ChargeTech, maker of one of our favourite iPhone battery cases (the ThinCharge), is now launching a whopping 48,000mAh power bank and charger that it claims can charge 28 phones or two laptops. ChargeTech is thinking big, looking at the power requirements not just of phones and tablets but laptops, cameras, TVs, hoverboards, mini fridges and even drones.
It’s not as gigantic as you’d think, measuring 22cm by 14cm, and 4cm in depth. Simply called Plug it is being billed as the world’s most powerful battery pack. It comes with two AC wall outlets and two fast-charge USB ports, plus a digital LED display to show remaining charge. It uses the same Panasonic battery cells that you’d find in a Tesla car.
Even Plug will run out of power eventually, so it boasts a foldaway, weather-resistant solar panel accessory ($150) to recharge itself if you’re away from a power socket. With pass-through charging, you can still charge your devices while the Plug charges itself. We have only US prices at the time, but it looks like a bargain at just US$199; buy two for $349. We await news on international versions that will allow non-US power plugs to connect with Plug. Simon was Editor of Macworld from the dark days of 1995 to the triumphant return of Steve Jobs and the launch of the iPhone. His desk is a test bench for tech accessories, from USB-C and Thunderbolt docks to chargers, batteries, Powerline adaptors and Fitbits.
