NIM: Emergency Battery Power

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As we become increasingly dependent on electronic devices like cell phone, iPads and MP3 players, we are also becoming slaves to the battery.  Having just returned from vacation, I am all too aware of the need for back-up power.  Sometimes there's just not an outlet handy to quickly recharge your iPhone.  There are some options already on the market but they tend to be on the bulky side.

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Designer Qian Jiang has come up with a concept for a power backup device that addresses the bulky issue and does so in a clever way. Rather than creating a different device to recharge batteries, why not have the batteries and the charger as one item?

There are a few issues this device would need to address before I added it to my carry-on bag.  First, how many devices use AA batteries anymore?  Outside of my antiquated  Canon A560 camera I'm hard pressed to come up with one.

And 20 minutes of cranking to achieve full power?  And remember, that's just for one battery.  Couldn't they just put a windmill on it and let me hold it out of the window on the train?

But the biggest challenge this device has is durability.  Considering the size of a AA battery, that crank is going to be pretty tiny in order to fit within  the devices exterior.  If I'm going to be cranking for 20 minutes I'm not to sure it will hold up.

Regrettably I think I'm stuck with searching for free outlets in the airport for the time being.  Once we get the power issue sorted out, perhaps they'll have figured out how to deliver free WiFi where and when I want it.