Whether good or bad we live in a time where personal electronics are never far from our reach. Mobile phones, tablets, cameras, headphones and earbuds, gaming controllers and handheld consoles, torches, watches … all need batteries that can be easily and quickly charged. In the main, gone are the days when we carry packets of alkaline AA batteries around – the ones that seem to drain soon after they’ve been inserted into the device! But the modern-day built-in batteries are power hungry. We have charging cables everywhere. In our cars, bags, bedrooms, desks. And there are portable charging options too (which also need charging!) Technology is constantly changing, and we’d like to showcase three innovative ‘charging’ gadgets that will make it even easier to keep everything topped up, whether at home or on the go.
Couch by Krafted
Picture this: You’re on the sofa, settling down for an epic Netflix binge. Where is your mobile phone? Often it’s just out of reach, by a plug, charging. We all know the importance of ‘tech downtime’, even if it is only while watching TV. But realistically we check our phones more often than we care to admit. A solution to stop you from keep getting up is the Couch by krafted (£39.99).
Couch is a wireless sofa charger. It is compatible with iPhone and android devices that allow wireless charging. Couch fits snug on any sofa arm; its rubbery material stopping it from slipping off. It has a 2m cable so should easily reach most plug sockets in the vicinity with a USB-C input. This innovative charger comes in various colours to match your décor/sofa.
Having your phone charging on the Couch, on the arm of the sofa you are sitting on, means you won’t feel the need to keep getting up to check notifications.
INIU SnapGo Air 10000mAh Power Bank
How many portable power banks do you own? I have a few, and which one I use depends on how long I feel I’m going to be away from a power socket. The larger capacity ones are heavy and cumbersome – I call my one ‘the brick’. It only really gets an outing if I’m travelling off grid for a length of time. My go-to everyday power bank is this SnapGo Air from INIU (£49.99).
My phone is a Samsung, but it has a magnetic case that means it can charge wirelessly. And that is what I love the most about the SnapGo Air – it just ‘sticks’ to the back of my mobile and charges it super quickly. For its capacity – 10,000Ah – it is incredibly lightweight and slimline … a far cry from when I’m travelling with my ‘brick’! Another brilliant innovation with this power bank is the USB-C charging cable that doubles up as a strap. This is genius!
The INIU SnapGo Air is available in a range of colours. Mine is black, but I wish I’d waited for the Sunset Orange version (my favourite colour). Other nice colour options include Metallic Mocha, Midnight Navy, Space Grey, Lunar Silver and Soft Lilac.
PaleBlue Rechargeable Batteries
Of course, not all modern gadgets have built-in batteries that can be charged – many items still need physical batteries. Remember toys at Christmas … (never, ever, forget the batteries if you want a happy child on Christmas morning!) But batteries are expensive, and they don’t last long – even the expensive brands. I have a wildlife trail camera that we put in the garden each night. It takes EIGHT AA batteries, and a fresh set lasts just over a week. It costs me a fortune! But it isn’t just niche items like this, but remote controls, torches, fairy lights, gaming controllers – all need batteries. I have discovered a solution …
Paleblue have taken rechargeable batteries to the next level. No more bulky chargers and slow charging. Each paleblue battery set contains 4 batteries – AA, AAA etc. From £19.99 a set, each battery has a USB-C charging socket, negating the need for a physical charging unit. In each set is a charging cable with a single USB charging port at one end, and 4 x USB-C charging ports at the other. So you can charge all 4 batteries at the same time, using just one USB socket. Not only this but they charge at a lightning speed.
There are environmental benefits too. One paleblue rechargeable battery replaces 1000 single-use ones. That’s a pretty impressive statistic. Our set currently fuel my son’s Xbox controller … it’s been a revelation as he’s not constantly asking for new batteries! When they run flat he simply plugs them in and gives them a quick charge before carrying on.
I LOVE the batteries! We’re still rocking an old charging dock, and it’s terrible. I have to get that and the couch charger!
The couch by Krafted is awesomeeee….I will get it. I have a power bank; I got it a few months ago, but the couch recharger is awesome. Love the idea.
As someone who simply doesn’t have enough outlets, I love these! I especially like the couch arm charger.
Power banks are absolutely fantastic! I always have one on me.
This is seriously cool! I really want that couch charger. I also love that they thought about the issue of it slipping off and actually addressed it. Such a practical design. Thank you for sharing this, I’m definitely going to check it out!
I so am going to check out the INIU SnapGo Air 10000mAh Power Bank as I so could use one of these when I am out and about for long periods of time plus I also love the one that lays over the arm of the sofa 😉 Very cool!