Latest Podcast



Featured Articles

Ofcom says mobile contracts should ditch inflation-related price rises

Ofcom says mobile contracts should ditch inflation-related price rises

UK telecoms regulator Ofcom wants to ban inflation-related rises in phone and broadband contracts. Instead, it says any potential mid-contract price rises should be set out in pounds and pence.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Global smartphone market is set for recovery, says new forecast

A new forecast from research specialists Canalys shows the smartphone market is set to recover next year. Worldwide shipments declined by 12% last year but that decline is expected to slow to 5% this year.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
Vodafone and Three plan to merge their UK businesses

Vodafone and Three plan to merge their UK businesses

New Hutchison/Vodafone network would be biggest UK operator

Vodafone Group plc and CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings Limited have agreed to combine their UK telecommunication businesses, respectively Vodafone UK and Three UK. The merger will create a large new network operator to compete with Virgin Media O2 and EE.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

UK mobile payment service Paym to close in March 2023

UK mobile payment service Paym will close on 7th March 2023. The service, which allowed users to make and receive payments using their mobile phone numbers, was launched in 2014.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
Qualcomm legal action moves forward in the UK

Qualcomm legal action moves forward in the UK

Which? seeks payout for Samsung and Apple smartphone owners

Consumer protection organisation Which? has been given permission by the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal to represent Apple and Samsung smartphone buyers in a legal case against chip manufacturer Qualcomm.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS

Opinion Articles

Friday, June 13, 2014

Product review: Nomad ChargeCard and Nomad ChargeKey

Connect and charge your smartphone on the move

Mark Bridge writes:

What would you say to a tiny little device that enabled you to recharge your smartphone almost anywhere, whenever you wanted?

This is pretty much what a US-based company called Nomad is promising. In fact, they sent me two of their latest products to try.

But first, a quick look back at my personal mobile phone history. My Nokia 2110 delivered around 30 hours of standby time. The first Nokia smartphone - the 9000 Communicator - achieved something similar. An Ericsson r380 from 2000 (running dear old Symbian) managed something like 120 hours. Last year's HTC One, which is my current handset, has a 2300mAh battery delivering up to 500 hours of standby. But that's theory. Today, in real terms, it barely manages a day of average use. Don't blame the phone; blame the apps.

As a result, I've developed a strategy. If I'm going to be out for a while, I carry a spare battery with me. Well, technically it's a UTOO 'power bank' with a built-in micro USB cable, but it's just a clever battery as far as I'm concerned. Of course, I need to make sure the power pack is always charged for whenever I need it - which can be a problem if I'm out for a couple of days in a row.

So I carry a spare mains charger as well. This isn't as much of a challenge as it sounds: I have a folding Mu-brand plug and a USB cable. That plug is a beautiful piece of design; it's like a baby Transformer. As a result, the combination of plug and cable is almost pocket-sized. It would be genuinely pocket-sized if I didn't already have a battery in my pocket.

And so my heart skipped a beat when Nomad got in touch. Could I say 'goodbye' to my collection of accessories? A couple of days later, a cardboard envelope dropped through the letterbox.

Inside were two devices, each in packaging that's only a few millimetres thick. Here we go...

Image

I started with the Nomad ChargeCard. It's a microUSB cable in the shape of a credit card (8.1cm by 4.6cm by 3mm). Let me explain. On one corner of the card - which reminded me of some 'keyless' car keys - is a microUSB plug. Clipped into the centre of the card is a USB plug; one of those 'skeleton' plugs that has four gold teeth but no outer shell. You unclip the USB plug, which has a short flexible cable attached, and you're now able to charge your phone wherever there's a USB socket. Your PC, a friend's laptop, a game console, in the car... plenty of choices.

Image

The theory is great, although my combination of HTC One and old Dell XPS laptop didn't work particularly well. I couldn't charge the phone 'face up' without worrying that the orientation of the sockets on my laptop and phone could cause the card to act as a lever and break something. A longer cable would have helped - but that would also result in a less pocket-friendly product. Despite this, it’s still a remarkably tough and flexible product. I may just be a worrier.

