Gadling gear review - Dexim BluePack S3 backup battery pack
In this product review, we'll take a look at the Dexim BluePack S3 backup battery pack. The BluePack S3 is designed to provide backup power for almost any device that can powered and charged using USB. Inside the pack is a 2600mAh Lithium-Ion battery.
The basic idea behind this product is that you can charge your device even when you are away from a regular outlet. This means you can keep your iPod, iPhone, Zune, Blackberry or other device running, for the duration of a long haul flight or long train ride.
The BluePack S3 is about the size of a small mobile phone and included in the box is an AC charger (rated for 100-240V, making it suitable for international use), a carrying pouch, a USB charging cable and three device cables (iPod/iPhone, MiniUSB and MicroUSB).
The 2600mAh battery is one of the highest capacities on the market. Most battery packs this size are limited to about 1800mAh. Now, what does this mean to us travelers? Well - take for example the iPhone 3G. This phone has an 1150mAh battery pack, which means a 2600mAh backup battery can give the iPhone at least two full charges (assuming you start charging when it is completely empty). When you start from 25%, you'll boost it about three times past its normal capacity.
Charging your device is extremely simple - You pick the right cable, plug it into your device, and let the battery pack do its work. The only button on the BluePack S3 is for checking the charge level of its battery, and for turning on the LED light. If the iPod, MiniUSB or MicroUSB cables don't fit your device, you can use any other USB charging cable.
My only minor gripe with the BluePack S3 is that the cable used to charge the pack is not a standard plug - most backup battery packs use MiniUSB to charge, but the BluePack S3 uses a small round connector. This means you'll need to keep a close eye on the charging cable, as losing it means you won't be able to recharge the unit.
There is one advantage to this cable - it has 2 USB plugs on the other end, making it possible to charge the pack using 2 USB ports, speeding up the charging process (the two connectors can double the power delivered to the BluePack S3).
All in all, a solid product. The included cables are a nice bonus, and a set of cables like this normally sells for about $20. The BluePack S3 feels sturdy and looks well designed. I'm a huge fan of backup battery packs as they can mean the difference between being able to use your gadgets, or having to read the Skymall catalog for 14 hours.
The Dexim BluePack S3 retails for $65.90 and is available from several US vendors.
Filed under: Gadling Gear Review
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Craig Sep 28th 2009 12:37PM
Kensington makes a similar battery pack that's the same size, cheaper, holds more charge (charges my iPhone 2.5 times, and as quickly as AC power), and charges with a standard mini-USB cable (or an included AC adapter which is slimmer than this product's). http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-Portable-Mobile-Devices-K38021US/dp/B000UZIYS0/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2LNNWBT1PSO6F&colid=R41JC05EGVFY
Whichever one you choose, these are quite handy. Not only do they make the long flight over the ocean more bearable, they also enable you to recharge when you're taking an overnight train/bus instead of a hotel. And to be honest I don't have anything that doesn't charge via USB except my camera batteries.
Scott Carmichael Sep 28th 2009 12:49PM
Thanks Craig!
I reviewed the Kensington last year:
http://www.gadling.com/2008/07/22/product-review-kensington-ultra-portable-battery-pack/
It only has an 1800mAh battery, compared to the 2600 in the Dexim. It isn't a huge difference, but ever mAh counts!
I agree with the charger - though the Dexim charger can pump out 2A, so it'll charge the battery much faster.
Both are equally well made, and I just wanted to review as many of these as I could, as I really love their flexibility.
Coming up soon, I'll compare all the battery packs I've got here.