Ideally hydrogen would power our homes, our cars and just about anything that creates a signicant carbon footprint.  A few years ago Honda hit the market with a Hydrogen car, dubbed the FCX Clarity, but it was a losing proposition for the company and a six figure endeavor for any interested party who wanted to own their own.  As a result, production was and remains extremely limited and Honda says we won’t see a “cheap” version of the vehicle untio at least 2018.  But if you can’t wait to jump on the hydrogen wagon, we’ve got good news, albeit in a much smaller, less carbon influencing package.

The PowerTrekk is a portable charger designed to work with 5V USB devices.  It’s the same pitch as Mophie, but unlike them, the PowerTrekk doesn’t require an external power source or “the grid” to juice up your favorite gadgets – though their PowerTrekk does includes a 1500mAh battery as a backup.  Instead, you just need to add a tablespoon of water to the device, insert a fresh PowerTrekk puck, and through the magic of hydrogen technology, you can recharge your gear.

Unfortunately, each puck is only good for one cycle, so don’t think you can ditch your tradiional charger in favor of this one, at least not yet.  However, despite it’s shortcoming, the PowerTrekk, much like Honda’s Clarity vehicle, is a step in the right direction.  While they haven’t said, we can only assume it’s just a matter of time until pucks will work multiple times over, though cost might increase from $4 to whatever factor they’re good for, but the usefulness of such a device is unquauntifiable at this point.

The PowerTrekk will go on sale this Spring for $229.

With this year’s CES come and gone, we as consumers were bombarded with announcement after announcement of new and exciting tech.  For the most part, we’re now left waiting for a lot of these new marvels to come out into the marketplace, but some of the “good stuff” is already here.  The MiLi Power Shine is an example of something good and useful that got shown, and released, during CES this year, and I had the pleasure of getting my hands on one for testing.  While we’re seen different products from MiLi on this site in the past (iPhone Battery pack and HD iOS Dock), this is the first that I’ve personally been able to work with – guess I just got lucky this time.

In a nutshell, the MiLi Power Shine is a portable battery that allows you to charge up to two different devices at once.  I know it sounds simple, and in reality it is – but this device has become a permanent part of my travel pack that I take with me every time I leave the house.  I have constantly had issues with my iPhone or tablet going dead on me, and usually have to bring each of their respective chargers (along with having to hope that there’s a free outlet wherever I’m going).  This little beauty negates all of that hassle, and it does it while being smaller and lighter than my iPhone itself.

MiLi products are – at least from what I’ve seen – almost always aesthetically pleasing, and the Power Shine is no different.  If a person wouldn’t know better, they may even be inclined to think it was a smartphone itself; at least while there were no wires connected to it.  With it’s two tone matter and gloss black finish combined with it’s sleek and rounded corners, the Power Shine doesn’t have anything about it that screams “look at me!:, and I think that’s one of the reasons I like it so much – it’s small and unassuming, but delivers big results.

This is all in part of its lithium-polymer battery, that has a 4000 mAh capacity.  In my experience, that’s enough juice to charge an iPhone three times, or an iPhone one and a half times a single Galaxy Tab 10.1 charge (they were both dead).  The MiLi Power Shine itself only takes about an hour to charge when it is depleted, and it charges through a 5V/1A Micro-USB input.  That means you don’t actually have to plug it in to a wall to charge, but you can leech off of any open USB spot you may find out there (like on a library computer), which really increases it’s versatility.  There are a ton of micro solar charges out there as well (like the Solio Bolt) that output power through USB, which means if you couple the Power Shine with one of those you’ll always be ready for a power outage.

I do with there was some sort of “sliding door” on the end that houses the USB connections, because after being in my pocket for a whole day, I’ve had to pick lint out of the holes.  It’s not a glorious thing to do, and I really think that issue could have been addressed without affecting the overall cost.  Another very small change I would make, would be to include some non-slip “feet” on the MiLi Power Shine – even the tiny discs that some other things use would have been perfect, then you wouldn’t have to worry about it slipping around if you’re using it in the car.  Even without those two things though, the MiLi Power Shine is a truly solid piece of hardware.

Oh I almost forgot, the Mili Power Shine has a single small button on it – this button starts the charging of devices if held down for a second, or if just pushed and released it causes the Power Shine to show you how much batter power it has left.  Like a lot of other pieces of tech coming on the market, the Power Shine uses a “four LED” system to show the charge level it currently has.  These four blue lights are located next to the power button, and do the job adequately of letting you know when you’re going to have to charge the Power Shine itself, and stop charging other things.

Editor’s Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

The Bottom Line:  Once you are able to use the MiLi Power Shine for any amount of time, it’s very hard to try and go back to not using it – especially if you’re in a line of work that causes the batteries on your mobile devices to die at an absurd rate.

