By Evan Ackerman

Powerzoa is a little cube that sits in between a wall socket and your electronics. It has the magical ability to turn power on and off all by itself while monitoring energy usage, and each Powerzoa cube includes some kind of wireless internet connection that interfaces with a website that lets you track how much power you waste and gives you the option of turning each individual cube’s power off. Powerzoa touts these features as a great way to “save electricity, lower energy costs, and help the environment.” And that’s, you know, great. But for me, the big appeal is the ability to turn individual appliances and lights and stuff on and off over the internet.

Powerzoa is almost identical in principle to the Visible Energy UFO, except at the level of an individual socket as opposed to a power strip. While the Visible Energy UFO is supposed to be ready to go by the end of this year, Powerzoa is still in the prototype phase, but if it’s cheap enough and easy enough to set up, it could be quite a bit handier thanks to a small form factor.

[ Powerzoa ] VIA [ DVICE ]

There are lots of ways to charge USB devices on the go using disposable or rechargeable batteries, but none of them are as small or as cheap as this DIY one. It’s basically just a female USB connector stuck to the top of a 9v battery, with a voltage regulator in the middle to make sure that there’s only 5 volts coming out. Total cost? If you have a soldering iron and a scrap female USB cable, the voltage regulator will run you about $1.59 plus tax at RadioShack (which I refuse on principle to call “The Shack” like they want me to). The real beauty of this thing is that you don’t have to use a 9v battery. You could use a whole series of D batteries, for example, and go on vacation for a month with your iPod.

Now, yes, you do have to know how to solder if you want to make one of these yourself. But seriously, soldering is easy. And it’s fun! You get to MELT METAL! You can pick up a basic soldering set at The Shack for all of eight bucks, and there are a bazillion beginner guides online (try Instructables or even YouTube). So, have a fun afternoon and learn a useful skill while making a handy little gadget at the same time. Or, you can always just do it with glue, you wimp.

[ AnythingButiPod ] VIA [ Gizmodo ]

It’s no secret that advancements in battery technology have not kept pace with advancements in gadgetry. Smartphones equipped with giant LCD displays that are capable of playing movies, surfing the web, GPS’ing your location, taking photos and even occasionally making calls are great and all, but they’ve made the ugly downside of poor battery life even more of an issue.

Now sure, it would be fantastic if companies like Duracell stumbled across some miraculous solution to the problem in their research labs, but for the moment external backup batteries like their Instant USB Charger are the next best thing. I had a chance to try it out, and you can read my full review after the jump.

The Duracell Instant USB Charger is essentially a rechargeable lithium-ion battery inside a pocket-friendly housing that allows you to connect and recharge a wide range of gadgets that are USB-charging friendly. According to the packaging the Instant Charger’s battery is rated at 1150mAh and there’s a chart listing the average additional run/talk times for various gadgets. For example, the iPod Classic will run for an additional 50 hours when connected to the Instant Charger, while the iPhone 3G will gain an extra 180 minutes of talk time, give or take. From my own testing I had no problem fully recharging an iPhone 3GS that was down to about 25% battery life, and doing so didn’t completely drain the Instant Charger either.

Included in the packaging is the Instant Charger itself as well as a USB to mini-USB cable which can be used to recharge the battery when connected to a PC, or used to recharge a device that features a mini-USB jack.

The best part of the Instant Charger is that it’s dead easy to use. The only button is a simple on/off switch that ensures the rechargeable battery doesn’t get depleted while it’s not in use. Otherwise it’s quite literally plug and play. And while it’s not visible in this photo, there’s an LED-powered light-up ring inside the half-circle ‘copper top’ on top of the charger that glows green while it’s on, or orange when the battery is dead.

On one end of the Instant Charger there’s a mini-USB jack used to charge its lithium-ion battery. Out of the box it did take a good couple of hours to completely charge it up, and the charge status is indicated with a small LED light that glows orange during charging, and green when the battery is full.

And on the other end is a standard USB connector where your device’s charging cable can be attached.

Of course if you ever forget which end is used for charging and which end is used for providing power to a gadget you can always flip the Instant Charger over where the underside is clearly labeled with the words IN and OUT and a couple of hard to misinterpret arrows.

