Portable battery charger option for S3?

[atomarchio]

I am looking for extended battery option for Samsung Galaxy S3 during a day of travel where I am not near an electrical outlet. I was thinking about buying a spare replacement battery but taking the case off this phone is a pain. Is anyone having success with a portable battery charger which charges the phone from the USB port? If so, how long does it take? What is the brand/model you would suggest? Thanks.

 

[bsweetness]

New Trent is one of the best brands of external battery packs out there. I own this 7000mAh one from them. It's been phenomenal. It has two USB ports, one that outputs at 1A for phones and one that outputs at 2.1A for phones or tablets. It also charges via a standard microUSB cable. I went with this one because it offered a perfect balance of what I needed - the ability to recharge a phone 2-3 times on a single charge, a higher power USB port for larger devices, it's relatively thin and light, and it charges with a standard microUSB cable (there are several out there that use a proprietary charger, and it's a pain to have to carry around yet another cable when traveling). The charging time tends to be a little bit slower than charging via an electrical outlet with the OEM charger, but that's to be expected with any external battery pack. Using the 2.1A USB port on mine provides a noticeable decrease in charging time versus many other battery packs I've used.

There are several other external battery packs made by New Trent with varying sizes (both in terms of charge and physical size), and they all have stellar reviews on Amazon. I'm sure there's one that will fit your needs and wants.

 

[atomarchio]

I will take a look. If the phone is completely dead, how long would it take to be able to use the phone at all with the device connected?

 

[CamoMike]

I will take a look. If the phone is completely dead, how long would it take to be able to use the phone at all with the device connected?

Probably around 20-30 minutes to get enough charge for the phone to "allow" it to power back on. Best thing is to never allow it to fully die when you need it.

External pack chargers are awesome. Go with what bsweetness mentioned above. He has you covered...

New Trent website

 

[atomarchio]

Probably around 20-30 minutes to get enough charge for the phone to "allow" it to power back on. Best thing is to never allow it to fully die when you need it.

External pack chargers are awesome. Go with what bsweetness mentioned above. He has you covered...

New Trent website

Is this brand sold in local retail stores? I would like to buy one and try it out so I could return if I don't like it.

 

[bsweetness]

Is this brand sold in local retail stores? I would like to buy one and try it out so I could return if I don't like it.

You'd have to check your local retail stores to see if they carry them. I've never seen them in any stores around me, but since they're easy to get online, I've never looked for them either.

But trust me, if you order an external battery from New Trent that's the size you're looking for and you don't like it, there really won't be any other ones out there from any other manufacturer that will make you happy. I travel extensively, often without access to stable electricity for days at a time, so I've used many different external battery packs over the years. New Trent makes the best out there that are sold for a reasonable price. Look over the different models that are available and decide which one fits your needs based on it's capacity, overall size, and features (1 or 2 USB ports, proprietary or microUSB charging, etc.). And Amazon does accept returns if it comes to that.

 

[atomarchio]

I am sold. Buying one today on Amazon.

This item includes the charger, right? NT70T for $41.95. Is there any other accessory I would need to purchase? Is there an LED display on this device so I know how much charge it has left?

 

[bsweetness]

I am sold. Buying one today on Amazon.

This item includes the charger, right? NT70T for $41.95. Is there any other accessory I would need to purchase? Is there an LED display on this device so I know how much charge it has left?

In looking at the link I posted above, which goes to the NT70T, I noticed that it's actually an updated version of the one I have (model number IMP70D). Since they're slightly different, I'm not sure why Amazon would list the new version in my purchase history instead of the one I actually bought. So it looks like there are a few differences.

On the older version (the IMP70D), there is no charger included. It charges via microUSB, so it will charge with any USB charger. They assume you'll just use the one that came with your phone. Personally, this is fine with me because I'd rather carry only one around anyway. It does come with a very, very short cable for charging, but it's so short that it's almost unusable. I just use the the cable that I use with my phone. It works great, and I don't have to carry around multiple cables and chargers if I don't want to.

According to the product page fro the NT70T, it also does not include a charger for the same reasons. But, there's a big difference with the NT70T - it has an integrated USB cable for charging and a USB extension cable to give you more length when charging. So, instead of having to connect a microUSB to USB cable in order to charge the battery pack, you just use the integrated USB cable (along with the USB extension if you need it) and plug that into a standard USB charger. That's certainly an improvement in my book. It also has an integrated microUSB cable for charging devices directly, meaning you won't even have to carry a cable at certain times, which is a really nice touch. I really like that you can charge a phone or tablet and charge the battery pack without having to carry any cables at all if you want to.

The one that I have (IMP70D) does have indicator lights to let you know how much charge it has left. The NT70T does as well.

Actually, just watch this unboxing video on YouTube. It shows you everything that comes with it.

[video=youtube;esN9Pt-_eTg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esN9Pt-_eTg[/video]

You should also read through several of the most recent reviews on Amazon, because they also address many of your questions first hand (along with providing further information).

Now I want to get rid of my IMP70D and get this new version. They've made some impressive additions.

 

[atomarchio]

My New Trent NT40T just arrived and I am charging it now. Have one question though? Can I add an adapter to the end of the USB cable which would allow me to plug in the device to a standard wall outlet? I have one of these left over from my Motorola Droid which I recently sold.


Please let me know. Thanks.

 

[bsweetness]

My New Trent NT40T just arrived and I am charging it now. Have one question though? Can I add an adapter to the end of the USB cable which would allow me to plug in the device to a standard wall outlet? I have one of these left over from my Motorola Droid which I recently sold.


Please let me know. Thanks.

Yes indeed. That's what they intend for you to do.