Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family, iPhone
Macally PowerLink: 3-in-1 battery pack
Macally is promising a new product for your iPhone or iPod (coming soon!) that combines an emergency battery pack, data cable, and flash drive all in one.
Called PowerLink, the device will power your iPhone or iPod if the built-in battery dies, though Macally doesn't specify for how long. You can also connect one end to your iPhone/iPod, and the other to your computer, and the device will work like a short, rigid data cable. Thirdly, PowerLink contains a 2GB everyday flash drive.
While not the most attractive thing in the world, it is functional, and could get you out of a jam on a back-country road with a dead iPhone battery. Sure, there are plenty of other battery pack options for iPhone and iPod, but none with with all the extras.
Macally hasn't announced a release date yet, but the product will be available for $50.
[Via Productdose.]
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brian Burns said 3:51PM on 7-09-2008
This is kind of cool. I'm anxious to see how long the battery life is.
Reply
Fritz Laurel said 4:00PM on 7-09-2008
I agree, this does seem kinda cool. If you're going to carry around a flash drive anyway, might as well have one that has some extra functionality.
Reply
CL said 4:10PM on 7-09-2008
Given the size of this thing, I say the battery life is probably under 10 mins, but still a very cool idea (and a good price too).
Reply
Lee said 4:34PM on 7-09-2008
This only looks good until you give it some thought. If your USB port is not at just the right height, or it is situated vertically, then this is an EPIC FAIL as a sync cable. As a battery pack, it all depends on how long it lasts. As a 2GB flash drive.... um, your getting this because you have an iPod or iPhone, right? In addition, it looks to be twice the size of an ordinary flash drive. I think I'll skip this one.
Reply
BJ Nemeth said 5:21PM on 7-09-2008
The iPhone doesn't offer disk mode, so it can't serve as a flash drive. I haven't read anything to indicate that this will change with the iPhone 2.0 software either.
Thanh said 4:38PM on 7-09-2008
The Kensington mini battery pack looks much better and probably has better juice than that for the same price...
http://us.kensington.com/html/15462.html
Reply
Thanh said 4:41PM on 7-09-2008
also the usb throughput connection seems pretty pointless and whats the point of the 2GB flash drive when you're carrying an ipod/iphone
Andre said 6:41PM on 7-09-2008
Neat device, depending on the battery life I'll certainly look at getting one.
Reply