Don’t Leave Home Without It!

I think I have found one of the most valuable tech devices ever. It is small, inexpensive, simple to use and can keep you connected.  I recently returned from a bike trip. Each evening we were camping at a different location and sometimes access to electricity was either non-existent or very inconvenient. This could have made keeping my smartphone charged up a real problem if I had not brought along my portable charging device.

There are many brands but all are essentially the same. The device consists of a rechargeable battery, some control circuitry and a variety of plugs. Once charged up the device can recharge most all smartphones and tablets. The one I have can recharge my iPhone twice and my iPad once before it too needs to be recharged. 

I have carried one in my briefcase for years and honestly have not used it much since under normal circumstances I have adequate electrical power to plug in if I find my phone running out of juice. On this trip things were different.  Either was had no access to electricity or several of my friends were in need of charging their phones and often we had more phones than outlets.

I was able to both charge my phone and at the same time keep it on so I could get email, text and even use the clock and alarm function. I just connected the unit to my phone and placed it next to my sleeping bag having no need to connect to an outlet which if it was available was not near my sleeping area.

You can find various models on line from $10 to over a $100. The big difference is in the number of times the device can charge your phone without needing to be recharged.  Unless you have many devices that you need to keep running, I recommend the small pocket size units. They are easy to carry in your pocket or purse and you are more likely to actually bring it with you. The larger high amperage models are nice, but if you are a light packer they may be a bit overkill.

I have seen these for sale in big box stores and on line.  You will often see them sold from kiosks at the mall.  To review several examples just google “portable power chargers.”  It may be the best 10 bucks you spend this summer.