charger | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 30 Mar 2023 14:22:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png charger | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Nonda Zus Smart Car Charger – boiled to 100C! https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/accessories/dale-shaughnessy/nonda-zus-smart-car-charger-boiled-to-100c09/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/accessories/dale-shaughnessy/nonda-zus-smart-car-charger-boiled-to-100c09/#respond Fri, 26 May 2017 08:44:57 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=335200 They claim it can withstand high temperatures, so we boil it to 100c! See our latest review

The post Nonda Zus Smart Car Charger – boiled to 100C! first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Are your cables fraying at the edges? Sick of having to buy a new set every year? Today we test a new smart car charger and three ultra-durable cables featuring Kevlar braiding. Are they really any stronger than standard cables you would get from Amazon, or is it just a marketing exercise? We put them through a series of real world tests to find out and instead of just telling you – we made a video for KitGuru TV. Proof is in the pudding.

Nonda offer the world's first smart car charger with German engineering at its base. The charger is intended to be used with an application you have to download direct to your smart phone/device. Credit to Nonda – the app is easy to use and features straightforward instructions. Everything I went through for first time setup and general use afterwards seemed to work perfectly while maintaining simplicity.

The charger itself has been made to withstand more than the average car charger. It is marketed with the ability to withstand temperatures up to 100 degrees Celsius and still function after exposure. This is a fantastic selling point for the really hot summers where you decide to leave it in the car. The sun blazing through a car window can really bring up the temperature in your vehicle and direct sunlight can cause significant increase in the temperature of an object such as a charger. This ability to withstand high temperature is down to a unique cooling system relating to how the device outputs heat.

On to the reversible USB ports. ‘Magical' is the first term that comes to mind! Think of the endless amount of times we have all had to try the USB port thinking we have the male lead the wrong way round only to find out we were correct all along. This device almost spoils the fun as it accepts the USB male port in both orientations. The charging side of things for the the ZUS didn't impress me fully but it brought a quick smile to my face when I saw the instant benefits.

Unfortunately, I have to draw the line on the full effectiveness in some cars. I currently have a KIA RIO 2015 with 2x 12V ports which are set a little back and have a plastic shroud to the side of them, making it difficult to use both USB ports unless you have a 90 degree USB to fit in the tight little gap. Obviously, Nonda really need to look out for Google and the competing free utilities they provide as most of them are like-for-like and some are even slightly better to use. Coupled with the fact that they are free makes Google's alternatives hard to beat.

This takes me onto my next point – tracking miles. This task has never been easier, in my opinion, as all you need to do is leave the application open in the background and it logs every journey you have taken. You can customise what you would like the calculation unit to display, such as £ per mile for example.

Super Duty Kevlar Cables

Nonda sent me over three 1 metre charging cables for different devices so that I could have a run down of what they offer. These were lightning , USB Type-C and Micro-USB cables. They are called ‘Super Duty‘ cables and after testing I can see why. Although I only had the 90 degree USB cables to show you, Nonda still offer the straight cable as an option. However, they seem to want to push the 90 degree style along with the Nonda Zus charger. After use, I can vouch for the need to have one.

Showing they have trust in the cables, Nonda offer a “lifetime” warranty. This is based on general use of the product and not by the extreme measures shown in the video above. With Aramid fibre technology similar to what they use on cables sent into space, Nonda guarantee that you can apply around 15,000 twists and bends in the cable before it starts to suffer. By comparison, the average cable can only withstand around 8,000.

They are very durable and could support my weight of around 10 stone, pull a car and walk a couple of dogs. The fact that they did this without breaking is fantastic.

Pricing

Nonda ZUS Car Charger : $44.99 (£35.99 on Amazon)

Super Duty Kevlar Cables :$29.99 (£16.99-£18.91 on Amazon)

Closing Thoughts

Firstly, I'd like to say that I will be using or passing over the device to a family member who can get use out of it. I really liked the effort that Nonda seemed to put in to making the device very sleek in design while also packing a punch with its durability. A drawback for me was that, to use both USB ports I would be more than convinced to also buy the 90 degree cables which takes the price for this “gift” for yourself or another to nearly £70. I don't know how deep your pockets can go, but for me that is borderline.

