Mobile Computing Tips: No More Dead Batteries

Products to boost battery life: solar panels, fuel cells, rechargers.

James A. Martin

Feature: More Power to You, a Guide to Battery-Enhancing Accessories

At some point, Genghis Khan must have paused, admired the view of the land he had just conquered, and remarked to one of his subordinates, "Isn't power fabulous?"

Okay, maybe those weren't the 13th century warrior's exact words. The point is, power is fabulous when you have it. When you don't--like those times your notebook, PDA, or mobile phone battery goes dead--you're sunk.

Because power is everything to a road warrior, I've put together a guide to battery and power-enhancing products you might not have heard about. Though I haven't tested the following products myself, I mention them here because they offer creative solutions to the dead-battery dilemma we've all faced at some time. And while return policies vary, in most cases you can send these items back if they don't float your boat--or charge your battery.

PowerPad 120 and 160 External Batteries

Notebook batteries typically last up to 3, maybe 4 hours, tops. But when fully charged, these two batteries, from a small Canadian firm called Electrovaya, can keep your notebook going for up to 12 and 16 hours, respectively, depending upon use, according to the company. (As with any battery, playing DVD movies and audio CDs consumes juice faster than, say, writing memos or crunching spreadsheets.)

Measuring 11.75 wide by 8.75 deep, each PowerPad is approximately the same size as a notebook, but is less than an inch thick. The PowerPad 120 weighs 1.9 pounds; the 160 is 2.4 pounds. The batteries connect to your notebook's AC power port and fool your computer into thinking it's plugged into a wall socket, says Paul J. Van Damme, Electrovaya's vice president of finance and chief financial officer.

There are a few caveats to keep in mind: Because the notebook thinks it's operating on AC power, you may need to adjust the computer's AC power settings, which are usually more liberal than those for battery power. It can take more than 4 hours to fully charge a PowerPad. And the price tag might give you a little shock: the PowerPad 120 is $399 and the 160 is $499.

The PowerPad 120 and 160 work with most notebooks, and the company will introduce new models for Dell portables later this summer. Electrovaya is expected to soon begin selling PowerPads from its Web site. In the meantime, the batteries are available online at TigerDirect.com and other retailers.

Note: The PowerPad online retailers I checked either charge a restocking fee or don't allow you to return hardware unless it's defective.

Emergency USB/9V Mobile Phone Charger

This $20 kit from Targus, the maker of some cool gadget accessories, lets you keep yakking on your mobile phone after its battery has fizzled. The kit includes a USB Charge Cable for connecting a mobile phone to your notebook's USB port. Once connected, the phone draws power from the notebook, giving you about 30 minutes of additional talk time without affecting notebook performance, according to the company. Also included is a 9V-to-USB Charger, which powers your mobile phone using a 9V alkaline battery. The kit is available for selected Nokia and Motorola phones and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Power Cartridges

Electric Fuel's Instant Power division sells disposable zinc-air cartridges that connect to Palm, Handspring, and Pocket PC PDAs and most mobile phones using an adapter. The cartridge recharges your device's battery up to three times, providing hours of use, the company claims. The charger and one cartridge costs $20 for PDAs and $15 for mobile phones; replacement cartridges are $10 each.

The company also sells USB charger kits for PDAs and mobile phones that are similar to Targus's mobile phone charger.

Note: Products can be returned only if defective or if your order was incorrectly fulfilled.

Solar Power

ICP Global Technologies' ISun is a clamshell device that opens up to reveal two solar panels that convert sunlight into power. According to the company's Web site, the ISun comes with adapters for a variety of electronic devices including notebooks, mobile phones, PDAs, and MP3 players. The ISun is available online for about $80 from Batteries.com, which offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, and other retailers.

