Hasta La Gadget!

Anyone who travels or is away from the home or office a lot knows that keeping your gadgets charged can be a significant challenge. You can get battery cases for your smartphone, but if you need to keep something larger like a tablet charged it can be a serious challenge. A new and large external battery has launched called the iBattz BattStation Tough Pro.

The portable battery pack is ruggedized and water resistant to survive life in the wild. The outside of the device is covered in silicone and can survive drops. It also has an integrated LED flashlight to help you see where you are going.

The external battery pack is available in two configurations that differ in battery capacity. One of the configurations has a 7200 mAh battery inside and the other has an 8400mAh battery inside. Both capacities have the ability to charge two USB devices at the same time.

The smaller capacity battery pack sells for $29.90 and the higher capacity battery cells are $39.90. The only downside I see to this device is that you would have to carry your device’s charging cable with you on the go. Both of the Tough Pro external batteries are available now at Amazon and other online retailers.

iBattz BattStation Tough Pro keeps your gadgets going is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you’re on the go a lot, you know it’s hard to keep your gadgets charged up, especially if you use them frequently. Anyone who owns a 4G smartphone knows that if you surf the web, make a few phone calls, and update your Facebook page, you’re lucky if your device can last half a day. If you’re away from an outlet, your only option is some sort of external battery.

A new solar charger has turned up that will work with just about any gadget on the market called the Switch 8 Solar Recharger.

The folding solar panel connects to the included “Sherpa 50″ battery via a USB port. A bunch of tips will be available to allow direct charging of specific devices like the iPhone or Android smartphones. The battery also has a USB port allowing you to charge any USB device with its own cable. It’s maker, GoalZero promises the device is to fully charge a smartphone in three hours, and its portable battery module can be recharged with 10 hours of sunlight.

The device has an MSRP of $119.99(USD), but can be found at REI for just $99.95, including the flexible Luna LED light shown in the picture above.

If you’re on the go a lot away from a power outlet and have gadgets that you need to keep charged an external battery will help you keep going. The problem with normal external batteries is that they have to be plugged into an outlet typically to charge themselves. A new solar charger has surfaced called the Switch 8.

This charger has a stick-shaped battery with the USB port at one end and a USB plug on the other. The solar panel itself looks like a small notebook and folds open revealing a pair of panels that harness energy from the sun and send it to the rechargeable battery.

Users can then plug anything that uses a USB port to charge into the other end of that battery for power. The manufacturer claims that the battery itself can be completely charged using only the sun in about six hours. The lithium-ion battery has interchangeable tips allowing it to work with just about anything from USB to specific devices such as the iPhone, Droid devices, and lots more.

It appears initially the device will come with the USB adapter and additional tips and accessories for the Switch 8 will launch this coming spring. The Goal Zero Switch 8 Solar Recharging Kit can be purchased right now at REI retailers and online for $99.99.

Switch 8 solar charger harnesses the sun is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you’ve snagged one of Apple’s new iThings complete with 30-pin dock connector-replacing Lightning ports, Scosche is the next manufacturer (after Belkin) to offer up a compatible line of accessories. The variety of car and wall chargers come in several 12W and 5W variants, with the more powerful ones pushing enough juice to quick charge those fourth generation iPads and iPad minis. Of course, while they can provide design alternatives like multiple ports that Apple’s official hardware doesn’t cover, there’s not a price break coming with the cheapest strikeDRIVE car charger starting at $29.99, while the most expensive item listed is the strikeBase pro dual USB wall charger (pictured above) and lightning cable setup for $49.99. There’s more details at the source link if you’re interested in purchasing. Apple users let us know what your plan is — making do with just the one new charger, slapping on a $29 adapter, or sticking with old hardware for now / switching to a new platform to avoid the new connector altogether?

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Tablets, Apple

Scosche is next up with Lightning accessories, brings chargers for iPads and iPhones alike originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple traditionally includes a different charger with the iPhone than the iPad. Until Apple recently released a 12-watt adapter, the iPad received a grounded 10-watt adapter, whereas the iPhone and iTouch got a 5-watt affair in the iconic cubic shape. However, the early reports indicated iPad Mini seems to be shipping with a normal, 5-watt adaptor, as opposed to the 10 or 12-watt adapters that charge the iPad much faster.  (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Solio Bolt charges your iPhone with the sun, Iomega SuperHero: Backup and Charger for iPhone,