All in one
camera review New Trent NT600C generations Thunderbolt
I was looking for an external battery pack for a long time. Many times when I was outside, either my phone or my wife's phone will be running out of "juice".
So I start to do some research on external battery pack. Since I have had a couple of NewTrent products, I might as well use their external battery pack.
This review is meant only for NT600C.
The Design
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The NT600C has a good, solid build quality and I like the rounded edges.
Pro:
- No heat/noise during the charging (expected)
- I like the 100-240V since it means I could bring it overseas
- Built-in micro USB cable is really neat
- Compact and beautifully designed.
- So far all the devices that I throw works e.g. Bluetooth headset, Nexus 4, BB Torch, iPad3, (will not fully charged)
- Built-in Power Saving, as soon as the device is full, the NT600C will automatically turn off.
- Perfect size and weight.
- Built-In Lights indicator to indicate when you need to recharge the battery pack. (4 Blue Lights)
Cons:
- By default, the unit can be charged using wall charger but I wish it could also provide the charging using micro USB so it can be charged in the car for long driving.
- No carrying bag/case. It would be nice if they can include it.
- Eventhough this could charge BB Torch, but you would need to turn on the BB OS Engineering (search BB OS Engineering with Google)
- By default the micro USB cable will charge the nexus 4 using USB mode, but if you provide your own cable, it will be charged using AC mode (faster charging)
This battery pack will be inside my bag from now on since you will never know when you will be out of "juice" when you are outside.
If you need it to charge your phone when you are outside, NT600C will be sufficient but if you intend to use it to fully charged your tablet, then you will need to go with the higher model (12000 mAH). For my own purpose, NT600C should be sufficient for my needs (phone charging only).
Category Article silver heels
I have had a privilege to use and review several New Trent external batteries and chargers. They have a very diverse line of such products and you are bound to find one that matches your exact needs. All of them have one important thing in common: they work. All of their batteries and chargers deliver on the premise of providing the user with all the necessary additional power needed to charge their portable devices. This is certainly the case with Chargepak rechargeable external battery.
This charger does not have the capacity to fully charge an iPad. However, I was able to charge my first generation iPad 3G to about 62% level, which is just slightly lower than the advertised charge capacity for the iPad 2. (I guess I am one of the rare first generation iPad owners that are still out there; most accessory manufacturers don't bother making any new products for us. :/ ) I've also tested this charger with my iPhone 4S, Kindle Paperwhite, and Samsung S, all of which were charged to a full capacity with plenty of juice left. In most cases I was able to charge one of my small electronic devices multiple times.
There are a couple of features of this Cahrgepak that are innovative and make it particularly suitable for, well, travel. These are the full integration of the AC input plug and the micro USB charging cable directly into the body of this charger. Both of these are great additions, and in my opinion well overdue features of such chargers. The combination of these two features minimizes the need to carry multiple charging cables along with you, especially if your device can be charged through a micro USB port. This, of course, is not the case with the iOS devices - Apple likes to keep their cables and interfaces proprietary and getting the proper licenses for those cables can be next to impossible.
In addition to the built-in micro USB cable, this charger sports two additional USB ports - one 1A and one 2.1A. The former is more suitable for smartphones, while the latter works really well with tablets. All in all, you can be charging three small electronic devices at the same time, which is quite remarkable for such a compact charger.
Travelpak is also very elegantly designed and fairly compact. It fits easily in a small compartment pocket in your briefcase or messenger bag. It can even fir in a larger pocket, but that would be a bit of pushing it.
When it comes to choosing which charger is the best for you and your needs it will all come down to the kinds of devices that you regularly carry around and the kinds of trips that you go on. If the size is an issue than I would recommend that you take a look at iTorch. (That device comes with an included LED light and laser pointer as a bonus.) If you have a tablet that you would like to be able to recharge on the go, then take a look at iCarrier. However, if you don't want to constantly worry about including a warren of cables with your carry-on luggage, especially if you only have non-iOS smartphone, then Chargepak is an ideal external charger for you.
