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August 22, 2008
Portable Power - Duracell PowerPack 450
I have had a car jump starter for several years, a rechargeable battery in a plastic box with two cables that attach to the dead car battery. I have used it more than a few times, and while not a lifesaver, I am happy that I bought it.
Recently I got a chance to try a Duracell PowerPack 450, besides being able to jump starting your car, it has:
- a compressor for inflating tires,
- 2 120v power outlets,
- a 12 volt cigarette lighter outlet,
- a USB port, for charging many cell phones, MP3 players, GPS, etc.,
- and a flashlight.
Jumps start your car or power just about anything, I tried all of the different functions and they all performed as promised. And the battery lasted almost as long as claimed, for instance, in the owners manual they state that it will power a 40 watt table lamp for 3 hours - when I tested it, it lasted 2 hours and 48 minutes.
There are a few other products on the market with similar capabilities, but what differentiates the PowerPack 450 is that it can talk. It tells you:
- an estimate of how long it can power a device when you plug something into it.
- when the battery is completely charged,
- and basic instructions on how to jump start a dead car battery and how to use the compressor.
When I was first told about its vocal capabilities I was totally underwhelmed. I know how to jump start a car, I could probably figure out most of the rest of functions. For instance to use the compressor, turn on the main power switch and then turn the compressor switch on - this isn't rocket science. And the instructions are printed on a label on the back of the 450. But I called up a few friends and several thought is was a great idea. A few of their comments:
- this would be great to send with my kid when they go off to college.
- I could probably figure it out, but my - husband, wife, child, fill in the blank - would be a lot more confident when using this in an emergency if they were told how to use it.
- during a power outage having it tell you how much time is left would help you ration its use.
A couple of things to remember:
- when the battery is totally discharged it takes 35 hours to fully charge it,
- it weighs almost 20 pounds, batteries aren't light.
The Duracell PowerPack 450 will be available later this year and retails for about $159.99.
What do you think? Would the 'talking' feature be a benefit to you or someone you know? Or is it one of those uses of technology where just because you can do it, doesn't necessarily mean you should?
Posted by Bob Gatton at 8:27 AM | Comments (2)
August 12, 2008
Monster Cable Outlets to Go with USB
I travel frequently for business and just about every hotel room that I have ever stayed in doesn't have enough available power outlets. When you take a cell phone, laptop computer, digital camera and sometimes MP3 player, trying to recharge their batteries often involves unplugging lamps and the alarm clock to get enough outlets.
Monster cable has four different compact power strips with from 3 to 6 outlets. They all have a short power cord that you wrap around the power strip and plug into one of the outlets when it is not being used. They are small enough to put into a brief case or computer case.
The most recent addition to the lineup has 3 outlets and a powered USB port. Many digital cameras and cell phones can be charged from this port. If you use this to recharge the batteries, all you need is the appropriate cable, you can leave the power supply at home. One or two less things to lug around while traveling.
This isn't hi-tech, but it is very clever. Its one of those products that I wish I would have thought of it first.
For more information on their travel power strips go to Monster Cable Outlets to Go. They are priced from $14.95 to $29.99
What do think? And are there any products that you would recommend for frequent travelers?
Posted by Bob Gatton at 8:29 AM | Comments (0)
