APC. Now there's a company that knows about power. To sysadmins, they're the people that keep the racks running in a powerout. To uber (and we're talking hilariously so) geeks, they're the people that keep their games running (for all of 12 minutes) in a powerout.
Yup, APC are synonymous with the UPS, and now they've brought their expertise to the mobile level. No, not laptops, but mp3 players and phones.
The Mobile Power Rack is a solution that allows a user to power a variety of mobile devices, such as phones, mp3 players and PDAs. The power provided by the Mobile Power Rack can, for example, give an iPod Nano 55 hours extra playback, or 10 hours talktime on a smartphone. A number of connections are provided, ensuring that a wide range of devices can be powered, regardless of whether they usually draw it off a DC adapter, USB bus or some other means.
APC say the thing weighs around "3 ounces" and uses polymer batteries to keep your devices ticking over. APC's Joe Loberti certainly thinks there's need for the product.
Mobile device users continuously face the risk of running out of power. With the increasing dependence on these devices for work and play, the need for power is vital.
Still, is 55 hours of damaging your eardrums a little excessive? Perhaps after a few hours it's time to appreciate the finer things in life, like birdsong and the peace of the woods. Also, is it such a bad thing for your smartphone battery to run out? After all, it does mean you're out of touch with the office, which means they can't give you any more work...