The Chargepak is my new favorite accessory. It's small and doesn't have any extra cords hanging off it, which makes it easy to throw into my bag. When fully charged it keeps me, my phone and my ipad going all day, even when I'm traveling with my four year old daughter. I like it better than my car charger because it doesn't heat up the phone and I can use it anywhere. All in all it does exactly what I need it to do.
Upon receiving the New Trent Chargepak NT600C 6000mAh External Battery Pack with Triple Port Output and Built-in AC Wall Charger,the first device I tried it out with was the iPad 3. This battery pack took the iPad from about a 24% charge to around 57% charged in a little over an hour and a half with minimal use before being depleted. On the second charge of the battery pack, I charged my phone twice and still have 3/4 of the juice still on the battery pack.
As a college student, I can say that the best 2 features about the New Trent Chargepak NT600C 6000mAh External Battery Pack with Triple Port Output and Built-in AC Wall Charger are the AC plug and the attached micro USB. Both of these features are essential if you spend long days on campus as a commuter. The AC plug allows you to plug in and charge the battery pack if you are going to be stationary for a while. The attached micro USB allows me to carry around one less external cord. If only the fruit company would follow suit so that I could leave the other cord at home instead of in the backpack for those days that I forget to charge the iPad overnight.
The main things that are missing from this device would be an included case to carry it in, especially since it is an on-the-go device and is usually going to be kept in some type of backpack or suitcase. Also, when charging the NT600C, I was never really sure if I had it off or on because the indicator lights flashed the same way anytime you pushed the on/off button while plugged into an outlet. In my case, it was an iPad that would not turn on but the charger stayed lit vs a smartphone with a completely dead battery and the charger indicator lights went off after about a minute. A separate LED indicator or different color flashing would have been good to let the user know if it is powered off or on in this scenario.
Overall though, I would still give the New Trent Chargepak NT600C 6000mAh External Battery Pack with Triple Port Output and Built-in AC Wall Charger 5 stars because of its portability over other chargers. I like that I can plug it into an outlet if needed instead of only a computer which is harder to carry vs outlets everywhere. On the other hand, the addition of a USB port for charging as well, would have made this battery pack near flawless and truly an all in one device.
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I always bring my power banks on trips. They charge everything from my children's Nintendo 3DS's to my cell phone and Kindle Fires. On my last trip, I arrived at my motel to realize I forgot the USB wall adapter. It's times like those I wish I had known about the New Trent power bank. No USB wall adapter or USB port of any kind needed. It plugs straight into an outlet to charge.
I charged my devices with the New Trent power bank plugged in, which worked really well, but the New Trent folks told me that was not advised. It puts a strain on the battery and lowers its lifespan. That's okay, this product beats the competition in other areas.
For one, it has a micro USB port on board. That's the most universal cable for portable electronic devices. I don't have to supply my own.
In addition, it has two 5V/2.1 amp USB charging ports. I used them to charge my Kindle Fire HD 8.9", my Kindle Fire 3G, and my original Kindle Fire all at once. It can do it with no problem. Of course, I couldn't get a full charge for all three at one time; but it has a noticeably good capacity, enough to charge my Kindle 3G and iPhone multiple times.
Some drawbacks include a lack of LED bulb flashlight on board, no pouch, and no extra charging cords or adapters. It's also a little fatter than the average 6000 mAh battery. However, I believe the improved portability of having its own wall plug and attached micro USB cord more than make up for the little extras. I love this power bank.
This product was provided for review by New Trent.
With a house full of electronics we are always running out of power while on the go. Since we take 1-2 day trips to various amusement parks as well as visit family a few hours away we're constantly needed to re-charge our cell phones and tablets when we arrive at our destination. I love that with the New Trent Chargepak NT600C External Battery Pack, we don't have to rush to the nearest outlet when we finally arrive.
We've used the external battery pack with my Droid Bionic, my husband's Samsung Galaxy III, and our iPad 3 so far. We're planning to use it with our other tablets and Nook Color soon. And in the two weeks we've been using it we've loved it.