I am not too fond of the fact that the application has to be running in the background or else it somewhat forgets to do its job. However, I guess that is a fault of the user just as much as the device, so if you find yourself in a rush i would advise using the pretty handy glove box and storing an emergency pen and paper if this is one of the main features that attracts you to the Smart car charger.

When they are competing with something that literally does it automatically I would want Nonda to take another look at the application to try and find a way around it constantly running in the background so that it automatically detects when you are in the car.

Tracking your business miles is a key thing but let's just say you forget to log a journey and a few months down the line you are caught short and have no recollection on how to manage it. All in all, these are things I can deal with having to do myself and whether you agree or not really depends on what type of person you are and the purpose as to why you're interested in this device.

If you want to plug it in and lean back whist it tracks everything automatically then you are only half way there. Maybe Nonda will have updates in the future for this. I'm happy to stick with them until such thing happens and if the updates do not appear then I am still happy overall.

A really nice feature which i praised so highly in the video review linked above was the “share your location” feature – like any other map application you can easily send a location over to anyone via multiple different social platforms such as Whatsapp, Snapchat and Facebook Messenger.

If you want to save yourself the trouble of doing this every time then you can easily suggest to the person you want to share your location with that they download the Free Nonda application. Then you can send them over a “Family Share” request so they get automatic real time updates as to the location of the vehicle. This I can not praise enough, my family used to have meeting points in case any of us went astray where we would all meet at a certain time and regroup.

I will be using this device for personal use in the future. For me and most users who naturally depend on the use of their mobile device for day to day communication – battery life is a huge deal. Being able to maintain a good battery life and also being able to charge it to full in the shortest time possible.

The Nonda ZUS unlike most 3rd party in car chargers makes full use of the Power from the 12V port and can provide almost 2x faster charging speeds. If that wasn't good enough for you then they even offer you a second USB port so you can simultaneously charge two devices just as fast.

Buy the Nonda Kit HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

Pros:

  • Durable
  • German Design
  • Sleek and Solid
  • Works exactly as stated
  • Log your business miles easily
  • Send your location

Cons:

  • Features close to another free product by Google
  • Application needs to stay open
  • You really need the cable with the charger
  • Together the price is steep

KitGuru Says: An interesting device from Nonda that solves a problem but is certainly not cheap.

Be sure to check out our sponsors store EKWB here

The post Nonda Zus Smart Car Charger – boiled to 100C! first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/accessories/dale-shaughnessy/nonda-zus-smart-car-charger-boiled-to-100c09/feed/ 0
Patriot FUEL iON Wireless Charger https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/dominic-moass/patriot-fuel-ion-wireless-charger/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/dominic-moass/patriot-fuel-ion-wireless-charger/#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2015 07:09:17 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=252771 Wireless chargers have been available for flagship phones for some time however they have often been limited in that charging speeds are not as fast as a wired connection and certain manufacturers' phones only work with their corresponding wireless dock. The Patriot FUEL iON aims to change all of that, however. Essentially, the FUEL iON …

The post Patriot FUEL iON Wireless Charger first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Wireless chargers have been available for flagship phones for some time however they have often been limited in that charging speeds are not as fast as a wired connection and certain manufacturers' phones only work with their corresponding wireless dock.

The Patriot FUEL iON aims to change all of that, however. Essentially, the FUEL iON is a phone case which can connect magnetically to corresponding wireless charging devices. What is so interesting about it is that Patriot claim the ‘FUEL iON charges faster than competing products based on Qi and inductive technologies because its magnets form a direct contact connection to charge your phone.' Essentially, we should see charging speeds at the same level as a wired connection – a first in the wireless charging sector.

1
Features

  • Cases currently available for iPhone 5/6, Samsung S4/S5 and Note 3.
  • Car mount, phone stand, and phone ‘pad' chargers all available.
  • Portable wireless charger also available, with a 2100 mAh capacity.
  • Magnetic connection should charge as fast as a regular AC charger.
The post Patriot FUEL iON Wireless Charger first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/dominic-moass/patriot-fuel-ion-wireless-charger/feed/ 4
Startup announces phone case that harvests power wirelessly https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/startup-announces-phone-case-that-harvests-power-wirelessly/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/startup-announces-phone-case-that-harvests-power-wirelessly/#comments Tue, 05 May 2015 09:14:57 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=248021 Sending electricity wirelessly and safely, has been a pipe dream for scientists and researchers for over 100 years. While in the past few we've seen some attempts with the rather inefficient induction charging mechanisms for our smartphones, one startup has an alternative: harvesting excess WiFi and radio signals. As a proof of concept, it's built …

The post Startup announces phone case that harvests power wirelessly first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Sending electricity wirelessly and safely, has been a pipe dream for scientists and researchers for over 100 years. While in the past few we've seen some attempts with the rather inefficient induction charging mechanisms for our smartphones, one startup has an alternative: harvesting excess WiFi and radio signals. As a proof of concept, it's built an iPhone case that is able to improve the phone's battery by up to 30 per cent by harvesting power from its own wasted transmissions.

