"We believe that electricity
exists, because the electric company keeps sending us bills for it,
but we cannot figure out how it travels inside wires." -Dave Barry

   
Power. Without it we would still be banging those rocks together (and
those of you without, just keep banging, you’ll get it someday). In
a society that slowly is becoming more and more dependent on its mobile
devices, power is becoming a more and more important commodity. Enter
Socket Communications with their newly released Mobile Power Pack. With
the equivalent of (at least) 16 AAA batteries, it certainly has a lot
of juice. But enough juice to make the price tag worth it? Read on for
the electrifying review.

WHAT’S HOT

    7,200 mAh! That is a LOT of power (as we
mentioned in the intro, 16 AAA or 7 AA batteries). That equals approximately
10 charges for a Pocket PC or 15 charges for a mobile phone.

FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS

    First, let’s review the Mobile Power Pack’s
features (copied verbatim from Socket):

Inside the box is
a couple of marketing flyers, a Quick Start Guide, and the Mobile
Power Pack Specifications.

Also in the box is
the power adapter plus four country adapters (USA, Europe, UK, and
Australia).

Note the unique push-button
release and lock system. This makes the plugs not only sturdy, but
easy to swap.

    Also
found in the box is the DC power cord and a couple of adapters (although
I cannot say for certain that the two smaller plugs come standard,
all the literature says that only the longer cord is included).
The longer cord shown above has a standard 4mm barrel connecter
which is compatible with all battery-powered Socket products and
most Pocket PCs from Dell, HP, and Toshiba. Any power connecter
used with the Mobile Power Pack has to use an USB interface. Thankfully,
Socket has created a fairly comprehensive list of optional adapters
and where to buy them from here
(PDF).

Last, but not least,
is the Battery case (front) and Travel pouch (behind). The Travel
pouch isn’t really much more than a neoprene zippered bag with the
Socket logo embroidered into it.

The Battery case on
the other hand has made of black leather and has a pouch on the
front and a belt clip on the back.

Also found on the
Battery case are notches and holes for all the various ports, lights,
and switches found on the battery itself.

Speaking
of the battery, while it really is quite small, once in its case,
it has a noticeable heft. But for the amount of power provided,
I didn’t really find this to be much of an issue.

Seeing
that the battery can handle +5 Volts DC @ 3 Amps Max, I did attempt
to charge the unit using "alternative" methods (which
you’ll have to see in an upcoming review) and with great results.

On
the reverse side of the battery, we find the port/switch/light legend,
serial number, caution information, and electrical certification.

   
We find the USB Output port and Low Battery Light on the top of
the unit (left image) and the On/Off Switch, 5V Input port, and
Charging light on the bottom (right image). When the battery reaches
90% discharge, the yellow Low Battery Light comes on to alert you.

   
When charging, the red Charging light changes depending on the charge
level. Solid for a very low charge, blinking for low to medium,
and off when fully charged. Strangely, the unit actually has to
be switched on for it to take a charge. This caused me a bit of
an issue after my first full discharge as I naturally assumed I
could just plug it in overnight and wake up with a full battery,
ready to go. Later, while on the road, I discovered that I actually
had no power at all. This is covered in the manual, but I happened
to miss that set of instructions (even though it is very clearly
marked). Moral of the story? Vendors! Don’t bother sending me instructions,
I don’t seem to read them anyway. Ah well.

Charging
a Socket GPS? Check. No issues, no problems, quick and easy charge.

Charging
my Dell Axim X50v (a feat that has caused other manufacturers grief)?
Absolutely. I simply plugged in my Boxwave
DirectSync cable and away I went. Once again, no issues or complaints.

HELP
& SUPPORT

    Along with the included Quick Start
guide, Socket
does have a website
with plenty of support options including phone, email and forums
(although at the time of this review, the Mobile Power Pack did
not have a forum area of its own).

BUGS
AND WISHES

    Seeing that this was a hardware review,
I really didn’t find any bugs. One of my biggest wishes would be
that one could charge the unit regardless of the On/Off switch position.
Secondly, dual power ports would be a great addition (whether or
not its feasible is a completely different story). Finally, I would
have liked to seen the belt clip replaced or augmented with a belt
loop (as the slick leather does not stay still and I worry that
it will fall off my belt).

PURCHASING

    You can buy
the Socket Mobile Power Pack directly from Socket
Communications. The price shown is $149. Cheapest price I
could find (at the time of this review) was just under $100.

PROS

Mass
quantities of power at your fingertips

USB
Output port diversifies capabilities

CONS

Switch
must be turned On to charge

Price

OVERALL
IMPRESSION

    As a mobile professional, I found
the Mobile Power Pack to be extremely helpful. I was pleasantly
surprised with the amount of power provided (and sufficiently
shocked when the unit didn’t charge because I didn’t read the
directions). The price, while a little high, is no match for the
capacity of the unit – who wants to carry around a plethora of
AAA batteries if you could carry just one. A powerful unit, and
a must have for anyone who needs power on the go.