battery

... is what is said on the box!

This Energizer battery pack, originally designed to recharge iPhones, iPads, iPods or any other device requiring a USB charging adaptor. It's a very small and light power pack which has two USB ports on one side. This means it can charge two devices simultaneously. This photo shows me using the Energizer pack to power the Raspberry Pi computer. 

I have plans to be able to power a Raspberry Pi computer in a remote location, where mains power isn't available, for example on my allotment, and use the Pi to monitor environmental conditions, such as temperature, rainfall, sunlight and humidity. I'm currently running tests to see what the expected battery life is for the Energizer power pack. I'll post the results of these tests on my blog in due course. I do know that it will power the Raspberry Pi for 8 hours quite comfortably.

I've also used this power pack to charge up my iPhone and iPad mini. it's really effective and because it is light, doesn't' add any significant weight to my shoulder bag.

Would definitely recommend getting one of these, especially if you have a smartphone that requires charging at least once a day. 

Find it online under the iPad mini accessories page on the Mobile Fun site.

The iPhone travels with me everywhere I go. Most days it gets a lot of use from listening to music, taking photos, checking travel and weather reports, accessing email, diary, administering servers and my home (more on this later!) Some software on the phone drains the battery more than others, such as using it as a phone, or the GPS and Google Maps where data is constantly being downloaded. Often the iPhone struggles to even last the day without a top up or connection to my computer. Some days, this just doesn't happen as I'm constantly moving here there and everywhere.

I know about the battery 'jackets' you can buy for the iPhone, but I hate them, mostly because they make the phone chunky and who wants to lose the beautiful design?  No, I needed something I could just plug in, even momentarily and didn't rely on needed to be connected to the mains. There are hundreds of iPhone accessories out there, but few really make the grade.

The Mobile Power Station seems to be a pretty smart solution. It has a dock plug which is simply connected to the bottom of the iPhone with a simple battery level indicator to show how much charge is left in the device. It charges the iPhone and on a full charge will completely charge the phone in about 30 minutes. Of course the phone still works albeit with something piggybacked onto it.

When using Trailguru on the iPhone for tracking distance travelled on my bike this weekend, the iPhone rarely manages to complete a 2hr cycle because the GPS and screen power is just so draining for its battery. However, with the Mobile Power Station plugged into the iPhone which is mounted in the handlebar cradle it's just perfect. It's very inexpensive too.

Charging is simple, simply connect to a standard iPod/iPhone charger and if piggybacked into the iPhone, the charger will charge both.