Pros:

• The MiLi Power Shine has a very nice form factor, and it matches up with any other gadget or gizmo that may be in your pocket (or purse, book bag, backpack, etc)
• With its ability to charge two things at once, you can take care of a phone and a tablet, or just share a charge with another needy soul (pay it forward people)
• It measures 118 mm X 58 mm X 16.5 mm – or in more common terms, smaller than your average smartphone – which makes it easy to take with you everywhere

Cons:

• You have to watch out if it’s in your pocket for an extended time (or I’d imagine this could happen if you carry it in anything else as well), because there’s no way to close off the ports resulting in dirt getting in them
• The MiLi Power Shine is kind of slippery despite its matte finish – this is especially apparent when trying to use it in a vehicle and it slides under your seat (and it pulls your phone with it)
• Just a nit pick here, but it would be great if they had other colors to choose from (not everyone has a black phone anymore)

You can grab yourself a MiLi Power Shine right off of their web site for $79.99 – and when you consider how much some “extended” batteries are, that’s not too shabby at all.

Head deep into the outback, the Sahara desert or the rain forest and you’ll most certainly find yourself in need of a battery or two to charge your mobile devices.  Base camp should provide you with some sort of power source, but that is hardly a guarantee.  Which is exactly what Mophie’s Juice Pack Universal Powerstation Pro is; a 6000mAh guarantee to be more specific.

If anything it reminds us of those ruggedized hard drives from Lacie.  Though instead of a spindle, this battery pack is capable of charging up your iPad thanks to a 2.1amp USB port as well as a secondary port, which we assume is just 1amp, suitable for your iPhone.  In terms of charging, this brick of charging goodness should be able to power your iPhone 4 almost four times and your iPad 2 to about 80% capacity.

We got a brief hands on with the device at CES 2012, though it wasn’t working.  While the battery pack looks rather large in size, it’s actually pretty light weight and all things relative pretty slender considering its capabilities.

Mophie hasn’t made the Universal Powerstation Pro’s price official, but we’re hearing about $100.

Walk into the wilderness with your iPhone with the GPS function blazing away and the battery is sure to drain in no time flat. Mophie, who has long made battery packs for the iPhone is well aware of this and in fact encourages such behavior. After all, they did release their very own trail map app. And with it has come their Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition battery pack.

It uses the same battery as found in their Juice Pack Plus battery, but the case has been upgraded to add greater protection against dings and drops. The dual-injected hard shell case sports a rubberized band around its circumference. However, it won’t inhibit you from removing the device from your pocket while adding more protection to the fragile iPhone 4s’ skin.  However, without reading the product’s website I never would have known it sports such a feature, as the outer edge is as equally hard as the rest of the body.

Nevertheless, it’s a pleasure to old the iPhone in your hand with this case attached as it transforms the sharp edges to a more comfortable rounded form factor. This is complemented by 4 LED battery status lights that can be activated with the push of a button. While it may not have been intended, they’re bright enough to providing some lighting in a dark venue. These are located at the bottom of the case, which flash while it’s being charged up. Just to the left, sitting adjacent, is a switch to power the Juice Pack on and off and above it buttons for controlling volume and a port to access the iPhone’s vibrator switch. There is no port for your iPhone’s sync cable, but since you can use the mini-USB port to do just that and all the while charge the Juice Pack, it’s no matter.

As with all batteries your mileage will vary with use. For the most part I was able to recharge my iPhone to full from a 10-15% charge, but on occasion the Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition fell short, especially if I was surfing the web or constantly responding to emails. I actually found it to be most effective, and perhaps efficient, by simultaneously charging the Juice Pack Plus with the iPhone and leaving it turned on. That way my iPhone 4s would stay charged until the battery pack ran out of uice. Again, my mileage varied, but i could generally get a full days use out of the Juice Pack Plus Outdoor edition before the iPhone 4s’ battery would take over. However, on occasion I’d catch my iPhone displaying the Plugin Icon in the battery as if it we’re fully charged yet still draining the handset’s battery power. I resolved this by turning the Juice Pack Plus off the on, where upon it would begin charging again back to 100%. It’s not clear if this is an iOS issues or a Mophie issue, but it’s a small one so no big thing.

The Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition adds some significant bulk to the iPhone 4s, and while it doesn’t double it’s girth, it does come close. But with that comes some solid protection, though the screen will still be exposed as will the home button and the speaker. Since the bottom portion of the case covered the speaker and microphone, Mophie has added a set of ports to help channel these, and I couldn’t notice any decrease in amplitude and callers never claimed they couldn’t hear me.

Aesthetically the Mophie Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition is a real treat to the hand and eyes. The Orange band that wraps the circumference of the case is a nice touch to the overall aesthetic, though I’d gladly live without it if Mophie could slim down the case without compromising protection. That said, it’s a solid battery that is well built, adds some needed protection from dings and drop but sometimes suffers ever so slightly when it comes to delivering a full charge to the iPhone’s battery.

Editor’s Rating:

4 out of 5 stars

Great

Bottom Line: A protective case that recharges your iPhone to full if you’re willing to deal with added bulk.

Pros:

• Fully recharges your iPhone 4s’ battery
• Protects the edges and back of the iPhone 4s
• Cool orange band wraps the circumference

Cons:

• Battery mileage will vary with use
• Adds some significant bulk
• Doesn’t protect the screen or home button

123►

The natives are restless in the Internet universe with complaints that the huge splash made by the iPhone 4S and Siri is being sullied by complaints that Apple’s new smartphone can’t last the day without recharging. For experienced iPhone users, this is nothing new. Both the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 experienced battery issues after OS updates which prompted Apple to hunt down several bugs causing the issue and fix them fast.

iPhone users employing the new 4S should remember that it’s far more powerful thanks to it’s dual core processor and a bevy of new features. But with these new features there may be a bug that’s guilty of skimming battery power, or new features like SIRI and location based reminders are simply causing a new paradigm that users have to get used to.

