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Review: Kanex’s GoPower USB-C Portable Battery for MacBook [Video]

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Kanex Plugged in

I wouldn’t normally describe a portable battery as being beautiful, but Kanex’s just-released $99 GoPower USB-C Portable Battery fits that description. Its aluminum body is like a mix of Apple’s space gray and silver colors, but it’ll look good when paired with any 12″ MacBook.

Good looks are nice, but the real world performance of a battery pack is crucial. How does Kanex’s offering stack up? Check out our hands-on impressions.
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Review: PowerSkin’s PoP’n 3 sticks a 4000mAh Lightning battery on your iPhone 6 / Plus as needed

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Yesterday, I reviewed PowerSkin’s Spare, a semi-protective battery case designed specifically for the iPhone 6. While Spare didn’t strike me as a great value for its asking price, PowerSkin also sells a more powerful alternative called PoP’n 3 that can work with multiple iPhones, including the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and earlier iPhone 5 models. And despite having nearly twice as much power as Spare — enough power to fully recharge any iPhone — it sells for only $50-$55, depending on the color you prefer.

PoP’n 3 isn’t a typical USB battery pack, even though it looks like one. Made mostly from metallic plastic that matches the space gray, silver, or gold colors of recent iPhones, it has a Lightning cable built into the bottom for easy connection to bare or encased devices. Suction cups on one side let it attach or detach from your iPhone on an as-desired basis, and unlike iPhone-specific battery cases, enable it to function as a just-in-case power source for iPads, too…


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Review: Aukey’s PB-N30 is the first iPhone external battery with a female Lightning port, but does it matter?

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When the first iPhone 6 battery cases hit the market late last year, one 9to5Mac reader commented repeatedly that he was holding out for something with a female Lightning port on the bottom, rather than the currently ubiquitous alternative, micro-USB. Why would anyone care? Well, if an accessory can recharge using Lightning, the same charging cable you get with any iPhone can be used with its accessories, too. That means you’ll have one less cable to carry around, a convenience that inspired Apple late last year to offer accessory developers access to female Lightning connectors.

The rollout has been slow: there’s still no Apple-authorized accessory with a Lightning port, since Apple was still only previewing the feature early this year. But a developer called Aukey decided not to wait for Apple’s seal of approval. As of this week, it’s selling what it claims is “the first and the only portable charger in the world with Apple Lightning input port,” the PB-N30 3600mAh External Battery Charger ($36, sold on Amazon for $15). Given the low price, it’s no surprise that there are a bunch of caveats to consider, but if you’ve been jonesing for a battery with a Lightning port, now you have an option.


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Review: RAVPower’s Savior delivers 9000mAh of Apple-certified Lightning battery power at a great price

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RAVPower has done a great job of changing the traditional price-to-performance equation for Apple device chargers. Its two-, four-, and six-port wall chargers (reviewed here) are the best options I’ve seen at their price points, so it’s no shock that its Savior 9000mAh External Battery Pack (MSRP $100, street price $50) delivers great value, as well.

Equipped with wall blades for easy recharging, Savior combines a high-capacity 9000mAh battery with an Apple-certified Lightning cable, competing with similar accessories such as myCharge’s Hub 9000 — but for half the street price. Read on for why Savior is so easy to recommend, as well as details on the compromises it makes to keep its size and price down.


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Review: Just Mobile’s TopGum adds glam + a magnetic charging base to a 6,000mAh battery

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The secret to understanding USB battery pricing is that you tend to get what you pay for: cheap batteries lose their charges faster and can bulge and leak over time. Other companies specialize in selling atypically nice batteries that last longer and work better. Just Mobile is a leader in quality batteries: for the past six years, its Gum series (shown below) has spanned every Apple device type, size, and speed, but it has never built a Lightning cable into a battery before. That changes with the January release of TopGum ($80), which advances the company’s prior state-of-the-art Gum++ model in two ways: an authentic Lightning cable’s integrated into the battery’s left edge, and a matching magnetic battery charging dock is included.

