Why You Can Trust CNET Get my favorite mobile charger for $29.99 shipped
The RAVPower Savior features a built-in Micro-USB cord and folding wall-prongs for easy recharging. Plus: four bonus deals! Whaaaat?
This is an update of a deal I shared back in January, and now it's even better.
Think all mobile chargers are created equal?
Think again. They come in endless shapes and sizes, with different battery capacities that determine how much juice you can squeeze out for your mobile devices. And the vast majority are standalone power bricks, requiring cables not just for charging your phone, tablet, or whatever, but also for charging the charger itself. Hassle-tastic!
That's why I've long been a fan of self-contained chargers, which have cords and wall prongs built right in. Like this one: For a limited time, Sunvalleytek (via Amazon) has the RAVPower Savior 9,000mAH mobile charger for $29.99. That's after applying coupon code RWA4VLM7 at checkout. Shipping is free for Amazon Prime subscribers; everyone else should try to pad their carts by another $5.01 to score free Super Saver shipping.
Despite its beefy 9,000mAh battery, the Savior measures a compact 4.4 inches by 2.7 inches by 1.1 inches and weighs roughly half a pound. My previous favorite charger, the myCharge Peak, weighed the same but was a bit larger, despite having only a 6,000mAh battery.
As I mentioned above, the real highlights here are the built-in wall prongs and charging cable. To recharge the Savior, you just plug it into a wall outlet. LEDs indicate when charging is complete (though they're inconveniently located on one side, instead of facing out at the rear).
This model also incorporates a built-in Micro-USB cable that tucks neatly away when not in use. This is so convenient, it makes me angry at other mobile chargers. Oh, and just in case you're a cross-platform user, there's a capped USB port at the bottom so you can charge anything else in your mobile arsenal.
How much juice can you reasonably expect from the Savior? It depends on what you're charging, of course. You should be able to fully recharge any smartphone at least twice, but it can give tablets a boost as well.
Unsurprisingly, user reviews are off the charts (4.8 stars out of 5 from over 200 buyers). And I concur: From a convenience standpoint alone, this is the best charger you can get. So get it!
Bonus deal: DJI's Phantom is kind of the gold standard for quad-copters, with prices to match: In the past, you'd be lucky to get one for under $500. Today only, and while supplies last, Meh has the DJI Phantom 1 quadcopter for $315, plus $5 for shipping -- the lowest price I've seen by far. It features built-in GPS for automatic return-to-launch and comes with a GoPro mount (GoPro sold separately, natch). The Phantom is wicked fun to fly, and there's a huge community of tips, tricks and accessories to make it even better.
Bonus deal No. 2: Reruns aren't always a bad thing, like when Woot once again offers the refurbished HP Chromebook 14 for $204.99, plus $5 for shipping. This is a newer, faster model than some of Woot's previous HP Chromebook offerings, and it's been a Cheapskate-reader favorite. I'm sure that's in part because of the 14-inch screen, which makes for a nicer desk-based laptop. The system is available in your choice of three lively colors.
Bonus deal No. 3: Last week I shared a pretty sweet deal on a highly automated movie-editing app. If you need something with a lot more power, try this: SharewareOnSale has the CyberLink PowerDirector 13 Ultra (Win) bundle for $49.99. In addition to the powerful video editor, which has a list price of $99.99 all by itself, you get CyberLink AudioDirector Ultra 5 (normally $129.99!), CyberLink PowerDirector Mobile and a 1-year subscription to CyberLink Cloud (10GB). This last is fairly meh, but the rest of the bundle? Score!
Bonus deal No. 4: Have you ever wanted to fiddle with that cool tilt-shift photo effect, the one that makes cities and landscapes look like miniatures? Here's your chance: Today only, Giveaway of the Day has Artensoft Tilt-Shift Generator (Win) for free. Regular price: $49.95. This is an especially great tool to have if you jump on Bonus Deal No. 1 and start snapping aerial photos. Not all the user comments are super-kind about this program, but, hey, it's free! What do you have to lose?