The company behind the product, which it hopes to bring to market by the end of this year, is Nikola Labs. According to the developers, the power is drawn from unneeded cellular and WiFi transmissions, which theoretically has many other far-reaching implications. If viable on multiple devices in the same area, it could potentially allow for some forms of wireless charging, even it it's only to extend the life of a battery rather than refilling it.

iphonecase
The Samsung case is coming soon too

However there are some concerns with the fledgling technology. Some have suggested that the standards for wireless power transmission will never allow for a decent amount of power being sent to devices. Others have questioned whether this sort of technology will affect signal strength and wireless bandwidth and wonder whether it will result in a sacrifice in coverage to make use of it.

We'll have to wait and see, but Nikola Labs plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign for the iPhone case in a few weeks time, with a slated price of $99.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Would an iPhone case like this interest you guys? If it truly is viable, I wouldn't mind a bit of extra battery life. 

The post Startup announces phone case that harvests power wirelessly first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/startup-announces-phone-case-that-harvests-power-wirelessly/feed/ 2
Pornhub ‘Wankband’ will power your phone with, erm… https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/pornhub-wankband-will-power-your-phone-with-erm/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/pornhub-wankband-will-power-your-phone-with-erm/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2015 12:08:47 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=237903 Update: It's been pointed out that it was in-fact Youporn, not Pornhub that sponsored the Esports team. Thanks guys. Not content with sponsoring its own Esports team, Pornhub is branching out from its pornographic roots into the realm of wearables, by making a device that can charge your smartphone. Creatively called the ‘Wankband,' the wearable device …

The post Pornhub ‘Wankband’ will power your phone with, erm… first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Update: It's been pointed out that it was in-fact Youporn, not Pornhub that sponsored the Esports team. Thanks guys.

Not content with sponsoring its own Esports team, Pornhub is branching out from its pornographic roots into the realm of wearables, by making a device that can charge your smartphone. Creatively called the ‘Wankband,' the wearable device doesn't work like your usual extra charge pack, but instead generates power for your devices through specific ‘movements.'

dirtyenergy
“Hey dude, what's that on your wrist?”, “Oh, it's my, erm…”

If we were a month on from now I would have assumed this was an early April Fools prank, but PornHub seems quite serious in its plans to release a device that can generate electricity through doing what its wearers “do best.” How much of that moving you'll need to do isn't clear, though PornHub is confident that men and women could wear it equally, even if the promo video is rather male dominant.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzjeAaLbM5k']

The device itself is a wrist mounted wearable with a kinetic charger inside it that generates the power as you oscillate the internal weight. There's also a built in display to show you how much power you've made and consequently stored.

Although currently in the conceptual phase, rather than ready to go on sale, the Wankband is a real device that PornHub wants its fans to try out. To be one of the first beta testers of the new wearable, you need to contact PornHub via the official site and tell it just why you would be a good candidate to generate “dirty energy.”

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Although unlikely to ‘save the planet' like PornHub is suggesting, this does point out that human movement could be a novel way to generate electricity. 

The post Pornhub ‘Wankband’ will power your phone with, erm… first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/pornhub-wankband-will-power-your-phone-with-erm/feed/ 13
Arctic Power Bank 4000 Review https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/accessories/henry-butt/arctic-power-bank-4000-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/accessories/henry-butt/arctic-power-bank-4000-review/#respond Wed, 26 Nov 2014 12:44:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=218747 Today we are going to take a look at one of Arctic's latest mobile accessories, the Power Bank 4000.  We have looked at a number of Arctic's mobile accessories over the last few years and have been generally very impressed with the level of quality and value for money that they offer. The Arctic Power …

The post Arctic Power Bank 4000 Review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Today we are going to take a look at one of Arctic's latest mobile accessories, the Power Bank 4000.  We have looked at a number of Arctic's mobile accessories over the last few years and have been generally very impressed with the level of quality and value for money that they offer.

