rechargers

Crave giveaway: Kanex Sydnee four-port recharging station

Congrats to Johnal L. of Costa Mesa, Calif., for winning a pair of Aperio Audio Verus Forte speakers in last week's giveaway. This week's prize is sure to get the winner all charged up.

We're giving away a Kanex Sydnee recharging station, which charges up to four iOS devices at once through its four 2.1-amp USB ports. It works with all iPhones and iPads, and would be quite happy in any iFriendly home, office, or classroom looking to keep its gear organized and powered up. … Read more

MetAir mobile charger has power of 115 D-cell batteries

The next superstorm could strike anytime. If you're concerned about having electricity, the MetAir Solstice packs a whopping 55,000 mAh of power.

This portable charger from QuantumSphere has power equivalent to 115 D-cell batteries under a 2 amp load.

It's being billed on a Kickstarter campaign as the world's most powerful portable device charger. … Read more

Sony's svelte external battery looks like a smartphone

When you absolutely need to make sure your main squeeze -- your smartphone or tablet, that is -- can stay powered when away from a wall outlet, a seemingly never-ending number of external battery options exist.

Few of the chargers, however, look as sleek as the half-inch thick Sony CycleEnergy external battery announced today, featuring lithium ion flavors in either 3,500 or 7,000mAh capacities. The slim aluminum frame weighs up to 6.9 ounces and sports a design that probably makes it easy to bundle along with a phone. … Read more

Michael Phelps snoozes in high-tech compression jammies

Michael Phelps isn't like most people, so it stands to reasons his pajamas aren't like most people's. There are no fuzzy bunny slippers and sheep-print flannel pjs for Phelps. He wears a high-tech compression suit from Under Armour.

The Recharge Energy Suit is a full-body suit designed to help the body recover from fatigue after training.

Under Armour claims the super tight compression fit pushes out the water damaged muscle fibers take on when sore, leading to a faster recovery. This is also probably as close as you'll get to knowing what it feels like to be swallowed by a snake.… Read more

Survive with Sony's hand-crank USB charger

One possible solution to resurrect a dead phone resides in Sony's latest portable CycleEnergy USB charger with a built-in hand crank, due in Japan on June 20 for 8,000 yen ($100).

The modular charger (CP-A2LAKS) features a dual port unit capable of charging two USB-equipped devices and a built-in 4,000mAh battery chargeable via AC power.

A Sony press release states the large battery capacity within can deliver enough power to charge a smartphone about two times, with an additional reference noting it would take about two hours to give the Xperia Acro HD smartphone a full charge. … Read more

Apple: iPad charging fine, keep it plugged in

Apple says its latest iPad model has been designed to keep charging, even after its indicator says it's reached 100 percent.

Following questions about the accuracy of the new iPad's battery status indicator and its recharging technology, Apple now says that it's part of its software to continue charging and discharging the battery when it nears 100 percent, and that there's no harm in leaving it plugged in.

"That circuitry is designed so you can keep your device plugged in as long as you would like," Apple VP Michael Tchao told AllThingsD today. "… Read more

Car Tech Live 237: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 (podcast)

Chevy Spark EV on the way, Cadillac CUE debuts, airbags for The Three Stooges, connect your Android phone to your iPod connector, and we drive the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 237 SHOW NOTES

• CNET drives the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

• Cadillac CUE looks like a winner in car tech interface design

• This *might* be a good way to connect your Android phone to an iPod dock

• Nissan envisions charging electric cars in 10 minutes

• Take a look at the new BMW 3 Series for 2012… Read more

iPhone recharging on the run: Case vs. case

The best way to review products meant to be used out in the trenches is to hit the trenches with those products in tow, going head-to-head in practical (preferably emergency) situations. In this case, we're talking iPhone cases that recharge your smartphone while protecting it.

Our two combatants in this intensely unscientific test are the Scosche Switchback Surge G4 backup battery case with kickstand for iPhone 4 and the PowerSkin recharging soft case.

The battleground was the parade for Chevrolet's 100th anniversary, part of the 2011 Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise car weekend in Detroit. With more than 1 million car lovers flocking to Motor City to view more than 40,000 custom cars, opportunities to take photos and videos were more prevalent than Chevy Small Block V8 engines. To the non-gearheads, there were a lot.

For two straight days, morning until night, I cruised Woodward in a 2011 Camaro as elite and custom cars came and went. Taking all of those photos and HD videos drains an iPhone's battery fast. So, I went into that crazy traffic jam with both the Scosche Switchback Surge G4 and the PowerSkin charged and ready. I tested how much protection they provided, how long they lasted, and how well they recharged an iPhone in constant use. … Read more

GoCharge Power Pack is three devices in one (hands-on)

My time with the Accessory Power GoCharge Power Pack has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. When the device landed on my desk, I dismissed it as a basic 12-volt to USB adapter. However, closer inspection revealed some very interesting secondary features that are worth highlighting. Unfortunately, once I started looking closely, I discovered a few build quality issues that quickly quenched my excitement.

In the box, you'll find the GoCharge unit itself, an AC to USB power adapter, a Mini-USB cable, and a Micro-USB cable.

The GoCharge has about the same footprint as a business card (… Read more

Scream at your phone to recharge it?

Who would have thought the answer to our renewable-energy quandaries might lie in the predominantly pointless nonsense spewing from our collective pie hole?

The Korea IT Times is reporting that "new research promises a way to recharge phones using nothing but the power of voice." A researcher at a South Korean university proposes using the sound of our voices and the cacophony around us to "trickle charge" batteries.

Sang-Woo Kim of the Institute of Nanotechnology at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul is doing this pioneering work in the field of "scavenged energy." Evidently, the science identifies power sources generated by everyday life--such as the electricity generated by cars passing sound walls near busy freeways.

The technology turns sound into electricity by employing strands of zinc oxide sandwiched between electrodes. "A sound-absorbing pad on top vibrates when sound waves hit it, causing the tiny zinc oxide wires to compress and release," Kim reports. "This movement generates an electrical current that can then be used to charge a battery." … Read more