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3 guys left Mophie to make Mophie-like accessories with a twist

Meet Nimble, a new premium accessories company with affordable pricing and a green angle.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Kobo e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Headphones, Bluetooth speakers, mobile accessories, Apple, Sony, Bose, e-readers, Amazon, glasses, ski gear, iPhone cases, gaming accessories, sports tech, portable audio, interviews, audiophile gear, PC speakers Credentials
  • Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
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David Carnoy
2 min read
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Nimble's portable chargers have premium designs and features but don't cost as much as Mophie's chargers.

 David Carnoy/CNET

Back in early 2016, Zagg, a company best known for its iPhone screen protectors and iPad cases, bought battery case maker Mophie. Some key Mophie employees stuck around for a while but ultimately didn't quite mesh with the new company. So they left and started their own accessories company: Nimble.

Ross Howe (CEO), Jon Bradley (creative director) and Kevin Malinowski (brand marketing) left Zagg in March and just five months later are rolling out new Nimble products, including portable chargers and wireless charging pads. All of the company's products will be sold on Amazon and the company's website. They won't be available in retail outlets, which take a big cut on sales. The idea behind that model was to compete with budget Asian brands, such as Anker and Aukey, that have cut into Mophie's sales.

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Wireless charging pads.

 David Carnoy/CNET

Nimble products won't be cheaper than Anker's products but CEO Howe says they're better. "With this model, we can make more premium accessories with premium features that cost less." It's something he wanted to do with Mophie but just couldn't quite pull off.

The company also has a green angle and the company's tag line is "Tech for good." The packaging for the products is simple and biodegradable. And each product comes with a small plastic bag you can fill with old tech products, which you can then ship out for free to be recycled.

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The packaging disolves in water.

 David Carnoy/CNET

Here's a look at the pricing for Nimble's launch products. I'll be curious to see how that pricing evolves over time. You can get more information and view all the products here.

  • 10k Portable Charger: $49.95
  • 13k Portable Charger: $59.95
  • 20k Portable Charger: $69.95
  • 26k Portable Charger: $99.95 
  • Wireless Pad: $39.95
  • Wireless Travel Kit: $59.95
  • Wireless Dual Pad: $49.95
  • Wireless Stand: $49.95
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The included bag for your old tech products. Shipping is free.

 David Carnoy/CNET

Mophie's new Apple-exclusive Powerstation portable chargers: Single-cable convenience for iPhone owners.

Wireless charging is meh: But it's going to get way better.

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