Additionally, when activate your new iPhone, it is usually set with everything active by default. That means location services, bluetooth, notification center, and a host of other features which aren’t really vital to the iPhone experience and contribute to draining your battery throughout the day.

As such, here’s a list of 10 services that can be disabled to extend your battery life:

Disable Bluetooth

Unless you use a bluetooth headset, or type with a bluetooth enabled keyboard, you really don’t need this turned on.  So head over to settings > general > Bluetooth  and disable it.

Disable Location Services

Location Services is essentially the GPS of your phone that interacts with your various apps. Some, like your maps are important while others – like the camera – are not and are even wise to turn off. So by going into your location services, you can pick and choose what apps need to have access to the GPS and what doesn’t. Additionally, users which have location based reminders enabled will get a reminder any time they are near a particular location. That’s a great idea, but unfortunately, it keeps your GPS pinging all the time looking for a location and that will kill your battery. So head back into Settings, choose Location Services, and disable everything you don’t need. Then choose “System Services” and Location based iAds.

And since you’re in System Services, there’s a few other things that contribute to the drain including Diagnostics and Usage, Setting Time Zone automatically, and traffic.

Disable Time Zone Adjustment

If you don’t do a lot of traveling, then this one’s a no brainer.  Settings > Location Services > System Services > Setting Time Zone to OFF

Disable Diagnostic & Usage Reports

These reports are used by the iPhone when it “calls home” every night and helps Apple to refine the OS and improve performance.  But you really don’t need to opt into it if you’re concerned about privacy or want to save your battery.  So, in addition to turning this feature off in System Services above, another place to disable is in Settings > General > About > Diagnostic & Usage > Don’t Send.

Disable Traffic

In Location Services under System Services, you will see an obtuse option called “traffic.” Apple employs “Crowd Sourcing” here by taking a user’s location data and incorporating it into in their Maps feature to determine traffic flow. The more people who use it, the more accurate the traffic map is. But it also means you’re being followed and it’s draining your battery. So turn it off.

Disable Notifications & Apps in Notification Center

Notifications Center is nice, in that you get notified of emails, calls, messages, etc. as they happen. But it also drags down your battery life. So if you really don’t care about it, you can shut it off.  Head back to Settings > Notifications > and choose all or none.

Disable Ping

If you have no idea what PING is, you’re not alone.  It’s a social network for music which Apple hoped would take iTunes to the next level, but it’s gone over like a lead balloon.  iPhone and frankly, it’s a drag on your services and you’re battery life. There are plenty of other options including chatting via Facebook app, Facetime, etc.  So, go to Settings > General > Restrictions > Enable Restrictions > Ping > OFF

Manually check your email

If anything spelled convenience more on an iPhone other than push data for email, I don’t know what it is. And having to check your email automatically every few minutes not only drains your battery, but it also leaches off your data caps. This can be pricey if you’re traveling out of the country. Checking your email manually when you have the mind to is a far more frugal to get your mail. So, back to Settings> Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Fetch New Data > Push> Off.  Notice that you can also refine your search to check every 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or hourly.

Lay off Siri

If you’re noticed that your battery is dying, it may be because you’re having way too much fun with the iPhone’s favorite toy – SIRI. Siri is a great voice activated digital assistant that can read you your email, set reminders and appointments, and even search the internet for you. But most just love to query Siri with silly requests like “open the podbay doors, Siri” just to see how it will respond. Granted, as time goes on, Siri won’t have to deal with such tedious and juvenile requests in favor of real queries. But in the meantime, we suggest you only use Siri when you really need to. That’ll save you data and battery life.

Disable iCloud

Next to SIRI, iCloud is THE killer app and one you may want to keep on. Why? iCloud gives you a reliable backup of all media, apps, and data. So if something goes awry, your contacts, calendars and other data are safe.  It also gives you Find My iPhone if the phone gets lost or stolen. And it’s ability to push photographs recently taken up to the cloud and to your other devices is a very clever backup utility for those Kodak moments.

But if you’re in earnest to eek out every minute of battery life, go to Settings > General > iCloud > Turn everything to OFF. Additionally, some users have reported that iCloud can get stuck, constantly trying to sync even though it can’t really connect to do so. And that kills the battery fast. If you suspect that is the case, deactivating iCloud. If your battery life gets dramatically longer, then that may be a sign it’s time to reset your iCloud account from scratch.

Going Forward

The only thing culprit that can be left as a battery life vampire is a bug in the OS.  And the good news is that according to recent reports, Apple has an update planned to iOS 5 which will fix whatever is draining the battery.  The update will be out in a few weeks.  Until then, these steps should get you at through the day.

Dropping $200+ on a GPS watch can be a deterring experience.  And that probably explains why a large number of runners and hikers hit the trail with their iPhone in hand.  The handset, with the right app running, can track distance, pace and more.  A large caveat to this practice, though, is the tax on your iPhone’s battery life and the possibility of dropping it.  Like a shark to blood, Mophie has sniffed out these short coming and has rejiggered their battery pack in the form of an Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition.

