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Tech NewsGadgetsPlease, No More Proprietary Smartwatch Chargers
I realize this is a rarefied problem, the epitome of small potatoes in a world full of Big Existential Crises. But as the world burns and chaos reigns supreme, I am choosing to “maintain” my sanity by hyper-focusing on one, medium-sized hill to die on: We need to get rid of proprietary smartwatch chargers. Every … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgetsThe Satechi Quatro Looks Like an Almost Perfect Portable Power Bank for Apple Fans
Look, I know most people probably aren’t doing a lot of traveling right now, but hopefully, we will again, and when that time comes Satechi’s new power bank might be the perfect accessory—especially for anyone with a lot of Apple gadgets. At $100, the Quatro is a bit pricey compared to your typical battery pack, … Continued
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Tech NewsAppleAnalyst Claims That Apple’s iPhone 12 Will Have Charger Sold Separately
Apple fans, it’s time to start mentally preparing your wallet for a new possibility. When the iPhone 12 comes out later this year, the packaging may be considerably different when compared to previous models. Why is that, you ask? Well, Apple purportedly will not include a charger with the iPhone 12, and will instead sell … Continued
By Jody Serrano -
Tech NewsNewsThe Dream of a Common Charger Is Alive—Despite Apple’s Complaining
The European Parliament is fed up with e-waste—in particular, charging cables. To fix the problem, lawmakers are debating a binding measure that would force gadget makers to use a standardized charging port. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this from Europe. One reason why microUSB is so prevalent is back in 2009, the European … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgetsThis Unassuming Charger Will Power a Switch, Connect It to a TV, and Charge Other Stuff Too
After releasing a simple dongle that finally let the Nintendo Switch connect to wireless headphones, Human Things is back with another product that vastly improves the console’s portability. The Genki Covert Dock replaces the Switch’s charger and TV dock with a streamlined wall adapter that does everything. https://gizmodo.com/you-can-now-use-wireless-headphones-with-your-nintendo-1827572138 Soon after the Switch was released it … Continued
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ScienceHealthDoctors Warn of Fires Caused by Generic Phone Chargers
Your bargain phone charger can come with a hidden cost—as one 19-year-old woman unfortunately had to find out. According to her doctors, the woman’s generic phone charger likely started a fire around her neck that left her with serious burns and sent her to the emergency room. Now they’re warning people to be wary of … Continued
By Ed Cara -
Tech NewsAppleApple, Enough With the Slow-Ass Chargers
You may not know it, but your iPhone—if an iPhone 8 or later—is capable of much faster charging. The only problem is, Apple doesn’t give you the stuff necessary for it. But a new rumor claims that could be changing, and it should. Apple’s phones are currently shipped with a standard 5W charging cube. If … Continued
By Catie Keck -
io9Even More Wild Star Wars Figures And More of the Coolest Toys of the Week
Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s weekly roundup of the coolest collectibles around. This week: Star Wars! Sure we just got a whole bunch of them last Friday, but somehow the world managed to make space for even more Star Wars toys. Can you believe it? But there’s more than the galaxy far, far away … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
Clever Chargers Remind You to Plug in Your Phone Whenever You’re Near Them
There’s no point in buying a backup battery if you keep forgetting to top off your mobile devices before they die. So Griffin Technology’s new PowerBlock Beacon and PowerJolt Beacon external chargers will actually send your smartphone or tablet a notification when they’re nearby, reminding you to top off their batteries. Both chargers connect to … Continued
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Tech NewsApple
Fake Apple Chargers Are Even More Dangerous Than You Think
We’ve been telling you for years that fake Apple chargers are bad news, but a new study shows they are even worse than we thought. The UK’s consumer protection group, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, recently purchased 400 counterfeit chargers online as part of an investigation into their safety. Of that 400, the CTSI says … Continued
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io9This Dancing Baby Groot Car Charger Is Too Adorable to Use While Driving
The original film was great, but there’s really only one reason any of us will be going to see the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel: Baby Groot. The film unfortunately doesn’t hit theaters until May of next year, but in the meantime Thinkgeek’s got something to tide you over with this dancing baby Groot car … Continued
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io9
This Millennium Falcon Charging Cable’s Got It Where It Counts, Kid
The microUSB cable that came with whatever gadget you need to charge every night probably works just fine, assuming you take care of it. But ThinkGeek still makes a strong argument for replacing it with this electroluminescent cable that makes the Millennium Falcon on the end look like it’s making the jump to hyperspace. The … Continued
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Tech NewsReal-Life MacGyver Hacks Together a Hydro-Electric Generator to Charge His Phone
Can you really consider finding a source of power to charge your smartphone a survival skill? For some people, not having a working phone is more dire than not having clean drinking water. So if you find yourself in the great outdoors without an outlet, a little ingenuity can turn random junk into a working … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
Pokeball USB Charger Ensures You Can Catch Them All Without Your Phone Dying
Pokémon Go’s dependency on mobile data and your GPS location will ravage your smartphone’s battery in no time. So if you don’t already carry a portable charger to keep you powered and playing, this hand-made Pokeball battery is a must-have addition to your Pokémon hunting kit. Created by Etsy-seller magicalsuperstore, the red and white Pokeball … Continued
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Tech News
Cheap USB-C Cables Could Kill Your Phone or Laptop
Benson Leung, an engineer on Google’s Pixel team, was doing God’s work by risking his Chromebook Pixel, which charges via USB-C, to test every single USB-C to USB-A cord available to general consumers. One crappy cord, and his $1500 computer would be fried. You know how this story ends right? On Monday, a cheap cord … Continued
By Alex Cranz -
Tech NewsGadgets
The Ultimate Power in the Universe Can Now Be Used to Charge Your Phone
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away it was used to blow up entire planets. But years later the Empire isn’t what it used to be, and the Death Star is now just the ultimate way to charge your mobile devices as a USB wall adapter. Available exclusively from ThinkGeek, the $30 … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
I Wish I Had This Do-It-All Portable Power Station When I Flew Abroad
I just came back from a two-week vacation in Europe. I took loads of gadgets. How did I keep them charged? Why, an unwieldy gadget cornucopia consisting of two AC splitters, a USB wall wart, and an external battery for topping up on the go. If only I’d had the Belkin Travel Rockstar, I could … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
A Key-Sized Pebble Watch Charger You’ll Never Forget At Home
The Pebble smartwatch boasts vastly superior battery life to Apple’s upcoming wearable, but that doesn’t mean you still don’t have to regularly keep it charged. So following up on its key-sized smartphone chargers, Nomad is introducing the tiny NomadKey Pebble that includes a magnetic connector for attaching to and charging the smartwatch. It’s small enough … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
This Compact Charger Is No Bigger Than Apple’s But Powers Two Devices
Prepare to have one those “hey, wait a minute!” moments because it turns out the compact charger that Apple includes with iPhones could actually be doing so much more for you. The similarly-sized ChargeTech not only has folding prongs so it’s even easier to transport, it also comes with two side-by-side USB ports that can … Continued