As for its size, the Instant Charger is very compact, thin and most importantly, light. I would actually compare it to the more recent iPod Nanos when it comes to size (though thanks to a plastic housing it’s far lighter) but here you can see it sitting next to an iPhone. It’s very easy to stash in your pocket if you happened to need to recharge a device while walking around.

And while the included USB to mini-USB cable is handy for recharging many cellphones and other portable devices, we all know the iPhone and iPods use their own proprietary connector, so you’ll have to use the charging cable Apple provides. But since anyone with an iPhone probably already carries the charging cable with them at all times anyways (just in case) it’s not a big issue in my opinion. In fact the finger gets pointed at Apple here, not Duracell.

Conclusions:

It’s really hard to find anything wrong with Duracell’s Instant USB Charger. It does exactly what it’s designed to do and it does it well. It’s small enough that it’s not a hassle to carry or use wherever you happen to be, and until batteries improve, it’s really the perfect solution for portable devices that don’t allow you to swap out the battery with a backup when it’s dead. And with a price tag of just $30, I would say it’s an absolute must-have accessory for any gadget bag.

Pros:
+ Compact, light and easy to carry.
+ As easy to use as it gets.
+ Supports pretty much any device that can charge over USB.
+ Inexpensive.

Cons:
- Just the fact that my cellphone requires me to carry a backup battery, just in case.

Links:

Duracell Instant USB Charger – $29.99

If you have any questions about the Duracell Instant USB Charger you’d like answered, please feel free to leave them in the comments, and I’ll try to respond to them as best I can.

Belkin’s new Conserve Surge powerbar features a built-in timer that will automatically cut power to six of the 8 outlets after 11 hours. The idea is that an employee will turn the powerbar on in the morning when they get to work, starting the 11 hour countdown, and by the time the clock runs out, they should in theory have already gone home. It’s designed to reduce the amount of electronics that are still wasting energy when they’ve gone into a standby mode, and to ensure that power isn’t accidentally cut off when it’s still needed, a flashing light will warn when the timer is about to run out, allowing you to override the auto-off. $34.99 available now.

[ PR - Belkin's Conserve Surge with Timer Reduces Energy-Related IT Costs at the Workstation ] VIA [ SlashGear ]

By Colin Ackerman

We’ve been fans of iGo’s power accessories for a while; with a system of interchangeable tips to charge as many gadgets as you own (almost) from any source iGo supports, you have to carry around far less self-tangling cableage keep all of your stuff juiced up and happy. iGo’s latest offering is a Netbook Charger, designed specifically for, uh, netbooks. It’s just like the power brick that came with your netbook, with few key exceptions: it can power any netbook you have a tip for, it includes a powered USB port, and it’s pretty. Read all about it, after the jump.

The powered USB port is especially handy, since the iGo charger can take the place of one (or many) other chargers for devices that are USB compatible. For everything else, you can get an adapter cable from iGo that plugs into the USB port and accepts iGo tips for $7. So basically, instead of carrying around chargers for your netbook, cell phone, GPS, digital camera, and weird tubey speaker thing, you just pack the Netbook Charger and a bunch of iGo tips.

iGo Laptop Charger, iGo Netbook Charger, standard netbook power adapter (MSI Wind)

I take my netbook everywhere. Whether I’m traveling on business, pleasure, pleasure, or pleasure, my computer comes with me. And so does my cell phone. This charger lets me charge both of these critical pieces of my life with a minimum of hassle and cableage, which is quite nice. It’s a little bit bigger than the power brick that came with my netbook, which is unfortunate, but it’s smaller than that plus the other chargers that I would ordinarily be carrying around. I also like the fact that the cord that plugs into the wall is two prong instead of three… It might not be the greatest idea, but it sure is convenient. A bonus is that the cord is detachable and replaceable since it features a standard connection, giving you the option of going super low profile:

The iGo Netbook Charger is a no-brainer if you need a replacement (or additional) power adapter for your netbook, if you travel a lot with a bunch of accessories, or if you commonly travel with multiple netbooks… I’m not sure why you’d do that, but I’m sure there are people out there. If you’re happy with your current power adapter, though, I’d hesitate to recommend buying one of these simply to take its place. The USB port is convenient, to be sure, but the iGo Netbook Charger is likely larger than the adapter that came with your netbook, and at $50 (which includes 2 free iGo adapter tips), it’s certainly not cheap. But sometimes the convenience is worth it, especially if you hate hate HATE cables as much as I do.

