Unique Power Options

[Brad Adrian]

<a href="http://www.seidioonline.com/store/viewitem.asp?idproduct=233&amp;idcategory=127">http://www.seidioonline.com/store/viewitem.asp?idproduct=233&amp;idcategory=127</a><br /><br />Seidio, a subsidiary of Promax Wireless Products, has introduced a novel, but useful, system for remote charging of Pocket PC devices. Their Emergency Power Kit includes everything you need to get your depleted device up and running again, no matter where you are.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/emerg_charg2.jpg" /><br /><br />By simply attaching a 9-volt battery to the kit's Emergency Power Charger, your device can be completely and quickly recharged. You can even purchase different adapters for various devices, making the charger very versatile. &lt;!><br /><br />In addition, the full kit comes with a cigarette lighter adapter for powering the charger from a cigarette lighter outlet instead of a 9V battery.<br /><br />I've had the opportunity to use this system for a couple of days, and I must say that I really like it. I don't often need emergency power, but I think that carrying this little adapter and a 9-volt battery is much more convenient that the other options I've tried, like the <a href="http://www.mobileplanet.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=109&cat%5Fname=Accessories&dept%5Fid=3702&pf%5Fid=MP868177&listing=1&mscssid=6PQ4JQEG2K7J9P5SDM7MKMR3L84T73P3">Electric Fuel system</a>. It's compact, and the shelf life of a small 9-volt battery is usually a couple of years.<br /><br />I ran my iPAQ's internal battery down to about 20%, plugged in the Emergency Charger, and let it sit unused overnight. I didn't keep track of how long it took to completely recharge the iPAQ, but by morning my device was ready to use. Then, later that day, after using the iPAQ some more, I used the cigarette lighter adapter in order to continue working. The whole system worked flawlessly.<br /><br />The only part of the system that I have concerns about is the fact that the adapter is completely rigid, so using the device with the charger attached was a tad awkward; so, I was always worried that I would accidentally snap it off and break the charger. In reality, however, the plastic held up just fine.<br /><br />The price of the system is reasonable:<br /><br />Emergency Power Kit (connector, charger and cigarette adapter): $24.95<br />Emergency Power Charger (connector and charger only): $19.95<br />Interchangeable Connector for Compaq, HP and Casio Pocket PCs: $10.95<br /><br />If there is EVER a chance that you could find yourself without AC power for your Pocket PC, this is a system you should seriously consider buying.

[Sanjay Srikonda]

I bought the Iconcepts 5 country adapter for my Ipaq 3850 last week. I went to the Compusa where they were charging $49.95 for it, then I went across the street (literally) to data nation, and they had it for $39.95. Why is that I wonder, Data Nation seems to undercut CompUsa on almost everything by about $10-15 every time I compare prices.

Anyway, the Iconcepts charger/adapter set comes with:

5 country adapters: Asia, America, UK, Europe, and Australia
Car adapter
USB, pass-through sync/charger adapter.

I've tested all of them, and I've found them to work great, the unit doesn't have to be on to be charging from my wall adapter, although I can't quite figure out if the same is true of my car adpter since I was afraid to leave it sitting on my seat while I drove over some bumpy roads.

However, for $39.95 (excluding local NYC tax, about $43 total) this was a great bargain. A lot cheaper than the adapter offered here, although using it with a 9-volt battery is another option as well.

[helios]

However, for $39.95 (excluding local NYC tax, about $43 total) this was a great bargain. A lot cheaper than the adapter offered here, although using it with a 9-volt battery is another option as well.

How is $39.95 a lot cheaper than the adapter mentioned above? The full kit including charger, 9-volt adapter and cigarette lighter adapter is only $24.95. The kit without the cigarette lighter adapter is only $19.95.

And why would you need a 5 country adapter set for a charger that is meant to be portable when you're away from any traditional ac power sources and need a source of emergency power?

Seems like you're comparing apples and oranges here. The Seidio kit is meant to be an emergency charging source, your Iconcepts kit is a travel charging kit.

[Sanjay Srikonda]

Add another $14.95 for the cigarette lighter adapter, the AC/DC adapter is another $19.95. I only mentioned that the iConcepts came with the other country adapters. I was mostly mentioning that the iConcepts kit came as well with the cigarette lighter adapter,and the AC/DC adapter and the USB charger/sync adapter.

For $39.95 that's a lot for your money including a traveling charger connections.

For the emergency kit here, it's a base starting price of $24.95. If you want to add more adapters, you have to buy them separately. Whereas with the iConcepts you don't get the "emergency" aspect of it, but you do get a wide variety of charger adapters including the ability to charge via your cigarette lighter or your USB/Sync charger.

[Brad Adrian]

I've never looked for those rectangular little 9-volt batteries anywhere but in the U.S. How universal are they, and how easy are they to find elsewhere in the world?

[Sanjay Srikonda]

They're sold at most drugstores and supermarkets here in the US. Don't know about the rest of the world, but if you have a smoke detector in your house/apartment, it should be powered by a 9-volt battery.

[DREAMWEAVER]

Does it fit a 3800 series iPAQ and will one 9v battery do a full charge?

[Sanjay Srikonda]

Their site says if you use the adapter that was provided with your 3800 device that it would be compitble. Check their website for more information.