PowerMonkey Extreme Solar Powered Charger

iPod, iPad, iPhone, two blackberries and a galaxy tab all fighting for two miserly power jacks in the car. That six-hour trip to the coast, made world war two look like a kid’s birthday party. One of the universal problems with all our digital gadgets is battery life. I am forever looking for an application or gadget that will extend the battery life of my devices. Power monkey doesn`t only solve my battery problems but also comforts my inner tree hugger.

The PowerMonkey Extreme Solar Powered Charger unit weighs 242g and measures 152 x 59.5 x 28mm, whilst the solar panel weighs 214g, measures 171 x 90 mm and is 18mm deep when folded. It’s slightly bigger than a 500g tub margarine. The unit has a very low static wastage (meaning you can leave it for up to 1 year and it will still hold 75% of its charge) and includes a whole host of safety features to give you total peace of mind. Available in four striking colours: Sleek Black, Electric Blue, Graphite Grey, Safety Yellow and Vibrant Red.

At first glance I thought that this device is not for me, it looked way too sporty and out doorsy for my taste. I don’t do extreme sports and I definitely do not camp, I am just not designed that way. So why and when will I use this device? Extreme shopping trips of course! There is nothing worse than a flat phone when you are out and about. With the PowerMonkey I can charge my phone in my handbag, that alone puts it on top of my must have list. And the wonderful touch friction swipe ON/OFF and auto shut-off function means the PowerMonkey extreme will turn itself off once my phone is fully charged, so I don’t have to monitor the charge state of the device being charged – thus saving power.

The powermonkey extreme houses a massive 9000mAh capacity Lithium Polymer battery and offers users real power in a compact, durable shell. The unit is capable of recharging most 5V devices, including an iPhone up to 6 times, iPad/Tablet 1-2 times, iPhone/Smartphone 4-6 times, GPS systems 4-6 times and mobile phones 8-12 times. And it is more reliable than Eskom.

The powermonkey extreme has two output channels; one channel outputs 700mAh max (standard USB) whilst the DC port outputs 2.1Amps max to support the Apple iPad (iPad compatible cable included) and other 5v tablet computers (not suitable for 12v or 19v tablets). It’s worth noting that the iPad can be charged directly from the standard USB socket but will charge faster when using the supplied cable via the DC out port.  You can also hook it up to the Samsung Galaxy Tab using one of the Powertraveller Galaxy Tab Cables and then plugging your Samsung Tab cable into that!

The PowerMonkey is waterproof for 30minutes up to 1 metre – and shock resistant, making it perfect for outdoor and adventure enthusiast. It is also great for clumsy people like me, it took that spilled Strawberry Stinger Smoothy in its stride.
I really liked that fact that the unit could only be turned on once it is connected to a device, this is achieved with the unique one touch friction swipe ON/OFF. This safe guards against the battery running empty without charging a device. The LCD screen displays battery capacity level and working status (on/off). To turn the powermonkey on, swipe the unique one touch panel from left to right with your thumb. To turn off, swipe with your thumb from right to left.

The powermonkey extreme can be recharged in three ways; via the universal mains charger, via the solar panel or via USB.  Whilst the unit is recharging, the LCD screen will be red, once fully charged, the screen will turn green.  When the unit is in use, the screen will be blue!
The rugged, clam-shell design solar panel offers 3 Watt max output, allowing full recharge of the powermonkey extreme within 15 hours in optimum light conditions. The powermonkey extreme also has a solar energy detection feature which activates the incorporated state-of-the-art MPPT (maximum power point tracker) technology, allowing the solar panel to charge the powermonkey unit more efficiently in low light conditions. Users can also simultaneously use the solar panel to charge the powermonkey extreme whilst it is charging their device.

The solar panel can be attached to tents or rucksacks via the included Velcro strap, so is perfect for hiking and is designed to take the knocks and spills of both the power hungry adventurer and the busy traveller.
The Polysilicon solar panel offers photovoltaic efficiency up to 17% and features a USB output, fully supporting Apple iPhone/iPod, mobile phones and other 5V gadgets such as portable games consoles, handheld GPS systems, etc.  The solar panel can fully charge the powermonkey extreme in approx 15 hours.

Power Monkey is available at Metro Vodaworld