the Power Box has a two-bladed socket, so you can charge or power almost any device while working up a sweat. Lance Armstrong can probably charge his phone in 5 seconds using this device.

The Power Box measures 4.5″×4.5″×8.75″ and weighs less than 2lbs., so it’s a very portable charger. Generally speaking, our legs are more powerful than our arms, so it should be easier to produce power on the Power Box than on a hand-powered generator. Add that to the fact that it has two pedals while most hand-powered generators only have one crank and you have a more useful and practical gadget. Its only weak point is that it doesn’t have a USB port. Instead, it’s just got an (ungrounded) outlet on top. Also you can’t use it while you’re running away from zombies. Hand-powered generators win that one.

The Power Box isn’t available for order yet, but K-TOR did say on their Facebook page that they’ve already “ordered production parts and tooling” for the device. The company’s hand-powered generator sells for $50 (USD), so I’m guessing the Power Box will be significantly pricier than that.

[K-TOR via The Gadgeteer]

XDModo Solar Charger: Window to the Sun

Hazel Chua — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:19 +0000

Solar energy can be considered “green” energy in the sense that it’s readily available and that it doesn’t release pollutants to be generated. Solar cells and batteries aren’t exactly new technology. There are already a lot of released products and gadgets where the sun is their major (and sometimes, only) power source.

However, the idea of putting your device under the heat of the sweltering sun isn’t very appealing because it might overheat and end up getting fried if you don’t pay attention. A pretty neat solution for taking advantage of solar energy without being out in the elements? The XDModo Solar Charger.

Basically, the charger “catches” solar energy through the window where it’s stuck on, and uses this energy to charge up your device, while it sits safely in an indoor environment, such as an office or even in your car. Of course, there’s no reason you can’t just flip it over and use it outdoors if you want too.

The XDModo charger comes with regular and micro USB outputs, and stores power in its 1400mAh rechargeable lithium battery – which should be good for about a full charge of today’s smartphones. It’s available for purchase online from Design3000 shop for €49.95 (~$66 USD.)

[via The Green Head]

Kanex Sydnee Holds and Charges 4 USB Devices at Same Time

Range — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:00:41 +0000

With the plethora of USB chargeable devices in your home, you probably have run into some problems finding enough plugs, space, or both to try to get them all juiced up at once. I know that I have to split them up into different rooms and plugs to get them all powered up. The Kanex Sydnee offers a way to charge up to 4 devices via USB from a single power source.

The advantage is that the charger actually looks pretty good and can handle your tablet, laptop, and smartphone at the same time without missing a beat. It delivers 2.1A of juice to each of its four USB ports, so even the power-hungry iPad can be charged without a problem. It ships with three short USB to 30-pin cables – though it would be nice if they included four. Guess they’re assuming at least one of your gadgets isn’t an iOS device.

The Kanex Sydnee charging station will be available in two colors, onyx and snow, when it arrives at the end of Q1 this year for $149(USD).

[via Ubergizmo]

Crank Up the Eton FRX3 Radio During Emergencies

Hazel Chua — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:00:41 +0000

Most times, people don’t really put much thought into stocking up on emergency supplies until the actual emergency itself is upon them. This can result in a lot of chaos and even worse, panic.

So while things are all good and there are no emergencies or calamities looming, I think it’s time you put together an emergency kit for good measure. Stock up on canned stuff, pack together some sheets, and put together a first aid kit. And throw in the Eton FRX3 radio if you’ve got still got some space left over.

Basically, the Eton FRX3 is a crank radio that will keep you connected to the rest of the world in case you find yourself trapped somewhere or far away from the rest of civilization. It’s powered by the crank, so no external power sources needed. If it’s bright out, the FRX3′s internal battery charges up via solar energy, since it’s got solar panels lined up at the top, too.

Aside from being a radio, the FRX3 is also a LED flashlight and USB charger for your gadgets. The multi-purpose radio also has a glow-in-the-dark outline to make sure you can still use it and spot it, even in the dark.

The Eton FRX3 was unveiled at CES 2012 and will be available for sale soon for $60.

[via Oh Gizmo!]

Bracketron’s GreenZero Chargers Stop Charging at 100% Battery Power

Hazel Chua — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:00:14 +0000

People are becoming more and more green these days. And by green, I mean in how conscious they are of how their actions can affect the environment.

Electricity is one of the things that everyone can consume less of to help the environment. A lot of people aren’t aware of it, but leaving appliances and electronics plugged into chargers even when they’re already fully charged is a huge energy waster. Concept designs like the Eco-Socket and the PumPing Tap Concept all work with the concept of stopping the flow of energy once the device is fully charged or when it’s not used, respectively.