The Arctic Power Bank 4000 is a essentially a backup battery which lets you recharge your mobile devices on the move.  These devices have become increasingly popular over the past few years, as smartphones have also become increasingly demanding on their batteries – with most only going a day or two between charges.

IMG_7412-2

Specification

  • Dimensions: 117 (L) x 54 (W) x 11 (H) mm.
  • Net Weight: 107 g.
  • Battery Capacity: 4,000 mAh.
  • Type: Lithium Polymer.
  • Output (Voltage, Current): DC 5V, 2A.
  • Input (Voltage, Current): DC 5V, 800 mA.
  • Charging Time: 6 hours.
  • Standby Time: 3 years.
  • Life Span: Up to 1,000 cycles.
The post Arctic Power Bank 4000 Review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/accessories/henry-butt/arctic-power-bank-4000-review/feed/ 0
Luxa2 TX-P1 5000mAh wireless charging power bank review https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/luxa2-tx-p1-5000mah-wireless-charging-power-bank-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/luxa2-tx-p1-5000mah-wireless-charging-power-bank-review/#respond Thu, 17 Apr 2014 10:15:10 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=183600 Smartphones are such a huge part of our lives today but as we all know, current battery technology can struggle to power devices for long periods of time, especially under heavy use. As a result, our phones are often running out of charge before the day is done. Thankfully we have companies such as Luxa2 …

The post Luxa2 TX-P1 5000mAh wireless charging power bank review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Smartphones are such a huge part of our lives today but as we all know, current battery technology can struggle to power devices for long periods of time, especially under heavy use. As a result, our phones are often running out of charge before the day is done. Thankfully we have companies such as Luxa2 creating portable power banks to ensure we can ‘top up' on the move.

Today we are looking at the TX-P1 5000mAh wireless charging power bank from Luxa2- the device can charge two devices simultaneously and it hosts a sizable battery which should be capable of charging a smartphone multiple times.

Luxa 2 Wireless Bank

Features:

  • Sturdy and well built design
  • One USB slot to charge a second device
  • Battery indicator LED's

Specifications:

  • Power Capacity: 5000mAh
  • QI Compatible
  • Weight: 10.9 ounces
  • 1A wireless charging
The post Luxa2 TX-P1 5000mAh wireless charging power bank review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/luxa2-tx-p1-5000mah-wireless-charging-power-bank-review/feed/ 0
Luxa2 unleashes the 40,000mAh P-MEGA https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/jules/luxa2-unleashes-the-40000mah-p-mega/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/jules/luxa2-unleashes-the-40000mah-p-mega/#respond Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:08:06 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=138447 We all need juice. The more devices you have – the more juice you need. Against that need for juice, you need to balance price and portability. Luxa2 has created a gorgeous portable power station of a recharging device – but can its look overcome it s size? A 40,000mAh power charger is really handy …

The post Luxa2 unleashes the 40,000mAh P-MEGA first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
We all need juice. The more devices you have – the more juice you need. Against that need for juice, you need to balance price and portability. Luxa2 has created a gorgeous portable power station of a recharging device – but can its look overcome it s size?

A 40,000mAh power charger is really handy when traveling, no doubt.

Luxa2 is the Thermaltake brand that deals with high-end, luxury lifestyle products and its latest venture is a super charger that goes by the name P4-MEGA.

MEGA by name and MEGA by nature, this device is around 10cm square.

The design is elegant and there are 6 (yep, SIX!) USB charging ports – enough to suite most families on the run.

Luxa2 P4 MEGA is gorgeous to look at, but is it too big?
Luxa2 P4 MEGA is gorgeous to look at, but is it too big?

.
While the branding and design will appeal to many discerning users, and we're sure that even the most hard core of computer users would enjoy to own one of these, there's no getting away from the size.

It looks gorgeous in regular light and even more appealing when the lights dim.

Stunningly good looking. And the P-MEGA is nice too.
Stunningly good looking. And the P-MEGA is nice too. 40,000mHa? Tingle Tingle.

.
KitGuru says: At 1Kg and 10cm square, we're not sure which market it will sell into. If Luxa2 can find people with the need, then the visual appeal will take over.

Comment below, in the KitGuru forums or join us online over at Facebook.

