Latest Podcast



Featured 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

Opinion Articles

4G doesn't come to Three

Mark Bridge writes:

Earlier today, Three.co.uk published a blog post headlined “4G comes to Three”. But it hasn’t.

I spent most of this morning here at Mobile World Congress muttering about the blog before returning to it this afternoon. And suddenly it’s changed.

The blog post remains. The headline is completely different. Now we’re told “Three to launch leading edge 3G service”.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

How far does it go, mate?

Geoff Varrall of RTT writes:

About 15,000 years ago some indigenous Northern Australians decided that they needed a more efficient way of talking to each other than just shouting a lot.

And blowing into a long cylindrical tube proved to be just what was needed and seriously useful fun – the dawn of the didgeridoo.

Trumpets and bagpipes were invented at about the same time. The ancient Greeks used the trumpet in battlefield communication to devastating effect.

The way you can tell that your didgeridoo is better than everyone else’s didgeridoo is to blow into it and see how far the sound goes.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Last week at The Fonecast: 20th February 2012

Mark Bridge writes:

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. So said Sir Arthur C Clarke.

Last week’s magic was supplied by imaging company Scalado, which announced a new product called ‘Remove’. The clue’s in the name: it can automatically remove unwanted people from photos taken on a mobile phone. Expect to see it on a handset near you before too long.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Last week at The Fonecast: 13th February 2012

Mark Bridge writes:

It’s not been a good week for Nokia staff, with 4000 of them likely to lose their jobs from factories in Finland, Hungary and Mexico. The company says it’s moving device assembly to Asia, where it’ll be closer to component manufacturers. The three scaled-down factories will remain open with a new focus on smartphone customisation.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Could a new legal framework for FRAND principles end the mobile patent wars in 2013?

Mark Bridge writes:

I’m not the first person to point out that mobile phone patent battles are raging all around us. They’ve been going on for years.

However, the topic of FRAND patents - those designated as ‘industry standards’ and therefore required to be licensed on Fair, Reasonable And Non-Discriminatory terms - has become an increasingly newsworthy topic.

In the last couple of weeks we’ve reported on an EC investigation into Samsung’s licensing of mobile patents and a Motorola/Apple legal battle that involves FRAND licensing.

Author: The Fonecast
1 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
First4546474850525354Last

Recent Podcasts

Reviewing our 2015 mobile industry predictions... and looking forward to 2016

Podcast - 15th January 2016

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge return to review their mobile industry predictions from last year. Which mergers, partnerships and developments did they forecast correctly... and which didn’t work out as planned?

Later in the programme, the team anticipates some of the topics that will be hitting the headlines during 2016.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Podcast from Mobile World Congress 2015

Podcast - 6th March 2015

Mark Bridge learns about the mobile technology trends at Mobile World Congress 2015 by chatting to James Rosewell of 51Degrees, Dr Kevin Curran from the IEEE and Chris Millington of Doro.

They talk about wearable devices, wireless charging, mobile operating systems and much more... including some of their favourite products from the exhibition.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Looking back at February: from security scares to multiple MVNOs

Podcast - 27th February 2015

We're taking a look back at the biggest mobile industry news stories from February 2015, including allegations that the UK's security service tried to breach SIM card security by hacking into one of the world's biggest SIM producers.

We also talk about the planned BT and EE merger, the creation of two new UK virtual networks, some acquisitions in the mobile payment arena and a new Ubuntu smartphone.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Interview with Chris Millington of Doro about mobile retailing, wearables and technology for older consumers

Podcast - 24th February 2015

In today's programme Mark Bridge talks to Chris Millington, who's Managing Director for Doro UK and Ireland.

They discuss the state of mobile retailing in the UK, the future of wearable devices and - as you might expect - smartphones for seniors.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

A month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

Podcast - 30th January 2015

We're back with a month of mobile industry news, including takeover talks and takeover rumours. O2 and Three are said to be discussing a merger... but is there any truth in the suggestions that BlackBerry could be up for grabs?

We also discuss Apple's record-breaking quarterly figures, the highlights of CES and the launch of Microsoft Windows 10, as well as saying farewell to the current version of Google Glass.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
12345678910Last

Follow thefonecast.com

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

Archive Calendar

«November 2024»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
28293031123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
2526272829301
2345678

Archive

Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement