Skip to Content

HyperMac offers DIY solutions after Apple lawsuit

HyperMac portable battery system
HyperMac's portable charging systems are back on the market with a revamped product line that does not violate Apple's patents. HyperMac was faced with a patent lawsuit from Apple over the company's charging cables, which used Apple's MagSafe and 30-pin connectors. The company stopped selling the infringing cables on November 2, while continuing to produce its line of HyperJuice batteries. Without the cables to connect to your laptop, though, the batteries were more or less useless.

Sanho Corporation, the company behind HyperMac, was back at CES 2011 and showed off two new DIY power cable systems that skirt Apple's patents. One system uses Apple's MagSafe Airline adapter and a special plug provided by HyperMac to daisy chain a HyperJuice battery to your Apple laptop. While easy to implement, this setup powers your Apple notebook but does not recharge your battery.

A second solution, detailed by Ars but not on HyperMac's website yet, requires the user to splice the cable on their MacBook power adapter. HyperMac provides the appropriate connectors to let users attach this modified cable to a HyperJuice battery or to the original Apple power adapter. These modifications require minimal technical skill and do not require any soldering. Though not as easy as the Airline adapter method, this latter solution does provide users with the ability to charge their battery from a HyperJuice battery while on the go.

[Via Ars Technica]

Categories

Accessories Apple

HyperMac's portable charging systems are back on the market with a revamped product line that does not violate Apple's patents. HyperMac...
 

Add a Comment

*0 / 3000 Character Maximum Comment Moderation Enabled. Your comment will appear after it is cleared by an editor.

5 Comments

Filter by:
greg.schmeer

it's BS because under the exhaustion doctrine, the patentee's right of control over a patent ends after the first sale of the patented item. As soon as apple sold the magsafe adapter to hypermac, they were within their right to do whatever they want with them and sell the modified parts. Just like we're fully allowed to modify our cords like the above and later on sell the computer and modified charger.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhaustion_doctrine

January 10 2011 at 10:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Penny

Handy! This travel adapter guide for macs seems like a good alternative. Is it compatible with all models?

January 10 2011 at 9:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bill

How long do you think it'll be before Apple sends out a "warranty violation" statement about users splicing MacBook power adapter cables? If not that, at least a good couple of "end of days" press releases about the dangers of doing so. Better to spend $ at the Apple Store than risk damaging the fabric of space/time itself!

January 10 2011 at 9:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Macopotamus

Do you have a link to the MagSafe DIY Cable Kit? I can only see the Auto/Airline Adapter option on the HyperMac website.

January 10 2011 at 9:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike

Very creative!

January 10 2011 at 9:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Buy an ad here

Tweets

© 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.