Whenever I fly or am on the road and in client and prospect meetings all day, I find myself asking that very same question. I have an iPhone, iPad, Bluetooth headset, Bluetooth keyboard, a laptop, and a Bluetooth mouse—none of which can keep their charge for a full 8-10 hour day of productivity.
Compounding this problem is the fact that each device has its own cord that must be plugged into a power source. And, if the only source of power you have is the single cigarette lighter in your car, you are in trouble.
So, is there a solution?
There is no panacea for charging our millions of devices simultaneously and effectively, so prioritization is a must. If your iPhone is essential on the road, but you could live without your tablet, that sends you in one direction. Oppositely, if your phone would be nice to have, but you absolutely must be able to work on your laptop, this will send you in another direction.
Below are our recommendations.
If your phone tops your priority list, I would go with the mophie case:
If you have multiple phones and a tablet, there are several portable batteries that come with a variety of connectors…a few that we like include:
- The New Trent iCarrier.
- Dark Energy’s Reservoir.
- Portable Power Max, available via RichardSolo.
- Sony’s USB Portable Power Supply:
Unfortunately, many of these portable power sources are only for phones, tablets, and accessories. If your laptop is a must, we recommend researching the power-extending options offered by the manufacturer. Most of them are pretty good, and let you buy an extra battery to keep charged. If your laptop manufacturer does not offer some type of battery, I’ve found one that’s heavy, but works. It’s the Super Capacity Rechargeable Battery Power Bank, featuring Panasonic battery cells. You can read more about it here.
Until a company comes up with a lightweight portable power source that can accommodate multiple connectors and devices across manufacturers, we must do what we can with what is currently available. Believe me, I’m on the lookout.