I usually travel with a backup battery because nothing's worse that getting into your seat on an airplane or train (or whatever) only to realize that you're almost out of juice. The problem is that today's power hungry devices (especially tablets require more power than a lot of backup batteries can deliver.
The biggest culprit is the iPad 3, which requires a full 10 watts (at 2.1 amps) to fill its batteries (and usually a genuine OEM cable, too). A standard iPhone AC adapter doesn't provide enough juice to charge the iPad 3, a MacBook barely charges it, and most external batteries won't cut it. Enter the HyperJuice Plug from HyperShop -- my favorite iDevice battery.
The HyperJuice Plug comes in either 10,400mAh ($129.95) or 15,600mAh ($159.95) configurations, pictured is the 15,600mAh in silver. Both models include two high power USB ports capable of charging two USB devices (even two iPads) simultaneously.
The Linear Technology chipset includes built-in short circuit, overcharging and temperature protection and the whole package is wrapped in a slick aluminum housing that comes in six juicy colors: pink, gold, blue, green, silver, black.
The 10,400mAh model:
- Extend iPad (1st & 2nd generation) battery life by up to 14 extra hours
- Extend new iPad (3rd generation) battery life by up to 9 extra hours
- Fully recharge the iPhone up to 7 times
The 15,600mAh model:
- Extend iPad (1st & 2nd generation) battery life by up to 23 extra hours
- Extend new iPad (3rd generation) battery life by up to 13 extra hours
- Fully recharge the iPhone up to 11 times
The higher capacity HyperJuice Plug features a total of 15W power shared between two USB ports. Unlike other dual USB batteries with one "high power" (10 watt) USB port for iPad/tablets and a "low power" (5 watt) USB port for smartphones, HyperJuice Plug auto-detects the connected device and distributes the maximum power to the device regardless of which port it's plugged into. For example:
Besides being port agnostic, the best feature in the HyperJuice Plug is its built-in retractable wall plug which allows you recharge the pack without having to schlep another cable around. A close second is the five segment LED indicator that indicates how much charge the pack has after pressing a small button. HyperJuice Plug is a seriously smart battery pack that belongs in the gear bag (or glove box) of anyone that travels with an iPad, iPhone -- or both.