After looking at the market for rechargeable mobile batteries one thing was clear – the APC solution seemed like the best one for me. It had a huge runtime of 10 watt hours meaning that it can fully charge an iPhone once over with about 30% remaining. It’ll charge my Creative Zen Vision:M 3 times, and my iRiver Clix 2 a huge 6 times before fully depleting itself.
I went through a lot of hassle to try and obtain the UPB10 here in the UK. It seems every retailer is either awaiting stock, or is simply sold out. It wasn’t the best of starts and I finally managed to secure an order with Aphrohead UK based in Southport. Thanks guys!
Arriving in the most hated form of packaging known to man – Blister packaging, I armed myself with a colossal array of tools for the task. The task as usual was not to lose my temper, let rip with a flurry of expletives and finally of course not to slice my fingers off.
The package contains various leaflet manuals in English, German and French as well as a pointless CD that contains PDF’s of these leaflets. Aside from the rather obvious UPB10 battery itself you will find a standard USB to Mini-B connector cable and a 5v AC-to-USB Plug with UK and European push fit adaptors.
USAGE
Well this will be short…
As with any rechargeable device nowadays the first thing you’ll have to do is charge the UPB10 fully, which should take about 3 hours. Once that is done you just plug in your chosen device’s USB cable into your mp3 player/phone etc that requires charging and then the other end into the battery. Power will then flow from the battery to your device and it’ll gradually recharge. Simple!
The top of the UPB10 houses two USB ports. One is your standard full sized USB port, which is used as a power output to your desired device and the other port is a mini-USB port designed to charge the battery itself.
Since I have a permanent USB to mini-USB cable attached to my PC and wired up to the surface of my work desk, I can connect cameras, mp3 players, storage devices to the PC for short term use I can also use this very same setup to charge the UPB10 and dispense the need to use the AC-to-USB Plug.
The top end of the UPB10 is simple. A chrome button activates the battery indicator bar just below it to display the remaining battery level. This is lit up by 4 white LED’s with each LED signifying a 25% block of juice.
Conclusion
So there you have it. APC has produced a battery just a little smaller in height than your iPhone that will tether to the phone with your USB-Apple Dock cable and charge it approximately one and a half times over.
The only disadvantages I can see with this battery is that you have to carry your chosen device’s USB cable with you as it cannot connect to the device’s port without it, and that are occasions where some devices have extremely long USB cables – try fitting those into your pockets!
Overall, the UPB10 is a functional, well priced bit of kit. It looks great, is almost the same thickness as the 3G’s 12.3mm, packs a silly amount of power for recharging devices and…just works!
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