If you and your netbook find yourselves away from standard outlets a lot, iGo also offers a Netbook Anywhere Charger, which includes auto and airplane adapters for an extra $20.

[ iGo Netbook Charger ]

Billed as “the next generation in battery solutions for the outdoor enthusiast” the Brunton Sync provides the equivalent of 5,000 AA batteries (2,000 mA/5V output) in a compact device weighing just under a pound. And like those portable hydration systems for carrying water on your back, the Sync features a tethered control center that allows you to stash the battery in your backpack while still having access to charging ports for your GPS device, cellphones or whatever else you need to tackle the great outdoors. About $150 from Brunton.

[ PR - Brunton Launches New Sync Power Reservoir System ] VIA [ Acquire ]

Not only are massive ‘wall wart’ transformers a pain in the butt to squeeze onto a standard power strip, but they’re so heavy they have the tendency to fall out by themselves, severing your gear’s power source. So the PlugLock power strip solves that problem with a simple innovation. Each of the five generously spaced plugs can accommodate even the largest of transformers, and they all feature a dedicated clamp which can be adjusted to securely ‘lock’ the transformers in place. It’s also rated for 15 Amps, comes with a heavy-duty 5 foot, 14 AWG extension cord and is available from various online retailers for about $45.

[ Furman Sound PlugLock-PFP ] VIA [ The Red Ferret Journal ]

By Evan Ackerman

This power generator is built around a Jensen #75 steam engine coupled to a Lego Technic motor, with a 5v regulator circuit and female USB connector soldered on. It puts out enough power to charge an iPod with no trouble, and I can only imagine it’ll power anything else you decide to plug into it. And, although it’s hard to see in the video, there’s a little Lego console there with a minifig to monitor the power output.

So, why is it perfect for travel? Easy: all it requires to produce electricity is water, fire, and fuel. Unlike solar power, it works at night and in the rain, and unlike other generators where you have to DO something, you don’t have to get off your ass. Just find yourself a lake, some wood, and a flamethrower, and you’re good to go.

[ Steampunk Workshop ] VIA [ BBG ]

By Evan Ackerman

The Visible Energy UFO, which I ran across at Stanford’s CPX, is a remote control powerstrip that allows you to monitor and track your energy consumption. It’s not designed to be a color changing (and collapseable!) snack bowl at all, but in spite of that, it would make an excellent one. The UFO has four color coded outlets (plus a surge protector) inside, spaced around the central axis so that you can fit even the bulkiest of power adapters into them. If you don’t need the snack bowl part, you can fold the flexible plastic cover down to keep everything nice and tidy. The light on the top of the UFO changes color (green, yellow, or red) depending on how much juice it’s sucking.

The reason that you might want one of these, however, is the slick iPhone app that comes with it. The app connects to each one of your UFO power strips separately, and lets you see at a glance how much energy you’re using. You can also turn each outlet on and off, from anywhere. Setup is supposed to be fast and easy, and as far as home automation goes, I can’t imagine it gets much simpler than this. The only problem is, if you don’t have your iPhone, there aren’t actually any switches on the thing. Oh well.

The Visible Energy UFO should be available this summer for less (hopefully a lot less) than $200.

[ Visible Energy ]

By Evan Ackerman

According to internal polling data that I just made up, the average OhGizmo reader has 16.03 gadgets. That’s a lot, and since most if not all of them require electricity to operate, it’s important to mooch as much of it from other people as possible. The extension cord that you have plugged into your neighbor’s garage can only handle so much current, but soon there may be a way to steal electric power from someone who isn’t expecting it and won’t come after you with a weed whacker: the water company.

This little device gets stuck onto the end of a faucet or inserted into an existing water pipe. It’s got a little hydroelectric turbine in it, and when water moves through, the turbine spins to charge a battery. You can then plug into the battery to charge stuff. It’s not completely free, of course… You’re taking advantage of either gravity or a water company pump somewhere, and you’ll pay for your electricity with a reduction in water pressure caused by the resistance of the turbine. But hey, if you don’t overthink it, it’s free [minuscule amounts of] electricity!

Needless to say, there’s no information on production, but I bet whatever it would cost would be the equivalent of a whoooole bunch of kilowatt-hours of electricity out of a socket.

[ coroflot ] VIA [ TrendHunter ]