CategoryTechnology

Reviewing the RAVPower 26,800mAh Portable Powerbank Charger

Having used a few different powerbank models over the years – mostly cheap models which barely gave a reliable (nevermind fast!) charge, back in 2014 I decided to upgrade to the best rated powerbank I could find. After lots of research, I decided on the popular 16,750mAh model from RAVPower, which promised to charge an iPhone 6 just over 6 times.

To offer some comparison, those small powerbanks only have a capacity of ~2,000mAh. For perspective, the iPhone 7 has a 1,960mAh battery. So while they look handy, they’re only really suitable as an emergency backup rather than for more regular use.

It served me well and was a great size, however when going to festivals it only just lasted (since I was usually working there from 6-7 days and using my phone a lot). So after seeing the RAVPower 26,800mAh powerbank in Amazon’s Black Friday deals, I decided to upgrade – the great price compared with seriously good reviews made it an easy buy!

I ordered it on Saturday and received it on Tuesday with free delivery (I don’t have Amazon Prime at the moment).

Great packaging - an ideal gift

Great packaging – an ideal gift

Be sure to register online for an extended warranty

Be sure to register online for an extended warranty

Accessories included too!

It includes two USB to microUSB cables (one short, the other long) for charging the powerbank.

It's not as bulky as I expected

It’s not as bulky as I expected

Three USB ports and a microUSB (for charging)

Three USB ports and a microUSB (for charging)

Looking at the tech specs, it can provide up to 2.4A power to each USB port. A regular USB charger would provide 1A of power, so it’s more than twice as fast to charge from the powerbank than a mains to USB plug.

 

Overall, a great device. It has a solid, robust feel to it, without being so bulky you can’t take it with you. I could easily carry it in side pocket of cargo trousers/shorts or throw it in my backpack.

On a side note, buying through Amazon takes away any risk of the item becoming defective – even if you’re out of any official warranty period, in my experience they’ll offer a replacement or refund, even if you’ve had the product for a few years.

P.S. Stay tuned to my blog for an update on the device’s performance.

Moving House? Get Organised with this App!

We’re probably moving house at some point this year, hopefully in the Summer.

I have a lot of ‘stuff’ that I need for some reason or other, but likely won’t need often before the move. So I’ve started packing stuff into an array of boxes, plastic trays and other containers.

In my usual geeky style, simply writing the contents of the box in black marker on the side isn’t good enough. So I hunted for some sort of platform or app that could keep track – similar to an inventory management system for a warehouse.

I eventually discovered the free BoxMeUp app. I can login to their platform on my laptop or mobile to add a container, find an item etc, or scan a printed QR code.

BoxMeUp app printed QR code

I have a mixture of boxes – open top types, and rigid plastic trays and some free FedEx/UPS boxes. In some cases, I’ve got the trays stacked 6 high, so it’s convenient to be able to simply add a barcoded label to each. I have an old Dymo LabelWriter 450 I use for this.

The main features include:

  • Create virtual ‘containers’ on their website (desktop or mobile)
  • Assign a location for each ‘container’. Simply scan the barcode and the app will tell you where it should be.
  • Print off a barcoded label to attach to each box
  • Search for the location of a specific item
  • Scan the using their Android app to get a list of the items inside
  • Export full list of items as CSV, with locations, quantity etc

They don’t have an app for iOS (only Android), so I needed to dig out my old Galaxy S3 for this purpose. That said, their website is mobile-friendly, you just can’t use the barcode scanning function without the app.

Having a list of items and locations is also useful for reviewing for things to sell on eBay.

I Bought a 3D Printer Kit!

For the past week, I’ve been patiently awaiting a FedEx delivery from Hong Kong.
It cleared customs on Monday night, but I guess didn’t make the trailer to my local depot, so arrived today.

 

I’ll take a look over the weekend and post more photos! Also waiting my customs bill – hopefully it isn’t too much!

I Bought a New 2TB External Hard Drive

Amazon offered me £10 off if I spent £50 or more, so I bought this. Usually £68.99, but cost me just £58.99 with the discount; which isn’t bad for 2TB! Especially since it’s a 2.5″ drive (laptop size), and has USB 3.0.

Also, I should point out that I chose the thinner style hard drive mainly down to its portability. I was fed up of having to dock heavier 3.5″ desktop style hard drives on a dock, along with having to plug in power. With this, I simply use the included cable to connect one end to the hard drive case, and the other to a spare USB connector on my laptop. Simple. No hassle with power leads and docks.

I’ve got Amazon Prime, so I get free next day delivery. Though in this case, I ordered on a Saturday evening and it arrived on Tuesday, due to the fact they had extended their despatch times over the Black Friday / Cyber Monday period.

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