Proporta TurboCharger Pocket Power
They don't get much smaller than this one. Proporta's little charger here is so diddy, it'll slide into wallets like a business card, turning purses into portable power units and baffling friends when you pull out the integrated micro USB cord to power your phone.
The capacity is low but its portability makes this gadget ideal for snack-sized boosts to blowers when they start to feel the hunger. There are three small LEDs next to the input to indicate charging status. It's a bit basic but super cheap - excellent stocking filler, in other words. As the only one here that you could take out without noticing, the Proporta's convenience is unparalleled.
Reg Rating 85%
Price £13
Capacity 830mAh
More info Proporta
Scosche GoBAT II
This gloss-black fingerprint magnet may not have the sexiest of designs, but the unit does feature two charging outputs. It comes supplied with a micro USB cable and small adaptor for those with Galaxy Tabs, while four LEDs can be found on the top to indicate the amount of battery remaining.
It's a simple design that feels a tad fragile and the glossy casing is offputting. However, the capacity and dual-charging capability makes the GoBatII almost unbeatable in terms of value. It charges fairly quickly too. ®
Reg Rating 85%
Price £50
Capacity 5000mAh
More info Scosche
Ten external battery packs
COMMENTS
Product convergence
I was quite happy to put the double size battery and big cover on the back of my Motorola Timeport, back in the 90s.
I think that phone manufacturers are all chasing the one market. I'd have thought that, like the big-button market for older users there was a case for a big-battery market for people like me away from base for days.
I agree that the fact that so many of these external devices exist show the phone makers are being a bit too mee-too in following each other down one road. Lets have some divergence for a change.
erm
There really shouldnt be a market for these things, if only phone manufacturers bundled their phones with a decent sized battery and made them more efficient...
amprere hours
Figures in mAh are pretty meaningless when the things have various different output voltages.
Unless all of them have a single 3.6v Li-ion inside and use boost converters, which is not clear and pretty unlikely (some of them must use more than one cell)
Please quote the energy capacity in watt hours. It would be much more useful.
New Trent chargers
You missed this off completely. It's far better than of of those listed and half the price. I purchased the 11000mAh one for my trip around Europe and it was superb. The new one is now 12000mAh with dual USB outputs. For the current £37 on Amazon this makes it cheaper than anything else here for power per pound!
Crummy selection
Pretty useless selection of products I'm afraid reg. do a search on Amazon between 20 and 30 quid and there's loads. Personally I went for the powergen 8400mAh which I can vouch for as providing enough juice for two iPhones heavy usage for three days (festival last weekend) and only cost £23
And it's got a built in torch!
