The PowerPak by Technocel is a universal charging solution that combines a backup rechargeable battery pack with a rapid home charger. It recharges a handheld device at the same time as it recharges itself via a wall outlet. It provides up to 3 hours of extra talk time, using a 1000 mAh internal lithium ion battery. It is an eco friendly battery that draws very minimal power from the wall outlet when no additional power is needed. There are four LED indicator lights, located on the top of the unit, that indicate the remaining capacity of the battery reserve with the press of a button.
The Technocel PowerPak
The PowerPak works with iPhone/iPod/iPad products with the USB charging cable that is included with the purchase of any of these Apple products. There is a USB port located on the PowerPak. The PowerPak also works with several other brands (BlackBerry, Palm, Motorola, Nextel, Casio, and Nokia) with the addition of interchangeable tips that are included in the original purchase of the PowerPak.
The PowerPak is 2.75” x 3” x 1” . The MRSP is US$39.99. I found it at prices ranging between US$32.00 to US$49.00 on the Internet.
Using The Product
I tested this product at Macworld where I used up my iPhone 4 battery quickly by recording podcasts with vendors of products that were of particular interest to me. I was able to tether the PowerPak to my phone, slip the PowerPak into a pocket and keep my phone working until the end of the day. However, this would not be my first choice of a way to back up my iPhone battery in such a setting. For one thing, the tether cord kept catching on things.
On the other hand, it worked very well as a means of recharging both my phone and my iPad at the end of the day and for using either in the media room where the tether factor was a non issue. It was very comforting to know when I left the hotel each day with my phone fully charged, that the PowerPak was also fully charged and ready to function as a backup.
Do I Recommend It?
I do for certain situations. It is not the best option for anyone who needs to recharge a phone or iPod on the go throughout the day. However, it is a very good choice for those who use their phone for long calls, recordings, or other uses that use a lot of battery time quickly and have the option of getting a new spurt of battery power in a stable environment. An extra three hours of use at US$39.99 is a much better price that the usual price for a phone/battery case and this unit will work with numerous products.