Customer Reviews

Apc Universal Battery, 10WH

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This device is fantastic. Just as it's description says it can charge and power any mobile device that can use USB as a power source. I've used it with my iPod, PSP, Nintendo DS, and even my GPS and it works beautifully.

Before I got it, I was expecting something larger and heavier that didn't hold it's charge as well as this does. I should have known better. All of the APC products that I use at home and at work are great and this is no exception to that rule. It easily fits into a pants pocket or a small bag that you might use to carry your other devices.

What has impressed me the most is how well it can hold it's charge when it's not in use. Other portable batteries I have tried usually get pretty drained rather quickly when sitting on a shelf or being carried around. I've gone weeks without using this and it still had a full charge when I needed it. That was a life saver. We were lost in another state and the battery in my GPS was almost dead. The UPB10 got us home with power to spare.

I haven't been able to test how much time it can add to my various devices, because it lasts longer than I have needed it so far. On a weekend it looks like I got an additional four hours on the PSP. I could have gone longer, but I ran out of time to use it. That was while using it when watching a movie on the memory stick and playing a game from a UMD disc. I was also using my GRADO headphones at a good volume level.

I have noticed that some people have commented that the PSP can't be charged from a USB cable. This is only true if you don't have the right kind of cable. There are several manufacturers that make a USB cable with an extra wire that plugs into the power port on a PSP. MadCatz even makes a retractable one that I use because it makes everything even more portable. There is also a similar cable for the Nintendo DS, which otherwise couldn't be powered by USB.

The UPB10 may seem a bit pricey at first, but with it's versatility and performance, to me it was worth every penny.

This is a fantastic device. The device comes with an USB output adapter it is directly plugged inti the adapter using the provided USB cable. This cable has a full size USB port on one end and a mini USB port at the other end. While charging full plug fits in the adapter and mini port is connected to the device input port. It has 4 built in LED's indicating the charging status. It is even possible to connect an USB device with an extra port for the pass-through mode. It can supply adapter power for both charging and the extra device. Once the charging is finished it will supply power to the device. All you do is to plug the full size connector to the outlet port over the device and small USB connector to your powering device. If you have a nonstandard cable you can directly plug it to the full size USB port. LED's will stop displaying remaining power after 10 seconds to conserve power. However it is possible to activate LED's again using the button located over the device. If no load is connected at the power port for 15 minutes the device goes into sleep mode to conserve battery. The included brochure says it can supply enough power for an iPOD up to 55 hours. The device is very lightweight and thin so very easy to jam in a pocket. It is absolutely worth for the money. The device is rated for 8W of continuous and 10W peak load.
APC UPB10 Mobile Power Pack for charging mobile devices

The APC UPB10 power pack worked great throughout my trip around Europe. Between the iPhone battery and this external battery, I could pretty much watch movies all through 12-hour flights and 8-hour train rides. Also as a generic USB power supply, it can charge bluetooth headsets and other devices.

Other reviews have mentioned the need to press the button every 15 minutes to keep the power going, and that did cause me to hesitate a bit before ordering this product. However, I've found this to be the case only when the device I'm powering is already fully charged and no longer drawing much external power. In other words, it will fully charge a phone from empty unattended even if it takes 3 hours, but it will not continually power a fully-charged iPod because the power draw is too low, even when playing music or videos. Yes, maybe they could have had a switch, or maybe the threshold could be lower, but I felt it to be a non-issue once I understood what it was doing. I just use it as a charger and not a continuous power source.

This is a fantastic product, I highly recommend it.

I've had this product for a few weeks now and I have had a number of occasions to use it since I travel by air frequently. My need was to recharge my iPhone primarily, but also several other USB powered devices from time to time. APC should be commended for a lightweight, elegant battery solution that looks great and works just as well.

