TECH SPOTLIGHT

Backup battery, candle speaker unusual, but worth a look

Special to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - 02/21/2014 - The SoundGlow portable speaker and the Powerpak Ultra backup battery are two unusual products made for those on the go.
Special to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - 02/21/2014 - The SoundGlow portable speaker and the Powerpak Ultra backup battery are two unusual products made for those on the go.

I’m reaching into the grab bag this week for a couple of items that don’t necessarily fit with others but are too unusual to be ignored.

The first can provide power outdoors in just about any conditions. The second provides a little ambiance when you’re looking for something quieter indoors.

First up is something to take with you when you hit the hiking trails this spring (assuming spring ever gets here … yes, I’m bitter). It’s the PowerPak Ultra from New Trent.

The PowerPak basically is a giant backup battery for electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets and portable game consoles. But this isn’t a standard, slim backup battery: This thing is built like a tank.

The PowerPak is dustproof, shockproof and waterproof up to 3 feet. It’s not a light, small battery like most I’ve tested. This one is about the width and length of an iPhone, but it’s about an inch thick. It’s rather heavy as well, about 13 ounces. But it’s worth its weight in charging ability.

The PowerPak can fully charge a smartphone more than once. In some cases, it can charge a phone at least four to five times before the PowerPak needs recharging. It also can charge a tablet computer, such as an iPad, although you’ll only get about asingle charge from it. But that beats most portable batteries I’ve seen. Those could barely charge the iPad, assuming it could provide a charge at all.

The best part about the PowerPak is it can charge more than one device at a time. With two USB charging ports, it had no problem charging devices simultaneously.

A button on the back lights up LEDs to let you know how much juice is left. This device takes several hours to recharge fully, so it’s best to just let it charge overnight.Once it’s done, though, you won’t have to recharge it for a while.

The PowerPak is big and bulky, but it makes no bones about it. It’s ruggedly built and can go wherever you decide to go. It even can handle water, although the instructions tell you not to use it to charge devices underwater. Frankly, I would think this would be a given. Although there is always that one person out there who likes to experiment.

There is one issue to note with the PowerPak. It’s waterproof in part because of the little rubber flaps that seal the charging ports when inserted correctly. The problem is, it takes a little effort to press the flaps into the holes for a proper seal. It certainly can be done, but it’s too easy to look at the flaps and think they’re sealed. You have to be very diligent in pushing them into the ports and to make sure they’re in place correctly.

While the PowerPak is hefty, it certainly does the job on the road when you need more than one charge. I wasn’t worried about running out of power and getting lost without some form of GPS.

The next device is as gentle as the PowerPak is rugged. It’s more for the indoors, and it can be used to set a quiet, relaxing or romantic mood.

The SoundGlow from Lyrix is a Bluetooth-enabled candle speaker. Yes, I said candle. It’s shaped like a candle, and it even has a yellow light inside that flickers, making it look like a flameis dancing around inside the white, translucent upper walls.

The SoundGlow is one piece and includes a micro-USB cable for charging. Once charged, the speaker can connect to any Bluetooth-enabled audio device, such as a computer or a phone.

The base of the SoundGlow comes in purple, blue, green or tan. The upper part is a translucent white that allows the light to shine through. A yellow LED sits in the speaker’s center. The speaker is at the bottom of the white section of the SoundGlow, and it uses the top portion’s round shape to resonate out.

The light is a cute touch, although it flickers a lot - a whole lot. Luckily, if it gets to be too much, a switch at the bottom of the unit can turn it off. The base also includes a switch to turn off the Bluetooth connection, as well as audio controls and LED indicators for battery charge and Bluetooth connection.

The speaker itself doesn’t produce the greatest sound. It lacks the deep, rich tones of more expensive speakers. But if you need something portable that will provide a relaxing atmosphere, it does the job just fine. It isn’t going to do battle with iHome or Bose anytime soon, but it’s about what you might expect from a $50 speaker system. It’s the look that makes this speaker system different. It’s clever, and a little chintzy, but I must admit, I liked it.

Both devices stand out from similar products, making them well worth a look, even if they are a bit off the beaten path.

Melissa L. Jones can be reached via email at [email protected].

Where it’s @

The PowerPak Ultra requires a 5-volt device that charges via USB. The product retails for $69.95. More information is available at www.newtrent.com. The Lyrix Sound-Glow requires an audio device with Bluetooth capabilities and a USB port for charging. The product retails for $49.95. More information is available at www.digitaltreasures.com.

Business, Pages 19 on 02/24/2014

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