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Of course, these features – and a choice of gold or gray metal exteriors – come at a premium over typical all-plastic batteries, so if you don’t need the cable or dock, you’ll be equally well-served with the company’s earlier batteries. Read on for the full story.


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Now even more shots of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6’s 1810mAh battery have leaked

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Yesterday, we reported on purported photos of the larger, 5.5-inch iPhone 6’s 2915mAh battery pack among other parts, and today, new clear shots of the 4.7-inch models have leaked. Photos of the smaller next-generation iPhone’s 1810mAh battery first hit the web in July, and these new photos add weight to the previous photos being legitimate. For comparison, the iPhone 5s’s battery is 1560mAh, but because of the higher-res screen on the iPhone 6, it’s possible that the bigger battery pack could be offset but the additional pixel pushing. Besides a bigger battery, the new iPhones will likely include sharper displays, faster A8 processors, new sensors, and improved cameras. The new devices will debut at an event on September 9th and begin shipping around a week-and-a-half later. Another shot of the 4.7-inch model’s battery is below:


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Purported photos of 5.5-inch ‘iPhone 6L’ show 2915mAh battery, wider display panel

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Asia-based rumor site Apple Daily has acquired photos of what it claims are the next-generation iPhone, including the 5.5-inch model we’ve seen much less of in recent weeks. The two photos above show the larger device (with the purple interior) paired with a 4.7-inch version. The wider 5.5-inch model is to the right and the 4.7 display panel is on the left. While some may note that the part on the right does not appear much larger than the part on the left, it is possible that the image’s perspective does not highlight the size differentiation well.

The larger model, which Apple Daily claims will be called ‘iPhone 6L’ also sports a larger 2915mAh battery (seen below), compared to the 1810mAh in the 4.7-inch device and 1560 mAh in the iPhone 5s. The larger display area and form-factor allows Apple to squeeze a much larger battery pack into the phone, but it is currently unclear if this will mean stronger battery life. It’s uncertain if the larger display and more powerful chip rumored for the bigger phone will counterbalance the effects of the bigger battery pack…

Keep reading for more photos

Apple details flexible battery packs suitable for rumored iWatch product

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We’ve seen a few patents from Apple that cover flexible components that would be suitable for its much-rumored watch product in the past. Some of which include a couple for flexible displays and another that details a device that changes functionality as it bends. Today we get a look at another patent application from Apple, this time covering battery designs that could very well end up in a flexible or bendable product such as a wristwatch (via PatentlyApple):
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Review: Three great Solar charging options from GoalZero, Eton and Sunvolt

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Eton Rukus solar/speakerGoalZero 7W foldable, and Gomatic 10W Sunvolt

This year, the solar charging options have really improved for those who need to charge their iOS (or any) devices away from a wall outlet or car. The three products below are some of the more interesting we’ve seen.


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9to5Toys Last Call: $100 iTunes Gift Card for $85 (Save 15% on apps,music,more), $966 Seiki 50″ 4K HDTV, 12% off Apple SuperDrive, more

From 9to5Toys.com:

A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours.  We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to roundup the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... TwitterRSS FeedFacebook

Today’s Featured deals:

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$100 iTunes Gift Card for $85: Save 15% on future purchases of Apps, Music, Movies, more

81urwg8x3l-_sl1500_HDTV Deals:

apple-superdrive-dvdApple SuperDrive, external USB DVD/CD drive $69.99 Shipped (Reg. $79) – Perfect for your new MacBook Air.

Some great Specials.9to5toys.com happening currently including half off Nuance PDF maker/editor ($49) and Firecore adds all kinds of cool stuff to your 2nd Generation appleTV (720P).

Other great deals we love:

  • New! Apple 3-foot Lightning cable $10 or 2 non-MFI Lightning cables with Car/wall adapters $7 shipped


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Review: Digital Treasures Powerflask — Is it better than booze?