I also felt the designers had missed a couple of tricks. Firstly, a hole in the corner would let you use the card as a key fob - or add it to your keyring. Yes, I know it's designed for pockets and wallets but what's wrong with multi-tasking? And on the subject of wallets, is there any chance future versions could have a little cap for the microUSB plug? Okay, I might lose it after a few days but it would stop me from worrying about the protruding plug damaging something.

Image

On to the Nomad ChargeKey. It's an even simpler design than the ChargeCard; a short (6.6mm end-to-end) flexible cable with a skeleton USB plug on one end, a microUSB plug on the other and a keyring loop near the microUSB plug. Add it to your keys and then forget it... until you need it, anyway. Has it made a hole in my trouser pocket? No. Have I needed to take care of it in any special way? No. Has it broken? No. Will it be staying on my keyring for the foreseeable future? Absolutely. I can even charge my phone from my laptop without removing the rest of the keys.

Although I've been testing the microUSB versions of Nomad's products, there are also versions that offer a Lightning connector for anyone with an Apple iPhone 5, 5c or 5s, as well as compatible iPads. The company is selling its products online via its own website at hellonomad.com for $29 and also via Amazon for £20.

The Nomad ChargeKey and ChargeCard aren't a permanent solution to the problem of smartphone battery life. That's something for manufacturers to solve. But they are certainly a practical alternative to carrying a mains charger, cable and spare battery around all the time. Anyway, what kind of person would do that?

Print
Author: The Fonecast
1 Comments
Rate this article:
No rating

1 comments on article "Product review: Nomad ChargeCard and Nomad ChargeKey"

0
0
Avatar image

Mark

6/18/2014 5:10 PM

Nomad has redesigned the ChargeKey and ChargeCard: they're now the NomadKey and NomadCard. The card version no longer has the microUSB plug on the corner; instead it's on a second clip-out cable, which looks more practical and less worrying!

Leave a comment

This form collects your name, email, IP address and content so that we can keep track of the comments placed on the website. For more info check our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use where you will get more info on where, how and why we store your data.
Add comment

Recent Podcasts

The new HTC camera, EE TV, an ethical smartphone, Ofcom complaints, mobile payments and M2M

Podcast - 15th October 2014

This week's podcast begins with news about the new 'quad play' television service offered in the UK by EE.

We also talk about HTC's new camera, an ethical smartphone, a complaint from Ofcom, mobile payments, machine-to-machine connections and yet another online security breach.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

A split for HP, a separation for eBay and a billion dollar disagreement for Samsung

Podcast - 8th October 2014

We begin this week's podcast with stories that go beyond the mobile industry, as HP plans to split into two companies and eBay prepares to separate itself from PayPal.

We're also talking about the Microsoft/Samsung legal case, a new Tesco tablet, BT's updated text relay service, a new way to avoid buying a stolen iPhone... and #Hairgate.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

We talk about Phones 4u, the BlackBerry Passport, Bendgate and much more mobile news

Podcast - 1st October 2014

In this week's podcast we begin with more news about Phones 4u, as Carphone Warehouse steps in to help iPhone 6 buyers.

We also talk about problems at Apple, a brand new handset from BlackBerry, mobile payments, phones on planes and a device that promises to stop people from texting while driving.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Seven days of mobile industry news: new products, an acquisition, a break-up and a security update

Podcast - 24th September 2014

This week's podcast begins with the latest news from Phones 4u, where hundreds of jobs have been saved but there are a large number of redundancies as well.

Iain, James and Mark then talk about new products from Amazon, BlackBerry and Panasonic, mobile payment innovation from Indonesia and the UK, the acquisition of IoT specialist Neul and Apple's updated privacy policy.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

A week of mobile industry news, from Apple iPhone 6 shortages to the uncertain future facing Phones 4u

Podcast - 17th September 2014

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge start this week's podcast by looking back at the launch of the iPhone 6, the Apple Watch and the Apple Pay service.

They then move on to discuss the troubles at Phones 4u, a UK smartphone launch from O2, another smartphone launch that's been put on hold, Microsoft's gaming plans - and more.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
124678910Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Twitter @TheFonecast RSS podcast feed
Find us on Facebook Subscribe free via iTunes

Archive Calendar

«October 2024»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
30123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031123
45678910

Archive

Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement