When those dark and stormy nights blow through and there is no power available, everyone wishes that they had a good generator. KaliPak is a solar powered generator that is intended to provide power to individuals when the grid is down. Though the solar panel itself is not immediately available, it can also be charged via a 12V car-lighter socket or, when the grid is up again, using a regular electrical outlet. It appears that the only items that can be charged are those that are typically charged via a USB cable, since electrical outlets in conjunction with this item aren’t showing in the photos. However, there may be KaliPak adaptors available for purchase that can change that. The KaliPak app along with Bluetooth capabilities are required to determine the specifics on how much power the generator has left. The battery itself is a 39amp battery. As for mobile gadgets, keep in mind that in a natural disaster or emergency, Wi-Fi connections and cell phone towers will probably be as unavailable as electricity. This campaign seeks to raise $250,000 by December 29, 2014. Early bird backers get one product for $398 with expected delivery in August 2015.
Category: Chargers/Batteries
There are a lot of portable phone batteries that claim to be light enough to forget about while powerful enough to recharge your phone a million times very quickly. Many claims are quickly debunked the moment you realize there’s a brick in your bag for most of the day. The ONE CARD is looking to shame all the rest by offering a 2,200mAh battery in the form factor of a credit card.
Despite its 6.5mm size, small enough to stick in your wallet, the ONE CARD is still extremely versatile sporting connections enough for the iPhone 4/5/6 and Android phone and an LED power indicator to keep you informed. The campaign boasts about its featherweight qualities by saying you can easily walk and talk with it, but who would want to do that? In any case, you shouldn’t have to for too long as the ONE CARD charges devices at 1A, or about 1% a minute, limiting the amount of time you’d need to wait. And if the ONE CARD is too petite for your taste, also on offer is the ONE THING charger which has a 10,000mAh battery in the size of a pack of cigarettes that can charge up to two devices at once. Currently, a ONE CARD is going for $17, while a ONE THING is going for $35, with a delivery date of December 2014. The campaign hopes to raise $1,200.
Many solutions to dying smartphones have been flooding the market in recent months. Some include portable USB cables while others opt for smaller microUSB/wall outlet types of products.
Kodiak is a product with charging smartphones in mind, but is a portable battery pack with USB ports for ease of charging. Coming in several different sizes and subsequent charging strengths, the Kodiak is completely waterproof, so it really can go anywhere that you do. Kodiak also has several color options including black, red, green, blue and camo. There’s an indicator light so that you know exactly how long it’s going to last for
Kodiak joins scores of similar products, as stated above, but ups the ante on portable chargers such as Pronto with its waterproof shell and durability. It’s also nice that Kodiak offers three different sizes, the smallest working in a pinch and the largest able to charge multiple devices several times over. The small version will cost backers $25 with estimated delivery in March 2015. The campaign is looking to raise $30,000 on Indiegogo.
For those who can’t bear to be parted from their gadgets to the point that they even sleep with them, there is now an option to allow owner and gadget to share the bed…sort of. Z-Charge is a cloth-looking unit that stretches across the bed under the mattress. Velcro strips and the mattress on top help to hold it in place. Three pockets hang over the bed on either side, allowing for up to six gadgets to be charged at once via USB ports, and the entire unit simply plugs into the wall to power the chargers.
It appears to be fairly universal overall, with pockets of multiple sizes on each side to accommodate a total of two eReaders, two tablets and two iPhones. This campaign seeks to raise €40,000 (~$50,000 USD) by November 20, 2014. For €44 (~$55 USD), backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015, and a Christmas postcard stating that it is on the way for those who may want to use it for a gift.
The ultimate first world problem is a dead smartphone. Since it usually occurs at the worst possible time, finding an outlet nearby usually isn’t easy. That feeling of having to be tethered is one of the biggest drawbacks of current battery technology, especially because more and more are experiencing very active lifestyles that involve lots of movement.
Ampy is aiming to take all of that movement and put it to good use. The product is a small box that houses a 1000mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery charged from kinetic energy. So, every hop, skip and jump you take not only takes you where you need to be but also generates power for your smartphone or any other USB-powered device. An accessory kit ensures that no matter how you move, Ampy will be able to come along for the ride, and a companion app tell you how much energy you’ve generated doing so. The portable battery market is drowning in options and Ampy makes great strides in separating itself from the pack with its eco-friendly aims, even if the solar-powered Granola Stroller costs $30 less and doesn’t exactly require you to break a sweat. Ampy is currently slated for a June 2015 delivery with an $85 contribution as the campaign has achieved success, currently sitting at $258,000.