It’s effectively the same device as the Juice Pack Plus, but seems to include more protection in the form of a rubberized band that runs the edge of the battery pack.  2000mAh means that you should be able to double the battery life of Apple’s device, though that will vary widely depending on if you’re running their free GPS app.

The app itself is just 19mb in size, but what really makes it so attractive is that you can download offline maps in select areas if you happen to be travelling to a location that isn’t covered by your carrier.  When a trail is completed, which can be found using their database of more than 1 million points of interest, the app will spit out a statistics page that can be shared via email or Facebook and accompanied by geo tagged photos.

The Mophie Juice Pack Outdoor Edition is available now for $119.99 – a $20 premium over their Juice Pack Plus, but as mentioned this version includes some added protection.

Logitech’s M525 looks like your garden variety mouse, but what makes this peripheral worth a closer look is its unbelievable battery life. But before we tell you what that is, we’ll go ahead and torture you with some benign specs.

The M525 is of the laser tracking ilk and sports a micro-precise wheel that Logitech says “packs more grooves per millimetre, giving you a smoother navigation experience.”  In fact, they’re sort of hoping this scroll wheel, which also includes some sort of “built-in tilt wheel”, is analogous to swiping…on a touchscreen.  A bit of a stretch, but we applaud they’re marketing verbage nonetheless.

Now for the juicy deet: the battery life.  Assuming the moon, the sun and the stars are all aligned – there is an on/off switch to boot – you can achieve up to 3 years on a single pair of AAs.  That’s right, you’ll be able to go almost 1100 days without replacing the M525′s batteries.  And like all of Logitech’s wireless mouse, they’re including their ultra tiny Unifying receiver, which can connect up to 6 compatible devices at the same time.

No word on a US release date, but the Logitech 525 will hit retail shelves this month for £34.99 ($55 US).

Logitech Unveils New Wireless Mouse

Logitech Wireless Mouse M525 Offers Perfect Mix of Precision, Performance and Comfort

LONDON, UK – Oct. 17, 2011 – Today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) introduced the Logitech® Wireless Mouse M525, the ideal solution for anyone who wants to scroll quickly and easily through the Web.

The Logitech Wireless Mouse M525 features an innovative micro-precise wheel that packs more grooves per millimetre, giving you a smoother navigation experience. It makes scrolling through long Web pages faster and easier. Plus on most computer systems, the built-in tilt wheel lets you move backward and forward on the Web just like with a swipe.

“The Logitech Wireless Mouse M525 features faster scrolling, tilt wheel navigation and laser grade precision so you can surf the Web with ease,” said Marcus Harvey, UK Country Manager of Logitech. “It offers a perfect mix of precision, performance and comfort – letting you freely interact with the digital world, a place where we spend an ever-increasing amount of time.”

The Logitech Wireless Mouse M525′s sculpted design and soft rubber grips conform to your hand for natural comfort, and the compact size makes it easy to take with you wherever you use your computer – at home, at work, or anywhere else. And with up to three years of battery life, smart sleep mode and an On/Off switch, you can almost forget about changing batteries.

The tiny Logitech Unifying receiver connects up to six Unifying-compatible devices with a single nano receiver, so your space is free of clutter and your USB port stays free for other devices. And Logitech Advanced Optical Technology delivers laser-grade precision over the most challenging surfaces, while using less power so you get up to three years of battery life.

Pricing and Availability

The Logitech Wireless Mouse M525 is expected to be available in the UK in October 2011, for a suggested retail price of £34.99. For more information please visit www.logitech.com.

Logitech Unveils New Wireless Mouse
Logitech Wireless Mouse M525 Offers Perfect Mix of Precision, Performance and Comfort
LONDON, UK – Oct. 17, 2011 – Today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) introduced the Logitech® Wireless Mouse M525, the ideal solution for anyone who wants to scroll quickly and easily through the Web.
The Logitech Wireless Mouse M525 features an innovative micro-precise wheel that packs more grooves per millimetre, giving you a smoother navigation experience. It makes scrolling through long Web pages faster and easier. Plus on most computer systems, the built-in tilt wheel lets you move backward and forward on the Web just like with a swipe.
“The Logitech Wireless Mouse M525 features faster scrolling, tilt wheel navigation and laser grade precision so you can surf the Web with ease,” said Marcus Harvey, UK Country Manager of Logitech. “It offers a perfect mix of precision, performance and comfort – letting you freely interact with the digital world, a place where we spend an ever-increasing amount of time.”The Logitech Wireless Mouse M525′s sculpted design and soft rubber grips conform to your hand for natural comfort, and the compact size makes it easy to take with you wherever you use your computer – at home, at work, or anywhere else. And with up to three years of battery life, smart sleep mode and an On/Off switch, you can almost forget about changing batteries.
The tiny Logitech Unifying receiver connects up to six Unifying-compatible devices with a single nano receiver, so your space is free of clutter and your USB port stays free for other devices. And Logitech Advanced Optical Technology delivers laser-grade precision over the most challenging surfaces, while using less power so you get up to three years of battery life.
Pricing and AvailabilityThe Logitech Wireless Mouse M525 is expected to be available in the UK in October 2011, for a suggested retail price of £34.99. For more information please visit www.logitech.com.

