The new Duracell rechargeable Li-Ion instant USB charger is about the size of a pack of gum – but still manages to deliver enough power for a full charge of an iPhone or iPod. The charger is also as simple as can get – it has one LED indicator, a switch, and ports for power in and out.
The charger comes with a short miniUSB charger cord, allowing you to plug it into a computer or USB charger for its initial charge. Once full charged, you move the USB cable from the “power in” to the “power out” port.
Of course, not all gadgets use miniUSB, but since the output power port is regular USB, you can plug almost any gadget charger cord into it, including the cable delivered with your iPod, iPhone or other (smart)phone.
The battery capacity is 1150mAh – which is about the average capacity of most phones on the market. Its maximum power output is 0.6 amps, which should be sufficient to keep most devices powered.
By far the best feature of the Duracell rechargeable battery pack is its size – it is at least a third of the weight and size of most other chargers, and small enough to be stuffed in any carry-on bag.
I tested the battery pack on an empty iPhone 3GS and a Google Nexus One – and it had no problems bringing both devices to a decent charge level. Because you can’t completely empty the battery pack, you’ll usually only be able to charge your phone to about 75% – which is still more than enough for an emergency call or Twitter update.
There is actually one feature of this battery pack that is even nicer than its weight – the price. You can find the Duracell rechargeable Li-Ion instant USB charger for as little as $21 (or even lower if you shop around).
The charger comes with a single miniUSB cable, but you’ll need to provide your own cables for other devices that don’t use miniUSB.
I’ve mentioned this before on Gadling – backup battery packs like this are a “must have”. They’ll save you if you need to make a phone call with a dead phone, and may even be able to add an extra hour of movie watching time to your device.
PROS: Tiny, lightweight, enough “juice” for a full charge
CONS: Only comes with one charger cord
You’ll find the Durcell rechargeable Li-Ion instant USB charger at your favorite electronics retailer, Amazon.com or one of the other retailers listed on the Duracell site.