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Most technologies have changed beyond all recognition in the last 10 to 20 years. Compare a smartphone from 10 years ago with the latest iPhone, and the difference is night and day. Laptops, TVs, cameras … pretty much any technology you can name has transformed almost beyond recognition. But there’s one technology whose pace of development seems truly glacial: batteries.

I’m not suggesting battery tech hasn’t improved at all, of course, but my smartphone 10 years ago got me through a typical day with a bit to spare, and my iPhone today does pretty much the same (albeit in a significantly smaller package). Those tiny fuel-cell batteries they keep promising us, with smartphone and laptop battery-life measured in weeks and not hours, seem as elusive as ever. Until that glorious day arrives, there will be times when our iPhone or iPad just isn’t going to have enough power to cope with an extra-long day, weekend camping trip, or similar.

There are a couple of different approaches to the problem. The first is a powered case. We previously reviewed the Morphies Juice and Air power sleeves. This is ideal when you know in advance that you’ll need the extra power and don’t mind a bit of extra bulk to achieve it. The second approach is an external battery pack you use to recharge your phone (and other USB-interfaced gadgets) when needed, or when you’re in one location for a while.

This is the approach taken by the Digital Treasures Powerflask, a cute-looking pack that can simultaneously charge an iPad and either one or two iPhones …
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Take calls over the ocean, in the Congo or Outback with Thuraya’s SatSleeve satellite case for iPhone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTEDgc2vu44

Thuraya, a mobile satellite operator and telecommunications company providing coverage in more than 140 countries across Asia, Africa, Australia, the Middle East and Europe, announced on Wednesday the launch of its SatSleeve product to enable satellite connectivity on the iPhone. It also builds in a 3.7V Li-ion, 2400 mAh battery pack to extend your iPhone’s battery life, an emergency call button, and its own microphone and speaker. The iPhone case and combo satellite/battery dock come together to allow access to SMS and phone calls on Thuraya’s satellite network.

Thuraya provides services to a number of sectors, including energy, military, and aviation, and it provides roaming services in the United States through a deal with T-Mobile USA.

While iPhones are typically supported by terrestrial networks, Thuraya SatSleeve enables users to enjoy ubiquitous coverage even in the most remote environments. The Thuraya SatSleeve also serves as an important mobile communications tool for corporate users, especially enterprises operating in remote locations, explorers, mountaineers and other outdoor enthusiasts — ideal for prolonged expeditions that take these users deep into uncharted areas that are not served by terrestrial mobile networks.

The product appears to be available for 30-pin devices only, and there are no details on pricing, but you can contact Thuraya through its website to purchase SatSleeve. You can check out Thuraya’s coverage map.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGh09z-IUY8

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Mophie announces $79 ultra thin/light 1500mAh juice pack ‘Helium’ for iPhone 5

Mophie announced on Tuesday that its latest juice pack for iPhone 5, an ultra-thin, 1500mAh battery case that the company said is 13 percent thinner than its popular previous-generation juice packs. Mophie is making the $79.95 case available to loyal customers while supplies last on its website, and the battery case will give you around six extra hours of talk time, Internet use, and video playback, and up to 30 hours of audio playback. The darker Metallic color will ship by Feb. 14, and the lighter, silver color will go out sometime in March.

It’s a slightly smaller battery that comes with the 2000mAh juice pack plus that Mophie sells for iPhone 4S, but it’s slightly slimmer than both the “air” and “plus” models at 2.49 in x 5.49 in x 0.59 in.

Engineered with edge-to-edge protection and outfitted with 80% more battery life to keep your iPhone 5 safe and charged, the juice pack helium allows you to truly Do more™. Its elegant, thin design makes it the perfect accessory, easily fitting into any pocket or handbag. The enhanced forward-ported acoustics redirects the iPhone audio towards you, optimizing playback and maximizing your experience.