If you’ve ever rushed to get out the door, then you’ve probably left the house with an almost dead smartphone.  Turn back to grab your charger and you might be late for your appointment.  Car owners can resort to a car charger, but for those of you on foot, say in New York City, where smartphone batteries struggle to stay charged thanks to the cell tower competition, your SOL, or are you?

The Powerbag is, well, a bag with a battery inside.  They’ve got three different types (backpack, messenger and briefcase) and a variety of models to choose from.  I tested out their Backpack, which is designed in conjunction, as the majority of their backpack and messenger bags are, with fūl.

Powerbag on/off button – click to enlarge

The bag itself is a bit bulky and in my book not the coolest looking of sacks.  However, from a utilitarian standpoint it most certainly fits the bill.  There are two main pockets.  The largest, which sits closest to your back, has room for up to a 16-inch laptop with a sleeve, if not bigger. It’s padded on either side thanks in part to the back pannel, but I’d recommend a sleeve to ensure your lappy stays in working order.  The second largest pocket, has a variety of smaller pockets, a padded slot for an iPad or small tablet and a 3000 mAh battery.

To charge your device you can use one of the included plugs found in a small, smartphone sized pocket located on the side of the bag.  Inside is a 30-pin plug for all iOS needs and a double ended micro/mini-USB plug.  Once the device is connected you simply hit the Powerbag button, signified by their logo, on the front of the bag.  Tap it and it will illuminate up to 4 LED lights hidden beneath the bag’s exterior to indicate the battery’s remaining charge.  Hold it down and the battery delivers power to the whatever items you have connected.  The battery is smart and will disengage once your device is charged or you remove it, preventing you from accidentally draining it.

The Powerbag’s 3000mAh battery – click to enlarge

The battery itself locks into place, though it can be released by pushing a small plastic tab.  Included is an AC pack that can plug directly into the battery or connect to a port on the face of the bag for charging.   For other devices, a USB port is embedded in the battery itself.  Convenient, especially if you have gear such as a Forerunner watch, which uses a proprietary charging port.  During my testing I was able to charge my iPhone 3.5 times to full capacity from a charge of 10-15%, which is better than expected given the battery’s capacity of 3000mAh.

3 charging cables with expandable cords – click to enlarge

The build quality of the Powerbag Backpack is exceptional.  The zippers open and close with ease and are as smooth as butter.  The added padding on the back and the suspension straps are contoured resulting in a backpack that makes almost any load a pleasure to lug around.  However, as I’ve already stated it’s not the coolest or hippest of bags.  But despite that one short coming, it’s utilatrian value is unmatched thanks to the built-in 3000 mAh battery and 3 charging cables.

Editor’s Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Bottom Line: A great bag with the added benefit of a built-in battery and charging cables.  However, in the looks department it’s a plain Jane.

You can buy the Powerbag Backpack from Amazon for about $96 in Black or $91 in Blue.

Pros:

• 3000mAh works flawlessly and included 3 charging cables as well as a USB port
• Plenty of space for storing a laptop, tablet and other goodies
• Comfortable

Cons:

• Boring in the looks department
• A bit pricey ($130)

123►

The Frankfurt Motor Show is a huge event for new cars and concepts, so Ford went one step further and used the show to unveil its new bike concept. No, not a motorcycle bike, but a bicycle.

Known for its four-wheeled vehicles, Ford thought it would be nice to add an electric bike to the mix (hence the aptly called E-Bike moniker) after noticing the abundance of scooter and bicycles in urban settings. As more and more urban dwellers seek alternate forms of transportation, Ford isn’t wasting any time on what could be the next big trend in the industry.

According to Axel Wilke, Director, Vehicle Personalization, Ford Customer Service Division Europe, the E-bike market is growing extremely fast with an estimated 30 million of them sold last year throughout the world. The E-Bike concept was created from the ground up by a Ford Design team led by Executive Design Director Martin Smith and cyber-Wear, the German brand behind the Ford Lifestyle Collection products. Developed to appeal to both men and women, the E-Bike builds on Ford’s design language to create a modern yet sleek bicycle. It also combines cutting-edge sensor technology from Formula One with the highest quality bicycle components, resulting in a more than stellar concept.

The trapezoidal frame is the heart of the E-Bike’s design and is made out of aluminum and carbon, which makes for a strong, but lightweight, frame. The electric drive system is hidden from view so that nothing looks cluttered, leaving a very clean and minimalist look. Its six-spoke V-design wheels further the sleek appearance.

The hidden drive system consists of a motor in the front wheel hub and a lithium-ion battery concealed in the frame. On a full charge the range is said to be 85 km on a full charge. It also features an integrated controller and patented magnetostriction sensor technology, which convert magnetic energy into kinetic energy, and vice versa. These sensors read the revolutions in the inner bearing and relay this information to the control unit within a hundredth of a second. Then, control unit starts or stops the electric motor, thus providing a seamless integration of the power of the legs with the power of the motor. And like a dashboard on a car, the E-bike has a handlebar-mounted display provides trip information and allows for the rider to select either Economy, Comfort and Sport support modes.

