Motorola P790 Portable Power review: Motorola P790 Portable Power

Motorola's P790 portable charger looks like a mini version of the PEBL V6, sharing its rubberised body and oval design. Dubbed "Portable Power", the device is a mobile power source that lets you recharge your mobile phone or Bluetooth headset without having to find a place to plug in a standard wall charger.

8.7

Motorola P790 Portable Power

The Good

Wireless. Chic, compact design. Works with brands other than Motorola.

The Bad

Compatible with mini-USB devices only. Needs wall charger to recharge.

The Bottom Line

Always on the go? Worried about your mobile phone or Bluetooth headset running out of juice? This stylish wireless power source makes recharging a simple task.

Available in six colours (black, purple, blue, green, pink and orange), the stylish unit measures 51.4 by 23.7 by 51.4mm and weighs 79 grams -- svelte enough to fit easily into your bag. It works with most mini-USB compatible phones and PDAs including those from Nokia, BlackBerry, SDA and Q-tech, as well as Motorola, and Bluetooth v1.2 audio devices. Motorola specifies its compatible models on the box: V3, V3i, V3x, PEBL V6, Slvr L7, L6, Krzr K1, Rokr E2 and Motoming A1200.

We tested the device with the Motorola RAZR V3 and it did almost look like we were joining two phones together. It also bugged us slightly that our RAZR didn't sit flat while connected to the P790, making it seem a bit awkward.

Claiming to hold two full charges for a mobile phone and 10 for Bluetooth headsets, we found the device kept close to its promise. Admittedly, we didn't charge a Bluetooth headset 10 times but we did get two charges for our mobile phone. Recharging the device itself is done by plugging your regular wall charger into the other end of the unit -- so, effectively, you can charge your phone or headset and your portable charger simultaneously. Motorola also offers an optional "Y splitter" that plugs into the P790 to allow you to charge two devices at once.

The P790 takes two hours to recharge itself, though it does come pre-charged in the box. It won't replace your standard, wired charger, but is quite handy to carry on-the-go, especially if you're visiting areas without sufficient electricity outlets.