Powerbag – part bag, part portable power source

The Holiday season may be over, but that shouldn’t stop you from paying attention to gift ideas (for yourself). If one of your New Years resolutions is to travel without landing at your destination with an empty iPad or phone, then we recommend checking out the assortment of bags from Powerbag. Their lineup covers everything from a basic sling, to a complete mobile office on wheels.

Now, a variety of luggage is definitely not newsworthy on its own, and what makes these bags worthy of a mention here is that they all come with an integrated power source. Inside each of the bags is a powerful battery pack, integrated battery indicator and power switch and a water resistant AC charger port. Pack your bag, then pop your tablet, phone, headset or other devices inside and plug them in.

The built in battery pack is rated at 6000mAh, which is more than enough to charge a phone 4-5 times, or charge multiple devices at the same time. The system includes power tips for Apple, MiniUSB and MicroUSB, though a regular USB port also allows you to use your own cable. Best of all, Powerbag will gladly sell you a second battery pack in a higher or lower capacity.

The bags start at $139.99 and are available directly from the manufacturer or a variety of (online) retailers. We’ll try and get a full review up on Gadling as soon as we can.

Daily deal – APC UPB10 battery pack for $14.95

My daily deal for today is the kind of product you should buy first, then decide whether you really need it.

The APC UPB10 is a small external Lithium-Ion battery pack suitable for charging most USB powered devices. This includes most Blackberry devices, iPod devices, the iPhone and almost every other smartphone on the market.

The device comes with a standard USB cable for charging off your PC or existing USB charger. To charge your device, you simply plug it into the UPB10 and let it do its work.

The 10Wh capacity of the battery is sufficient to fully charge most devices once or twice.

A device like this can be a true lifesaver, if you have ever found yourself stranded at an airport with a dead phone , or mid-flight with a dead iPod, you’ll learn to appreciate the ability to breathe some life back into your gadgets. Just remember to carry your USB cable wherever you go, or to buy a spare.

The UPB10 normally retails for about $50, but Frys.com has it on sale for just $14.95. Shipping is about $6 for most destinations, and lucky readers with a local Fry’s store can opt for in-store pickup to save the shipping costs.