Battery-pack options for cellphones and laptops

February 20, 2016 at 8:00PM
Belkin Travel Rockstar. (Photo courtesy Amazon/TNS) ORG XMIT: 1180775
Belkin Travel Rockstar. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
BELKIN TRAVEL ROCKSTAR
$59.99

Provides basics for a traveler

Travel RockStar has two AC outlets instead of three, like other Belkin portable power sources, and it drops the USB ports from two to one. But it adds a 3,000 mAh battery, which is handy for keeping your phone or tablet charged on the go or on a plane.

The RockStar also features surge protection for your connected devices up to 615 joules and has a $75,000 connected equipment warranty to reimburse you if the RockStar fails to protect your stuff. It is storage-friendly, too, with the plug flipping down.

BOOSTCUBE QC 3.0
$16.99

The latest Android quick charge

Most Android phones released in the last few years have a technology inside called Qualcomm Quick Charge, which is a chip system that allows for fast charging from compatible chargers.

The new BoostCube QC 3.0 from iClever ($16.99) is a single-device USB charger capable of providing 24 watts and 3 amps of charging power. The manufacturer says the charger is the most powerful QC 3.0 wall charger in the world.

It's pretty small, has a plug that folds for storage and works with domestic and foreign power sources from 100v to 240v.

MOPHIE JUICE PACK RESERVE
$59.95

A battery that fits on the phone

The Juice Pack is a battery that's built into a two-piece hard case. The top of the case separates, and you slide the phone into the bottom.

The Juice Pack Reserve has an 1,850-mAh battery, which provides about a 60 percent boost for the iPhone 6S' internal battery. Best practice is to use the phone's battery until it reaches about 20 percent power left and then turn on the Juice Pack.

The Juice Pack Reserve adds only 0.3 inches to the thickness of the phone, and it weighs less than 3 ounces. You can charge the phone and the Juice Pack at the same time, too. On the back of the Juice Pack, you'll find an on/off button and four lights to reflect the charge level of the battery. It is the lightest unobtrusive battery pack around.

DALLAS MORNING NEWS


iClever Boostcube. (Photo courtesy Amazon/TNS) ORG XMIT: 1180775
iClever Boostcube. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Morphie Juice Pack Reserve
Morphie Juice Pack Reserve (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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