Notebooks

News: Toshiba Blasts Satellites Into Orbit

Toshiba recently launched two new models in its Satellite line, both of which are designed to be desktop replacements and feature large hard drives and fast chips. Connoisseurs of cool will appreciate the Satellite 5105's infrared remote control for adjusting volume and DVD/CD functions and the notebook's port for connecting to Dolby home audio systems. The 5105 starts at $2299. Toshiba's other new entry, the Satellite 1905, which starts at $1899, is a more staid affair. Designed as a desktop replacement, the notebook has a 2-GHz Pentium 4 chip, a 40GB hard drive, a 15-inch screen, and a combination DVD/CD-RW drive.

News: The Latest ThinkPad

Big Blue has expanded its notebook offerings with the ThinkPad R32. The new line of portables feature Intel's Pentium 4-M processor and are targeted to small-to-medium-size businesses that want to configure their own computers. You can equip an R32 with 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless capability, a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port, and other features beginning around $1649.

News: Thinnest, Lightest Portable Hard Drive

Archos Technology has introduced the Archos MiniHD 20GB, which it claims is the most petite portable hard drive ever. The 20GB drive measures 4.7 by 3 inches, weighs 6.5 ounces, and is 0.5-inch thick. It supports both USB 1.x and 2.0 standards, and FireWire and PC Card interfaces. Best of all is the price: $200.

Handhelds

First Look: A Paperback-Size PC

Talk about your ultraportable computer: Tigit's Eightythree is a full-flavored PC that's not much bigger than a paperback book. (It measures 5 by 4 by 1.1 inches and weighs 20 ounces.)

Powered by a National Semiconductor 300-MHz Geode processor and the same Toshiba 10GB hard drive as the Apple IPod, the Eightythree runs Windows XP applications just like your big, clunky notebook--though a bit slower, according to our test of a prototype. The handheld features a BlackBerry-style keyboard; a gorgeous 4-inch, 640-by-480-pixel color touch screen; USB and audio ports; and a docking connector that turns it into a desktop PC with keyboard and monitor.

The Eightythree is expected to be available in the fourth quarter for about $1000. Read our first look at "Future Gear: The Real Pocket PCs."

Tip: Break Away From Boring PDA Cases

The cases that ship with most PDAs just don't cut it in terms of functionality and style. If you're looking for something a little different, consider a customized or designer case.

Customized cases. Beginning in August, you'll be able to customize PDA cases by color, style, and other features at EBags.com. The case will be shipped within three to five business days after ordering, according to Peter Cobb, EBags.com cofounder and vice president of marketing.

Note: EBags.com offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on everything except for customized cases.

Designer cases. Palm's online store offers some pretty slick cases from Coach and Tumi that aren't available elsewhere. The $88 Coach Slim Case for Palm M500 series handhelds is particularly sweet (I know; I bought one). The case is made of buttery calfskin leather and features four inside pockets for Palm expansion cards. The Palm designer accessories can be returned within 30 days for a refund.

News: Toshiba Pocket PC Keeps You Connected

With its integrated 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless connectivity and optional Bluetooth Secure Digital card, Toshiba's third entry in the Pocket PC market might be the charm for mobile users. Priced at $599, the Pocket PC E740 is designed for corporate types who want mobile access to e-mail and data. The device includes a 400-MHz Intel PXA250 processor, 64MB of RAM, 32MB of ROM, two card slots (SD and CompactFlash), and a 3.5-inch, 240-by-320-pixel color display. The Bluetooth SD card is $149.

You can find the latest prices on the E740 at the PCWorld.com Product Finder.

Wireless

News: EarthLink Offers Hotel and Airport Hot Spots

EarthLink is partnering with Boingo Wireless to offer Internet access at broadband speeds via 802.11b (Wi-Fi) "hot spots," or access points, in airports and hotels around the United States. With a notebook, Wi-Fi network card, and Boingo software, you can check e-mail and surf the Web wirelessly at airports in Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin, Texas; Boston; Atlanta; Chicago, Philadelphia; Baltimore; and Washington, D.C. Hotels offering EarthLink/Boingo hot spots include various Hiltons, Marriotts, Four Seasons, and Wyndhams. The service costs $7.95 for 24 hours, $24.95 for 10 days a month, or $74.95 per month for unlimited access.

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