While the E-Bike Concept sounds pretty cool, we’ll all just have to wait if Ford actually produces it’s first electric bike since the company has no plans on producing the concept, but will continue to “study” it as it looks to other possible mobility solutions for the future.

While the PowerBag is simply a bag with a rechargeable battery included in the $140 price tag it does include a set of gadget like pockets and USB cables directly integrated into its body.  The bags are compatible with mini-USB, micro-USB and Apple 30-pin devices.  So yeah, they’ve got pretty much got all portable devices covered.  However, laptops and other power hungry devices can only be stored inside its padded compartments, since the 3000mAh or 6000mAh battery is probably only compatible with 5V devices.

The Powerbag will go on sale at major retailers sometime this October and we assume the $140 price tag is for the 3000mAh model.  Alternatively, you could go buy a bag and aftermarket battery with the same capacity and create your own version for presumably less money, though you won’t get the same turn key solution.

The details are a bit skimp at this point, so perhaps they’ve got something in their bag of tricks that will give the Powerbag a bit more bang for its buck.

With the heatwave that is hitting the country this month, electrical grids are pushed to the maximum. As such, brown outs are common. But when you have no electricity at all, how can you guarantee that your smart phone or tablet’s battery will go the distance? Here’s a few tips on how to squeeze every last minute out of your gadget’s battery.

1. Get a backup

Having a backup battery is often a great way to extend the life of your gadget. For some, like owners of the HTC Thunderbolt or Sprint Echo, having an extended battery is a way of life just to get through the day. But backups, whether a dedicated battery that you install, or one that is built into a protective case, like the Mophie Juice Pack Air (http://www.gadgetreview.com/2010/11/mophie-juice-pack-air-review-for-the-iphone-4.html) can be a godsend when you need extra time before hitting the plugs to recharge.

2. Engage your autolock feature

This has a two-fold benefit. First, it will put your phone’s display to sleep after a set time (mine’s a minute), and two, it can also be set with a password so that if someone steals your phone or you lose it, after ten tries, the phone erases all data.

3. Adjust your display settings

I like a bright screen and as such, I usually turn off the auto-brightness feature of my iPhone and adjust it myself. That way, I can determine how much I need at any given time. It also allowed me to turn it way down to save battery power during my recent power outage. Having the auto-brightness setting enabled can also help in that it uses the proximity sensor to determine the most efficient screen brightness during the day. Additionally, after using it, click the lock button to put it to sleep manually. This will save a we bit as the phone isn’t waiting for the autolock to engage.

4. Turn on WiFi and 3G/4G Data

If you’re going to be out all day, you really don’t need the phone’s WiFi radio searching for a signal. Doing so bleeds out battery power. So why not turn it off until you really need it? And turning off 3G/4G data in favor of a slower EDGE just to get you through the time won’t hurt either.

5. Avoid extreme temperatures with your phone

Extreme cold or heat will drain your battery faster than a vampire during Spring Break in Miami. The ideal temperature of your gadget is 72℉, 22℃. So keep it out of direct sunlight in the summer, and in your pocket during the winter.

6. Turn off your push feature

Rather than have data pushed to your phone all day, set the phone to search for emails, status updates, and text messages at intervals. This will save power – and data cap space – as your phone isn’t always searching for data that isn’t there.

7. Turn off Bluetooth

If you aren’t driving around and looking silly with a stubby headset sticking out of your hear, make sure your bluetooth capability is disabled.
8. Put the display to sleep while on a call. If you’re using your earbuds to talk, the phone will stay on until the autolock engages. So why not just put it to sleep manually? Also, limit any additional multitasking while on the phone. If you’re talking the old fashioned way, the phone’s proximity sensor will dim the screen while you’ve got it against your ear. So you’re good to go there.

9. Turn off additional apps completely

Most apps get left on when you leave them, and deactivating them completely will prevent them from using CPU power while inactive. This also gives you the benefit of having a faster phone when you need it.

10. Use your laptop to charge it

When our power was out last night and the battery started to die, I remembered that my laptop battery was completely fresh. So I hooked up my phone and topped it off using the laptop’s power through USB. And it only used up about 25% topping off both my phone and the backup battery (of which I have two).

11. Finally, limit the playtime

In situations where you don’t know when you’ll be able to recharge your battery, it’s probably best to prioritize your use of your gadget for the most important things like making phone calls, etc. Watching YouTube Videos or playing Angry Birds nonstop will leave you in the dark after only a few hours. So remember what’s important. You can do without playtime for a day to make sure people can keep in touch.

As green cars start to take over the automotive market, it was only a matter of time before it reached the skies. Although we are still a long way from having an environmentally friendly 747, the Elecktra One from PC-Aero will have aviation enthusiasts excited to go green! The German-based company replaces the need of jet fuel thanks to the electric plane’s 13.5 kw electric engine. According to the company, the plane can fly for more than 3 hours on one charge and can cruise the deep blue skies at 100 mph with absolutely no CO2 emissions. Other features include: low noise, low operating costs, and a very attractive design. Engineers say that it only produces one fifth of the noise that a regular aircraft producers and one half of the noise that traditional ultralight planes make, which equates for quieter skies.