The post Luxa2 unleashes the 40,000mAh P-MEGA first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/power-supplies/jules/luxa2-unleashes-the-40000mah-p-mega/feed/ 0
Luxa2 doubles lifespan of iPhone 5 https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/harrison/luxa2-doubles-lifespan-of-iphone-5/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/harrison/luxa2-doubles-lifespan-of-iphone-5/#respond Tue, 14 May 2013 07:41:52 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=134698 If you come from a Blackberry point of view, the idea of a smartphone with a sealed battery seems very silly, but manufacturers like Nokia and Apple work on the basis that your phone should be as slim/light as possible and locked in wherever it can be. Which might look nice, but means ‘no charger, …

The post Luxa2 doubles lifespan of iPhone 5 first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
If you come from a Blackberry point of view, the idea of a smartphone with a sealed battery seems very silly, but manufacturers like Nokia and Apple work on the basis that your phone should be as slim/light as possible and locked in wherever it can be. Which might look nice, but means ‘no charger, no charge'. KitGuru investigates the latest release by Luxa2.

Once upon a time, Thermaltake was a chassis and cooler company only.

At some point, the CEO Kenny Lin realised that he had a problem on his hands: If you make a really good cooler, case etc, then people don't need to buy anything else from you for several years. And so Tt eSports was born – driven along by every gamers need to have a mouse, keyboard etc that's just slightly better than their competitor – and these products wear out – creating an opportunity for customers to buy once a year or even more frequently.

So with manufacturing running smoothly for tradition and gaming markets, this production giant now turned its attention to the much more complicated world of consumer electronics.

Today sees the launch of the P3 from Luxa2.

Weighing in at just 70 grams (2 ounces), this 2,500 mAh power bank can store enough juice to effectively double the charge life span of an iPhone 5. In fact, under perfect circumstances, it can offer just OVER a second charge – but none of live in a perfect world, so let's be a little pessimistic.

Available in black or silver, the Luxa2 P3 power bank looks almost exactly the same as the iPhone 5 itself and comes with a range of charging connectors so, technically, it could also work its magic on Windows phones etc.

It looks nice, but what about the price?
It looks nice, but what about the price?

.
KitGuru says: If you had one of these in your car, office, bag when your iPhone 5 died – then you'd probably be giving praise. But, as with all things in life, price and availability will determine success.

Comment below, in the KitGuru forums or join us online over at Facebook.

The post Luxa2 doubles lifespan of iPhone 5 first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/harrison/luxa2-doubles-lifespan-of-iphone-5/feed/ 0
New portable charger can do an iPhone 3 times over https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/harrison/new-portable-charger-can-do-an-iphone-3-times-over/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/harrison/new-portable-charger-can-do-an-iphone-3-times-over/#respond Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:06:54 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=131782 In the high-speed, broadband-enabled modern world, it can be incredibly frustrating to run out of juice on your phone. While smartphones do add in features – we pay for those features in electrons. So what can you do to prevent the urge to kill someone/thing when the red bar shows? Thermaltake has a new solution …

The post New portable charger can do an iPhone 3 times over first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
In the high-speed, broadband-enabled modern world, it can be incredibly frustrating to run out of juice on your phone. While smartphones do add in features – we pay for those features in electrons. So what can you do to prevent the urge to kill someone/thing when the red bar shows? Thermaltake has a new solution on the way – and it claims to be ‘packing big and bad' amps.

For Blackberry and Samsung users, you can buy a pair of spare (non-original) batteries and a multi-national charger for less than the cost of half a tank of petrol.

It's a cool solution to an age old problem – What do I do when I need to carry on working/talking/surfing for dodgy content, but my battery gives out.

Less cool is the fact that Apple and Nokia 920 phones come with built in batteries – so the ‘instantly back on' solution of a spare battery is not open to you.

That means finding a kind soul who will let you stick your plug into their juicer (not likely) or carrying something with you that will do the job. Carphone Warehouse et al used to sell these ‘One time only chargers' for a lot of money – and they never really did the job as well as you would have liked.

There are solutions out there which offer one charge or more, but we can't remember one that claims to give you more than 3 charges from a single re-juicing.

Until now. Enter the snazzily named ‘8400mAh Portable Power Pack ‘ from case specialist Thermaltake.