Here's how the APC UPB10 stacked up:

PROS:

- Very nice look and feel, looks very executive
- Solid overall construction and nice metal buttons
- Fashionable, 2.5 inch graduated charging LED
- Charges from a USB source itself, including a laptop, so no extra charger to be carried
- Has both mini USB and full size USB connector
- Surprisingly lightweight given the charge capacity (10W I believe)
- Can fast charge an iPhone as good as a wall connection

CONS:

- Charges only when main metal "on" button is pushed, not just by jacking in the plug, a very minor complaint
- Only charges 20 minutes at a time, then needs another goose of the button, though this makes sure you don't waste power but requires occasional attention
- Very slow recharging, can take hours, though this probably will make the battery live a lot longer

Bottom line, I would buy this product again in a heartbeat.

I bought this primarily to use during travel to extend the operating time of my iPhone. In my unofficial tests, this power pack completely recharged the iPhone (which was below 20% power) twice before needing to be plugged in itself. It's lightweight, simple to use, and it looks nice...what more could you ask? Buy one if you need to charge USB devices!

Cool, small way to take along extra power when a car outlet isn't available. Metal trim piece on mine got stuck in glue used to hold it in package and tore off. Otherwise, a 5 star

I bought the battery as a backup for my ipods and iphone during long flights that I take for work. But a couple of days after it arrived, Hurricane Ike hit Houston. I was without power for 11 days and relied on this battery to charge my iPhone and stay in touch during this period. Charged it off my car power outlet. No compatibility problems with iPhone 3G, iPod Touch or other iPods. Highly recommended.

I would have purchased this from Amazon, but I'm glad I didn't, as I just found it at Fry's for $24.99. Why is the Amazon price so high?!

You want that extra battery juice to keep your iPhone going longer this is the gizmo to buy. Comes complete with everything you need to hook-up to it. Great item!

Garmin Edge 205/305 12 Volt Vehicle Adapter Make that the Garmin 205/305 GPS units.

Garmin for years has maintained its Garmin 305 (the one I'm familiar with) had a 12 hour battery life. If the screams of anguish and pain coming from Garmin and MotionBased forums mostly the instrument has not performed up to rating.

I'd like to digress here and point out that around the time the Garmin hit the streets, Apple came out with their iPod. I guess the proforma assumption from the tech companies is that a battery (Li ion, I believe) will perform as stated. And that is: 12 hours.

That didn't happen. Apple was soon embroiled in lawsuits. Garmin it seemed had buyers who were, hmmm, more sedate? Possibly because a day of bike riding doesn't leave much time for civic action. I think we're more inclined to chuck the instrument (400.00) as we see our data fade to black. So, now the iPod battery (which I recently replaced in Oct.) is rated at around 18 hours. The Garmin, purchased in Nov of this year is still rated at 12 - but I never saw that. Nor apparently has any other user of the 305.

So the solution was to look for a secondary source of power (and not hold Garmin responsible for its claim) which would be small enough to put on the bike and powerful enough to zap the Garmin throughout the duration of a 100 miles, + or even a multiday event where AC power would not be easy to come by.

So, I tried 2 before I hit on the APC UPB10. I not so quickly realized (and I had others who ran into the same problems to turn to)I needed 5 V output.

The APC UPB10 arrived Friday. I brought it up to full charge with the supplied AC plug and USB cable. The instrument has a handy linear gauge which shows the amount of charge.

I disconnected the AC plug, plugged the USB cable into the Garmin and. . .da DA!~! Success. This I thought was a very satisfactory bench test. The real test, on the bike for a 50+ mile ride or so is yet to happen, but I am sure the APC UPB10 will function as rated (55 hours), and as I expect.

Finally a word about what some consider a real problem/defect with the instrument which is that one must push a switch about every 20 minutes else the APC UPB10 goes into a near coma. For me that's not a problem because the charger is in a sense in my lap and the Garmin is on the handlebar so I'm always monitoring the charging cycle.

Yep. Garmin should have thought of this one. GREAT PRODUCT.