Phone charger that works even when power is out

By Craig Nakano

Nov. 1, 2012 12 AM PT

If all the coverage of Sandy and the East Coast power outage has you wondering how you would charge your mobile phone if the electricity were out here for days, let us ask: How would you?

One possible solution for iPhone users: the Plug Battery Charger from the Monrovia design studio and Web store MollaSpace. The Plug is a portable lithium ion battery that recharges Apple devices on the go, without needing a wall outlet.

One end of the Plug is a USB port, so you can power up the device on your home computer or laptop before any outage. The other end is a twin-pronged cover that lifts off to reveal the Apple connector. If the lights go out, you’ve got a miniature generator ready to go. The Plug can charge iPods to 100% or iPhones to about 30%, the company says.

For more day-to-day-use, the device is small enough to slip into a bag or pocket. Price: $26.

We first reported on the Plug in April, when it was released. It was part of a roundup of amusing office accessories, including dog- and moustache-shaped paper clips and a concrete pen.

The L.A. at Home crew hasn’t tested the Plug yet, but we’ve ordered one and will let you know how it does. If any readers have tried similar products, shoot me a note.

craig.nakano@latimes.comWe welcome story suggestions at home@latimes.com. For easy way to follow the L.A. scene, bookmark L.A. at Home and join us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Technology and the Internet

Craig Nakano

Craig Nakano is the assistant managing editor for Entertainment and Arts. He joined The Times as an assistant travel editor, later served as home editor and most recently was the fine arts editor, leading a team whose accolades included a Pulitzer Prize and an Online Journalism Award. A California native, he worked at the Desert Sun of Palm Springs and at the San Francisco Chronicle after graduating from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He lives in Long Beach with his husband and son.

Phone charger that works even when power is out

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