I like how easy it is to plug in, charge up, and go. And the fact that I can tell exactly when it's done charging and ready to use by a simple change of light color makes it easier to simply glance over and check. I hate how the chargers for other batteries have the blinking light and solid light. When it's fully charged I just leave it in my diaper bag at all times just in case.
When using it for our iPad or my Bionic I do have to use another cord to charge it. But my husband can use it as is with his Samsung Galaxy III and loves how quickly it charges his phone.
I do wish that the battery pack had a little case of it's own for storage when it's not in use. And maybe a side pocket or something for extra cords needed or USB cables. It'd make me feel better about storing it anywhere other than the box it came with. I would also love if the unit was a tad slimmer.
Overall it's a great back up especially when we're on the go and I know we'll be using it a lot while we travel this summer. My husband's considering purchasing another just for him to use since he says I hog ours.
This product was provided for review by New Trent.
The NT600C is probably the most convenient battery pack I have ever had. By having the wall plug built-in, the battery pack is able to be kept charged anywhere- cafe, airport, bar. If there is an outlet, you are set. And with the micro cable built in, there nothing extra to have to carry or remember (assuming not using an iProduct).
When you plug the NT600C into the wall, a red led comes on telling you the battery pack is charging. The blue leds come on showing how full the battery pack is.
Once you plug a device in, the NT600C turns on and starts charging- no having to remember to push a power button. Another nice, convenient feature. The leds are on always and show the remain charge in the pack. This is nice to know but annoying if you charging your device overnight or in a dark room. I'd like to see a way to turn the lights off while still charging the device. To stop charging, you simply unplug the device and the unit turns off. Alternatively, you can push the button on the top to stop charging with the device is connected.
The built in cable only does 500ma so my Android device would only charge at usb speeds. MY Blackberry wouldn't charge off it. If you use your own, data shorted cables though, both the usb ports are able to be used without issue (or if your phone is rooted, just use fast charge mode).
Likes:
A)Built in wall charger.
B)Built in device charger.
C)Auto on feature.
D)Multiple ports with varying amps to charge multiple devices at once.
Dislike:
A)Blue leds are on while any device is charging. This can be very distracting
B)Built in micro usb cable is just a bit short in my opinion. With devices that have charging port on bottom, it makes you bend the cable in funny angles of you want to carry them nicely in pocket while charging.
C)Built in cable seems fragile (see comment above).
Other:
A) Seems a little "fat". Not a bad thing, just a comment. If the cable was a bit longer, this would be nice seems it could be a self for charging a phone while the pack itself charges.
Overall:
Highly recommend this charger. Great for anyone who uses their device a lot and is on the move. Keeps devices charged when not near an outlet but gives you the easy option to recharge pack without having to carry an extra items.
I was in need of a portable charging device for my Iphone. This is a great product. I really like the compact design of this, it's small enough and not to big so it's portable easily. I like that it has a long lasting charge for 6 hours after it's fully charged. Makes carrying it on the go great since it has such a long battery life. I use it around the house to for my toddler to watch videos on my phone as well.
I recently received the NewTrent ChargePak NT600C, and after having less than stellar experiences with off-market battery packs, this device is now the only one I'll use.
The device is compact and solid, and travels well - it feels like it can take a bit of banging up in a bag and still function fine.
The 2 built-in USB ports cover your phone and tablet needs, but the real beauty is the built-in microUSB plug. So you really don't need anything else while traveling. I used it to charge my Galaxy S3, and it charged the phone twice before running out of juice. This will be a lifesaver on long trips.
The 4 status LEDs quickly give you the battery level on the device, while another A/C LED lets you know that the power pack is plugged in and charging. A standard 2-prong plug folds out of the device so you can plug it right into the wall.
If I were to nitpick - the NT600C sits perpendicular to the wall (the plug is on the long side), rather than flush with it. This can be a problem if plugging into a tight spot. Would love to see a swiveling or rotating plug in a future model.
If you need to charge 2 or 3 devices at a time, or just a single device multiple times - get this one. You won't be disappointed.