If you’ve ever wished for at least one of those concepts to become a reality, then your wish has already been granted with Bracketron’s GreenZero Chargers. Your wall sockets remain unchanged, because all the green stuff happens in their smart and eco-friendly chargers.

Their series of GreenZero chargers automatically shuts off at zero idle power when your device is fully charged. There’s one specifically for Apple devices, one with a micro USB wire, and two that have a USB slot so you charge any USB-powered device. The chargers will be priced from $24.95 to $34.95 (USD) and will be unveiled at CES next week.

[via Oh Gizmo!]

Roll-Up Travel Charger: Power Up with Style

Range — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:15:13 +0000

When I travel with my chargers, it’s usually a mess, with cables everywhere and tangled up in my bag. You’re probably the same way. This is why Restoration Hardware’s Roll Up Travel Charger is a cool addition to anyone’s kit bag.

The Roll Up Travel Charger is basically a power stick that hooks up to an AC adapter at one end, and offers an additional four sockets to charge up your various devices. This can be quite useful because in most hotel rooms, you’ll be lucky to find just one socket to power up. The outputs will charge iOS devices, mini USB, and micro USB ports. There’s also a Samsung charger. When not in use, the whole thing rolls up neatly and snaps closed.

It sells for $49 (USD), so it’s not too expensive and it’s an elegant solution to all of your travel-based charging quandaries.

[via Wired]

IKEA Sunnan Solar Lamp Modded Into iPad Charger

Range — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:00:49 +0000

When you think about it, having a solar charger is a good idea, especially if you find yourself outdoors frequently, and your gadgets often run out of juice. If you’d rather not just go with an off-the-shelf charger, you can always mod an IKEA Sunnan solar lamp to become your iPad charger.

In order to complete the hack, you’ll need to replace the stock batteries with higher capacity ones. Then, the battery compartment has to be modded to accept Voltaic Systems small 2-Watt solar panels. Finally the lamp has to be re-wired to accommodate Adafruit’s MintyBoost charger module.

The resulting hack adds a USB charging port, while at the same time allowing you to still use the lamp, which is cool and that makes it even more useful. You can check out the whole procedure here.

[via Ikeahackers]

Kensington AbsolutePower Charges Absolutely

Lambert Varias — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:00:49 +0000

Another week, another charger. But while most of the portable electron tanks we’ve featured are only for smartphones or tablets, the AbsolutePower from Kensington packs 100W, enough to charge a laptop.

The AbsolutePower comes with “Smart Tips” – adapters compatible with laptops from different brands. Sadly for Apple users the MacBook Pro isn’t one of those brands. It also has a USB and a micro-USB port so you can charge other devices as well, although if you use it to fully charge a laptop it might not have enough power left for your other devices. As we all know, only Sith Lords have unlimited powah.

You can order the Kensington AbsolutePower from Amazon for about $102 (USD).

[Kensington via Coolest Gadgets]

Twelvesouth’s PlugBug: One Charger to Rule All Apple Chargers

Range — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:00:01 +0000

Do you ever run out of space on your outlet to charge up all of your Apple devices? The chargers Apple includes for iOS gadgets and MacBooks are cool, but they do take up precious outlet space, which is why the Twelvesouth PlugBug is so cool. It cuts down on the number of chargers that you’ll need in order to juice up your devices. The PlugBug can be added to a MacBook charger so that it can charge up all your iOS devices with the same charger.

It’s definitely a smart idea, and it makes you wonder why it hasn’t been invented before. It will charge up your MacBook, iPad, iPhone, and iPod – two gadgets at a time. The 10-watt charger delivers enough juice to charge up your iPad in a timely manner, because your computer’s USB ports can take up to 4× as long. It can also convert non-US chargers to US adapters because you can swap out the prongs to the PlugBug.

You can get the PlugBug for $34.99 (USD) at Twelvesouth.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

IIDA Jupitris Phone Charger: No More Tangled Cords

Range — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:00:41 +0000

Have you ever gotten annoyed at the tangled web of wires that any AC adapters become, when left untouched in your bag? Well if so, then check out this charger. The new Jupitris phone charger created by the Japanese designer Jin Kuramoto for IIDA.

IIDA makes accessories for phones in the Japanese market. The adapter comes with an integrated cable management system, so your wires will stay untangled. The cord is retractable and you’ll find a microUSB port at the other end.

It took IIDA three years to finally finish this concept and ramp up production. It comes in a variety of different colors and sells for ¥1,780 (~$23 USD).

[via designboom]