| Turbo Charge TB550 Portable Cell Phone Charger
|
In Use:
The below left image shows the Turbo Charge TB550 in action with a Motorola RAZR V3. Three bright LEDs light up the center strip of the charger's body, while two fainter LEDs provide a glow to the end of the charger where the power connection is. While using some of the LEDs for battery status purposes seems like a good idea, it seems like a fair amount of battery power may be going to waste by powering all these lights! I don't care how efficient LEDs are, even the best AA batteries have a rather short life that should be stretched as far as possible.
 
The above right image shows the Turbo Charge TB550 in use as a flash light. The LEDs are really bright, and this secondary function is really worth using. It illuminates a nice wide area, while providing enough intensity to focus on things where you aim it. It could prove to be handy for a large number of uses, and I have found it quite convenient for guiding the power adapter into my phone's connector while in my car at night. The only issue I see with using the Turbo Charge TB550 as a flashlight is that you will have an unknown drain on the batteries. As I have already said, LEDs may be efficient, but these two bright lights can't run forever on 2 AA batteries. If you are really counting on it to provide a charge for your phone in an emergency, use the flashlight sparingly to make sure you have enough juice when you need it.
Conclusion:
Using the charger is simple, and the compact size makes it easy to take along with you in a backpack, glove compartment, purse, or wherever else you might want to store this while on the go. At this point I have completely charged a Motorola RAZR three times and have used the flashlight numerous times... And there is still some life left on the batteries included! It has already exceeded the advertised promise of three complete charges, so you can't complain about that. While I can go from being on red (or nearly dead) to two out of three green bars full rather quickly, I have found that the time to get all three green bars full varies.
So far my main complaint with the Turbo Charge TB550 is that it makes a faint, high pitch beeping noise while charging. If I'm in a running car or any other environment with moderate noise I can't hear it, but I have to put it in the other room if I need silence. My only other comment would be that I wouldn't consider permanently replacing my standard wall/car chargers with something like the Turbo Charge TB550. It is great when you are in a bind, but I'd prefer the reliability of a traditional power source for every day use.
If you are looking to purchase a Turbo Charge TB550 of your own, it seems the best place (and about the only place) to look is on the Turbo Charge shopping page. You can get the kit as reviewed for $29.95, or you can save $5 and instead of getting seven tips you get just one of your choice. Not a bad deal, and a small investment that should guarantee that your phone will have power no matter where you take it. Turbo Charge products are available at some online outlets like Amazon.com, but I did not see this specific model. Being able to find one locally or at your favorite online outlet would be nice.
Given the convenience, performance, and versatility, the Turbo Charge TB550 Portable Cell Phone Charger earns the "Recommended" award. If I had an award for such a category, it would also earn recognition as being the first item out of several hundred to officially become property of my wife. Of all the gadgets lying around here, this one must be pretty useful if she actually took interest in it.
Pros:
» Compact - about the size of a typical mobile phone
» Works better than advertised
» Compatible with a large number of modern phones thanks to the seven included tips
» Uses any AA batteries, and includes a pair to get you started
» Works well as a flashlight
Cons:
» Makes a faint, high pitch beeping noise while charging
» Reducing extraneous light output would be good for extending battery life
» Limited availability
Special thanks to Turbo Charge for providing the Turbo Charge TB550 Portable Cell Phone Charger to Bigbruin.com for review!
Please drop by the Bigbruin.com Forum and feel free to post any comments or questions.
|
|
|
|
