The batteries in smartphones that have been in use for a good many years get a little drained by the end of the day. Sometimes a lot drained. Sometimes before the end of the day.
There are several solutions to this problem: Get a new replacement battery, which can be expensive. Get a new phone, which can be more expensive.
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A third option is a power bank – basically a rechargeable, portable battery that can be used to charge a smartphone or tablet (or other device) several times over until the power bank runs out of juice.
Since the power bank doesn’t need an electrical outlet to supply a charge, it can come in handy as a recharging point around the house where you might not be close to an outlet.
Today’s column is about the Excitrus version of a power bank: The NitroCharge Pro series, which the company bills as the first power bank “complete with Magsafe.”
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Magsafe is the name of an Apple power connector for the MacBook Pro, introduced in 2006. As the name implies, small magnets make connection easy while conducting power to the laptop. And they quickly disconnected if someone accidentally tripped over the power cord.
Apple began phasing out the MagSafe in 2016 for the more versatile USB-C connector, which did more than just supply power. That was thought to be the end of it.
But MagSafe reappeared in the fall of 2020 with the introduction of the iPhone 12. Magnets in back of the phone help it align with a magnetic ring contained in the Apple charger. The magnets align the phone with the charging coil while holding the phone firmly in place.
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The NitroCharge Pro and its MagSafe technology was designed for the iPhone 12. For other Apple models, the charger still works, but no magnets hold it in place. For owners of those models, small, flat magnets are provided and must be pressed to the back of the phone’s case to hold it in place during charging. That same work-around can be used by Android owners.
While wireless charging is convenient, wired charging is still much faster. The NitroCharge has two charging ports (USB-C and USB-A), so it’s possible to charge three items at once with the wireless pad in use.
The charger comes in two models that differ only in power ratings and charge times. The NitroCharge 120 Pro ($100 suggested retail) and the NitroCharge 30 Pro ($60 suggested retail). The 30 Pro is about the same size as an iPhone; the 120 Pro is a bit longer than that. The 30 Pro has the capacity to give a phone at least two charges before it needs to be recharged.
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A company spokesman said the NitroCharge Pro 120 can charge an iPhone to 50{1936381d4253f19a98bc2ecae94a0b0438ab0e234f1c555690d854373a3c9a42} power in about seven minutes, while a traditional charger can take about 45 minutes.
The charger is covered in a fabric-like, rip-proof material that has a linen feel to it. Water runs off of it. It wipes clean easily. The textured surface provides for a good grip. A nice feature is that instead of the remaining power being displayed by a series of LED lights, a digital number shows the actual percentage of charge remaining.
The company has a funding campaign running on Indiegogo (www.indiegogo.com) at this link: www.tinyurl.com/NitroChargePro. Additional information and specifications for the chargers can also be found at that link.
Lonnie Brown can be reached at [email protected].
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