Kickstarter success story WakaWaka already has a history of creating simple, innovative devices that harness solar power into personal electricity. Now, they tackle a situation in which electricity stops being an option. The WakaWaka Base is a portable “power and light first aid kit” that includes a foldable solar panel and base that can connect to LED flashlights, phones, or any USB device to charge it. The solar panel is strong enough to charge even on cloudy days, and the base can hold enough charge to power a week of light or five full smartphone charges with no additional solar energy.
Ideal for any storm preparedness kit, camping gear, or car trunk, the WakaWaka Base ensures that nobody ever has to worry about being stranded and having their phone battery die on them or having to wander around in the dark. WakaWaka needs $70,000 to test, manufacture, and release the Base. The peace of mind the Base provides costs only $89, and will be out in May 2015. This kind of product innovation is what makes WakaWaka products so popular, and there’s no reason why any smartphone user or homeowner should be without the WakaWaka Base.
In this day and age of charging wonders, with everything from fast to wireless charging capabilities available, it’s a shame most smartphones need to be recharged every day or so if we’re lucky. It’s a practice that seems extremely antiquated, especially with the demands placed on us by our every day lives requiring us to move as much as we do. More and more people have opted for portable battery packs to keep their devices topped up in the time between outlets, but most of the time they themselves take forever to charge and charge devices too slowly even when they are.
Power Practical is looking to alleviate some of that difficulty with their fast-charging Pronto battery pack. It comes in two flavors: the Pronto 5 has a 4500mAh capacity, while the Pronto 12 boasts a 13,500mAh capacity — enough to charge an iPhone 5 nine times. An integrated “smart chip” tells any device to receive charge at its maximum amount, and a hard-anodized aluminum enclosure makes certain nothing can happen to your precious power while you wait. The Pronto 5 can charge using both USB and a wall outlet while the Pronto 12 can only be charged by the latter, but at least both aren’t tethered to the wall like the Tiny TravelBuddy is. The products will launch in June of 2015; the Pronto 5 can be had for $79 while the 12 can be had for $119.
Here we have something for art deco lovers that doubles as a desk light and wireless phone charger. The fact that Phantom is shaped like a horn may make it especially appealing to musical types. In addition to wireless convenience, there is still a USB port charger available so that more than one device can apparently be charged at a time. Phantom seems to be primarily compatible with Nokia 1520 and LG Nexus5, though it appears it may be able to be adapted for several Samsung and Galaxy products and some iPhones.
In a similar vein, check out Granola Strolla for something more eco-friendly in nature. The Phantom campaign seeks to raise $2,900 by October 30. Early bird backers can get one product for $55, which is half off of the anticipated retail price, with an expected delivery of January 2015.
Smartphones always seem to run out of juice at the worst moments. And as we become increasingly dependent on them, it will continue to happen more and more frequently. TravelBuddy makes sure that when you’re caught with a dead battery and no cord, you’ll be just fine. This small battery plugs into the wall and into your iPhone, without a cord. It provides fast charging on the go. The best part is that it’s a keychain, so you’ll always have it on hand. Coming in five different colors, one TravelBuddy will cost backers $30 at an early price or $35 regularly. This product hopes to raise $10,100 on Kickstarter. Hopefully, TravelBuddy will be compatible with other types of smartphones in the future. Another drawback of the TravelBuddy is that you’d still need an outlet in order for it to work, unlike the similar Buckle Charger. Still, outlets usually aren’t too hard to find and if it charges the phone fast, then all the better.
Say what?! A skateboard that charges stuff? Yup. Chargeboard rolls around, generating its own power, and uses that energy to charge your devices. It delivers 5 Volt power to your iPhone by way of a convenient dock with enough juice to charge the phone up to eight times. Not only does it charge the phone while you’re just chilling, man, but it also lets you play music with an audio jack through Chargeboard’s speakers. An additional external USB port is compatible with lots of other devices as well, we’re talking to you Android. The skateboard itself is a sleek-looking wooden longboard. One will cost backers €380 or €360 if they’re early enough. This cool product from the Netherlands is hoping to raise €50,000 on Kickstarter. While Chargeboard is only really relevant to people who enjoy boarding, it’s still a cool product. Yes, it can play music and all that jazz, but it’s also an example of how easy it is to use renewable energy to power simple things. All in all, a fun product for boarders and a great example of sustainability in action.