Thermaltake-8400mah-spec-kitguru

Thermaltake-Portabel-Power-Pack-8400-mAh-KitGuru
.

KitGuru says: If this device can truly recharge a Galaxy, iPad, iPhone and still have a little juice left over – then it would be a bit of a miracle. Even 3 iPhone/Nokia recharges in a row would be something.

Comment below, in the KitGuru forums or join us online over at Facebook.

The post New portable charger can do an iPhone 3 times over first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/harrison/new-portable-charger-can-do-an-iphone-3-times-over/feed/ 0
Now your nan can charge her iPad more easily https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/now-your-nan-can-charge-her-ipad-more-easily/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/now-your-nan-can-charge-her-ipad-more-easily/#respond Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:00:10 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=114317 If your dear old grandma has trouble charging that “new touch gizmo thing,” and doesn't like faffing with cables, one Zurich company, Micasa Labs, might have a pretty elegant solution. Granted it's a little more expensive than most chargers, but it's certainly built into an item she'll be familiar with – the humble rocking chair. …

The post Now your nan can charge her iPad more easily first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
If your dear old grandma has trouble charging that “new touch gizmo thing,” and doesn't like faffing with cables, one Zurich company, Micasa Labs, might have a pretty elegant solution. Granted it's a little more expensive than most chargers, but it's certainly built into an item she'll be familiar with – the humble rocking chair.

Currently named the iRock chair, because lets face it, as well as actually rocking, this idea does “rock,” it uses the energy from rocking the chair back and forth to generate a small charge to help reinvigorate Apple devices. It's not the speediest of chargers, but plugging in an iPad and keeping the chair moving for an hour will get you somewhere between “3 to 35 per cent.” That's a pretty wide margin and presumably depends with how strong your grandparent's legs are, but hey, this is just one more benefit of all those long walks she took you on as a kid.

iRock Chair
This would certainly trump the medal collection in notable grandparent possessions

Discussing the creation of the chair, the team behind it said (via Wired): “The main challenge was to get the generator working efficiently. After trying out several designs we finally got it right and with a set of gears we're now able to get sufficient power to charge the built in battery that in its turn is charging the iPad or iPhone.”

While the price tag might seem pretty high at just over £1,000, it's not just a wooden frame with a few pulleys and gears built in. There's actually a fully functioning dock for your Apple devices, hooked up to speakers hidden in the frame, so granny can enjoy her favourite Arnold Schwarzenegger movies in her favourite chair.

KitGuru Says: Look out for these on the next early bird line for the iPhone 6.

The post Now your nan can charge her iPad more easily first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/now-your-nan-can-charge-her-ipad-more-easily/feed/ 0
Thermaltake expands TriP power gadget range https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/harrison/thermaltake-expands-trip-power-gadget-range/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/harrison/thermaltake-expands-trip-power-gadget-range/#respond Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:18:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=89560 No matter what the underlying technology, all of us spend at least part of the day thinking about electricity. Even if it's just “Where the hell did I leave my phone charger?”, it's always there because we know that a lack of juice will cut us off from the world faster than a bad dose …

The post Thermaltake expands TriP power gadget range first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
No matter what the underlying technology, all of us spend at least part of the day thinking about electricity. Even if it's just “Where the hell did I leave my phone charger?”, it's always there because we know that a lack of juice will cut us off from the world faster than a bad dose of acid. Kenny Lin and the chaps at Thermaltake have been pondering this market and have come up with some options.

“With the rapid growth of mobile and portable devices, power management is becoming a more important issue all the time”, said Kenny Lin, CEO of Thermaltake.

“Thermaltake is a leader in the power supply industry with expertise chassis, power supplies and thermal solutions, making us a perfect choice for mobile solutions – which is why we launched the TriP series of total power management solution” he said.

Lin explained, “We have already created a number of new solutions, including USB AC Charger, USB Car Chargers and Portable Power Packs”.

Here's a shot of the desktop power option, one for your car and a couple of battery chargers that can be used to boost iPods, iPads and iPhones.

From mains chargers to portable boosts for your phone/pad/pod, Thermaltake is trying to offer options

KitGuru says: Never a bad thing to have power on the move, wonder if we'll be seeing see these in airports across the globe any time soon?

Comments below or in the KitGuru forums.

The post Thermaltake expands TriP power gadget range first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/harrison/thermaltake-expands-trip-power-gadget-range/feed/ 0