The Energizer Energi To Go portable micro USB charger is now available locally in the Philippines. So what in the world is it?
I rarely get excited by external power solutions — phone cases that double as power packs, solar powered rechargers, AAA-battery strap-ons — because they’re usually unglamorous “hack” fare that make your phone look as if it was hotwired by McGyver (ooh, there’s an ’80′s reference right there).
But there was something elegant about the Energizer Energi to Go Portable Charger for Mobile Phones. It’s a small enough battery pack that you snap directly onto the USB port of your mobile phone, and it’s designed to ride behind it, like a mini backpack for your device.
Price: Php 795.00 at Octagon.
Two models were available. One was purely for Blackberry phones, while this, the Energi To Go AP500MC (in picture), is for certain Blackberry models, HTC, Kyocera (!), LG, Motorola, Palm, Samsung and Sanyo, thanks to its standard micro-USB plug. The box promises up to 90 minutes of extra talk time. Yeah, “up to.”
Watch this space for a review of the Energizer Energi To Go pack soon. We’ll let you know if it holds enough juice to be worth the price.
And nope, no idea on whether there are models for Nokia, iPhone, etc. at the moment.
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i think gadgets were one of the hottest gifts this christmas. does it really have 90 mins extra talk time?
hi, can you also post some pictures when you unboxed it? this might be a good partner to my LG 01
hehe
@notinthisworld
Noted. I’ll have my trusty point-and-shoot ready.
For the price, sulit if it can give you an additional 90 minutes of talk time.
wow, all i need now is a blackberry phone
There’s an eneloop that has a generic USB output – supports practically all devices that can be powered via USB… except the iPad, of course.
I’m almost the opposite – I usually get excited about external power solutions. The problems is that when I actually see the actual products, I get let down – maybe I should follow you and temper my excitement to begin with.
Anyway, back to my first point: I get excited about portable power, especially if it’s “free” or green in nature. I hope you guys can track some products down, play with ‘em, and tell us what you think. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only reader who’d appreciate that. This product is a great example – I may not be impressed with this specific model, but it introduced me to Energizer’s line of power packs (the SP2000 is the one I want).
Other things you may or may not have heard about. Nokia Europe has some literature on a dynamo charger and handlebar mount for bikers. I haven’t heard of anything else specifically for bikes though. There’s also a local company distributing small (roughly phone-sized) solar chargers, but I’m not too impressed with the build quality. I’m pretty sure you’re aware of some bags with solar panels (Voltaic comes to mind) – any idea if any of these bags are available here?
Yes, I know you don’t get too excited about these things now, but at least one of your readers does – doesn’t that count for something? =)
Would’ve loved to have one of these, if only I have a Blackberry.
Hope you guys can do a review on the best portable chargers locally. It would be great if you can hook us up with something that charges devices via USB ports (better compatibility) and is lightweight. If it can power an iPad, that would be excellent!
i haven’t seen this around just yet. and for the price, it seems pretty good, especially for those dire-strait occasions when you badly need some juice in the middle of nowhere. with palm in your list, and it’s pretty difficult to find batteries and chargers for treos, i might just grab myself one
it is nice that energizer release this portable charger, but the downside is its only for mobile phones with so called USB powered capable devices, in the philippines as what i could see, nokia phone are the most popular, i hope energizer with make it compatible or in laymans term universal. Technoodling i wish you could feature other innovative chargers just for comparison.. =)
Energizer stays. They continually maintain their products along with the mainstream in order for them not to survive, but to help others to power the community.
Likes:
Branded
Tough
Small
Dislikes:
A bit expensive for another 90mins talk time.
@Luis Cruz @Shinrai @techieman: Good suggestion. We’ll try to get working on it when the new year starts.
@rollynunez: Thanks for the quickie review!
thanks for this tip! whats that wireless charger where you just put the gadget on top, its like a mat?
@ckyboy I think that would be the induction mat. I have yet to see it being sold here though.
Energizer Portable Charger!! Awesome
I think it’s a bit expensive. Php 500 would be reasonable enough.
Nice gadget, for emergency purposes.
looking forward on the review! got this feeling nokia and iphones are next.
pretty cost effective imo.. 90minutes talktime.. thats like 12 hours standby (estimate)..
this is very handy..
very usable gadget for people on the go.. there is also i think same type of gadget but instead of using battery, it’s solar powered. i’m just not that sure what types of gadget it’s capable of charging of.
. .is it safe to use portable chargers even if you’re using your phone?. i mean, does it have any effect for the battery?. .
It doesn’t “wow” me but of course, i still want to get this kind of product. It can be my source of energy whenever my battery starts to be empty and im not on the hous to charge it in. what i dont like about these kind of product is they easily get broken or worst: you only get half of what they promised: 90 minutes? 45 or 30 minutes would be more realistic. ;p
whether the price is cheaper or not, I usually buy Energizer because it’s a trusted brand (“,)
@ailes
i tried cdrking brand solar powered charger. it really takes so loooooongggg to charge
Would be cooler if there are versions for the iPhones and the Nokias.
@techieman: “nokia phone are the most popular, i hope energizer with make it compatible or in laymans term universal.”
Energizer is actually going universal by using the micro-USB port. If I’m not mistaken, most of the major phone manufacturers (Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, are the ones I can remember) have agreed to adopt micro-USB as the standard charging port for their phones. Micro-USB also has the backing of the CTIA, OMTP, and GSM Association. How long it takes to implement this, of course, is a different matter entirely.
it about time that Energizer released these chargers but as they have mentioned above it would be so much nicer if they would support Nokia and other know brands in the cellular industry. They could have profited much from that.
This is ideal for long trips and emergencies when you either forgot to charge your phone or forgot your charger.
When it comes to dry cells, i acknowledge energizer for they are the best in batteries
but charger, hmm.. i hope they also do good at this 
Art let us know when it is worth to buy 
thanks! happy technoodling 
@Luis Cruz: “There’s also a local company distributing small (roughly phone-sized) solar chargers, but I’m not too impressed with the build quality. I’m pretty sure you’re aware of some bags with solar panels (Voltaic comes to mind) – any idea if any of these bags are available here? Yes, I know you don’t get too excited about these things now, but at least one of your readers does – doesn’t that count for something? =)”
That makes two of us.
I’d love to find renewable solutions to the external power problem. Hmm, wonder if I can jury-rig a backpack with a built-in solar charger…
this is a Brilliant idea!
it is a way to charge our precious phones when we needed most! 
a perfect gift for my Family! 
we’ll just wait and see for more improvements and other features ’till i’m conVINCE…
we’ll just wait and see for more improvements and other features ’till i’m conVINCE…
@Luis_Cruz @spidergrrl Noted then! We’ll see what we can do about rounding up some green charging ideas that are available locally. Something for 2011
i was excited when i saw the title of this post, but i was disappointed when i knew it was not compatible for sony phones.
In ACE Hardware, and some “bigger” Octagon stores, they have a full range of portable charges, including ones for Laptops and iPhones. If I’m not mistaken this is a “rebaranded” Xpal from Taiwan.
@geraldo3 You’re very perceptive! Yes, the above product is in fact the result of an alliance between Xpal and Energizer.
Very useful, especially for the new breed of smartphones. My htc battery life will only give me a day with heavy use. A portable charger will always be handy for emergency situations.
I love how your articles in Technoodling are so casually written. I feel like I’m actually listening to the writer talk about things in a friendly level—no limits at all. Like stating the price and where it can be bought, for example.
Keep it up, guys! You’re doing great so far.