It’s made of light fiber composite so to maximize efficiency, with the battery only weighing about 440 pounds. But since it’s designed to be light, there’s not much room for guests on Elecktra One since it only seats one person, with a cargo weight of 220 pounds (and that’s with the pilot included).

So you must be wondering how you charge Elecktra One’s motor, right? Well, when purchasing the green aircraft, you also get its solar-powered hanger. The roof of the hanger is decorated with photovoltaic cells from SolarWorld (the largest U.S. manufacturer of solar panels) that provide power with zero emissions.

The plane has already been tested (its maiden flight was back in spring of this year) and it’s been given the green light to go into production, which is scheduled for sometime later next year. The price tag on such a machine is estimated to run about $145,000, including the plane and its solar-powered hanger. It recently won the Lindbergh Prize for Electric Aircraft Vision award and is a highly anticipated aircraft that is paving the way for our future in the sky!

Just when we thought we’d seen every iPhone battery case, along comes the Third Rail.  And yes, it will shock you because it’s that good.

Unlike other iPhone cases, which have a single built-in battery, the Third Rail case uses a modular system that allows you to detach the battery portion and charge it independently.  As a result, multiple batteries can be charged and swapped out without having to remove the case from the iPhone.  The batteries can be stacked on top of one and other for added juice, though a single battery, which contains 1250mAh should be enough for a full charge.  And because they’re stackable, partially charged batteries can be combined to charge one to a full charge. Each battery weighs 1.4oz, and a micro USB plug lets you charge other devices, assuming they support that type of plug.  Lastly, if a new iPhone arrives, which it will this September, you’ll simply need to buy a new case.

For $89.99 you’ll score the case and one battery.  Additional batteries can be purchased separately for $59.99.

In an ideal world hot swap locations could be setup through airports and other places with a high level of foot traffic allowing you to swap out your battery on the fly.

Read

Android devices are known for being power hogs, as are most smartphones.  Then fold in 4G connectivity and you’re pretty much screwed.  But if you’re willing to succumb to some added bulk wrapping around your handset, you could enjoy twice the battery life than you’re normally use to.

Powerskin’s silicone case with built-in battery is compatible with Samsung Galaxy S 4G, Vibrant, Samsung Galaxy i9000& i9003, HTC HD7, HTC HD2 and HTC myTouch 4G.  Pricing ranges from $49.99 – $59.99 depending on your phones model, but PowerSkin promises a two fold in battery life with LED status lights and an eco friendly tough case that will protect your precious handset from dings and bruises.

Head over to Amazon today if your down for the count.

Modesto, CA – April 26, 2011 – PowerSkin® continues to roll out its line of shock-absorbing cases that double battery life, announcing the immediate availability for the Samsung Galaxy and Vibrant series.

“PowerSkin® dominates the market for smartphones powered by Android,” said David Becker, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at PowerSkin® / XPAL Power. “With the launch of the Samsung PowerSkin® and upcoming skins for all the popular Android-based phones like Droid, HTC and others, we’re confident our new line will fill a gap in the Android space, providing much-needed power to these users.”

PowerSkin® smartphone cases, designed to address the protection and power issues consumers face, launched last month at the CTIA Show in Orlando. Features included in all PowerSkin® cases:

• One piece tough case is impact-resistant
• Soft silicone rubber
• Provides twice the power
• 100% recycled case (except for the battery & internal components)
• Rechargeable
• Lightweight smart battery technology
• On/Off button
• LED battery status lights
• Patented XPAL Powered™ battery technology extends phone life up to 8 hours

PowerSkins® are available in T-Mobile stores along with most major E-tailer sites like Amazon for the Samsung Galaxy S 4G ($59.99), Samsung Vibrant ($59.99), HTC myTouch 4G ($49.99), HTC HD7 ($59.99) and HTC HD2 ($59.99); the Samsung Galaxy i9000 ($59.99) and i3000 ($59.99) are available via international carriers.

AA batteries aren’t going away anytime soon.  You can thank digital cameras, a variety of toys, and Xbox 360 controllers for that.  However, there are probably now more USB powered gadgets than their are standard battery powered toys on the market today.  Making sure you’ve got a back up battery for each respective type can be a hair pulling experience.  

Enter the Continuance battery concept.  The form factor is that of a AA battery, allowing you to power your compatible gadgets.  On the side, though, is a USB port, which presumably allows you to rejuice them and power up gadgets that only take a USB plug, such as the iPhone or any other smartphone on the market.  You’ll inevitably need a number of them on hand since their mAh capacity should be rather limited, but 4-8 should probably suffice in most instance.

Again, this is a concept only, but they’ve got our vote to move ahead with production.  We’re thinking Costco would be a good retail venue.

Read

Although we have yet to officially review the Nintendo 3DS, we’re hearing (and reading) that the battery life totally blows.  At best you’ll supposedly get about 3 hours of gaming out of the portable gaming console, where upon you’ll have to jack it back into the grid for a recharge.

However, Nyko will launch a replacement battery pack, called the Power Pak+, that purportedly doubles the battery life of the 3DS.  It will retail for $19.99 on March 27th and a week later an accompanying charging base will hit shelves for $29.99.  Until then you can use the 3DS’ AC adapter to juice up its cells.  

Too good to be true?  Sort of.  It attaches to the rear of the 3DS with 4 screws, so you won’t be able to hot swap batteries at a gaming moments notice and it adds some girth to the handheld.  A caveat we’re willing to accept for much needed gaming time on those long road trips.

Nyko Doubles the Juice with New Charge Base and Power Pak+ for Nintendo® 3DS

LOS ANGELES – March 8, 2011

Nyko Technologies today announced two new accessories set to debut with the launch of the new Nintendo® 3DS handheld system this March. On launch day Nyko will release the Power Pak+, a high capacity rechargeable battery pack for Nintendo 3DS that offers double the capacity and battery life of the original 3DS battery. One week later Nyko will release the newest Charge Base, designed to store your Nintendo 3DS and make sure it’s always fully juiced with easy drop-in charging.

“Every new console or game system launch is an opportunity for us to find ways to improve the user’s experience with the device through innovative technology,” said Chris Arbogast, director of marketing, Nyko Technologies. “We are proud to be able to bring our robust knowledge of charging technology to the 3DS user base by providing users the ability to substantially increase their play time.”

The Nyko Power Pak+ for Nintendo 3DS is a high-capacity rechargeable battery pack that offers double the battery life of the original 3DS battery. The Power Pak+ features debossed finger rests for improved control and comfort. The Power Pak+ will be available March 27 for $19.99.

The Nyko Charge Base for Nintendo 3DS is a drop-in charging and storage solution for the new handheld device. Each Charge Base includes a Power Pak+ rechargeable battery pack. The Charge Base features an on/off switch as well as LED indicator lights that let you know when your battery is charging and when it has finished. The Charge Base for Nintendo 3DS will be available shortly after the system’s launch for $29.99.

Both the Power Pak+ and the Charge Base utilize the standard 3DS AC adaptor for recharging.

Connect with Nyko for a chance to win exciting Nyko prizes at @nykotech or on Facebook.

About Nyko Technologies, Inc.
Nyko Technologies ® develops, manufactures and markets innovative peripherals to enhance the digital lifestyle. The company’s mission is to deliver products that solve problems and improve user experience for work and play. Nyko specializes in interactive entertainment, computing, consumer electronics, portable audio, as well as online and wireless technologies. The company has distribution through major U.S. and Canadian retailers, along with distributors worldwide. Founded in 1995, Nyko is headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Please visit www.nyko.com or call 1-888-444-6956 for more information.

Short on juice?  Look no further than Scosche’s goBAT II.  It’s a dual USB battery pack that stores up to 5000 mAh of power and includes 2 USB ports, a 5V and 10V.  That means you can charge up your iPhone 2.5 times or your iPad to 55%.  We can only hope that the 10V is auto sensing so it doesn’t mess up your 5V only gadgets.  A set of LED status lights will keep you abreast of remaining charge, as will Scosche’s free reVIVE charging app.  

Included in the deal is a micro USB cable that can be used to charged the goBAT II, which can also be used to charge any micro USB device.

Down for some juice?  You can pick one up from Scosche right now for $89.99.

Read

iKit NuCharge iPhone 4 case won’t end world hunger, help you sleep at night, but it will most certainly keep your iPhone charged up long after the built-in battery dies.  It packs 1400 mAh of juice and contains a kickstand for watching videos in landscape mode.  A set of blue LED battery status lights complement the 6mm thick all black exterior and it weighs just 2oz.  All in all it’s nothing we haven’t seen from any other iPhone battery case manufacter, but we’re digging the integrated kick stand and overall presentation.

You can preorder one now with delivery expected in March for $64.95.

Read

No more will that worry me. Veho’s new Pebble Smartskin is an iPad case, and it’s not bad looking at all, with black on the front and silvery metal in the back, but that’s neither here nor there when you consider that it gives you an additional 500 hours of standby power for your iPad.

That translates into 50 additional hours of audio playback, or 7 extra hours of watching movies. It does it by using a battery made with alien technology that I suspect is hidden in the hind metal panel.
It will cost you $78, which is cheap given the alien technology and ungodly powers of extending your iPad’s life. You even get a neoprene sleeve to put over the protective skin case, and use it as a carry case that’s no-slip. Cos neoprene is no-slip, you know.

Read

We just finished reviewing the Mophie Juice Pack battery pack for the iPhone 4 when low and behold they’ve already released a new one, the Juice Pack Plus.  In actuality, it’s just a battery bump from 1,500 mAh to 2,000 mAh, which should equate to a few more hours of iPhone use, depending on what you’re doing of course.

The Juice Pack Plus sports all the same fixings as its smaller brother, which includes an on/off switch, LED battery indicators and the same protective casing that they say channels the audio to the front of the handset.

During our testing of the smaller Juice Pack we had a hard time getting a full charge on our iPhone 4, which we found very strange considering that it’s rated for 1500 mAh, 80 mAh more than the iPhone 4′s battery.  We’ll see if we can get our hands on this one.  Perhaps Mophie has made some tweaks to improve battery performance.

Read