I originally looked at this and wasn’t really going to post it but then I actually read it and thought it was rather cool and well worth posting. I guess I shouldn’t just skim things as I might miss something like this. Power Practical has just announced that they’re now selling the Practical Meter which is a tool to test your USB ports to see how well they’re charging your devices and I think it could be an invaluable tool. The price is $24.99 but you also get a 3-in-1 fast charging cable with it. Details below…
Power Practical, a Salt Lake City based group of engineers, entrepreneurs, outdoor enthusiasts and the makers of the PowerPot®, announces availability of the Practical Meter. In June, Power Practical launched the Practical Meter on crowd funding platform Kickstarter with a $9,999 goal to meet in 30 days. Expectations were surpassed when 10,000 units were pre-sold and $167,820 raised as part of the month-long campaign. After a vigorous couple of months spent on bringing the product to life, the Practical Meter is now ready to ship to all of its original backers and is available through retail at ThinkGeek and Grand St, as well as www.powerpractical.com for $24.99.
The Practical Meter is a USB-meter that provides real time feedback allowing users to see whether their device is charging at half or full speed. LED meters light up right before the user’s eyes signalling power emission ranging from 1 to 10 watts and covering the entire range of smartphone and tablet charging.
The Practical Meter will help solve slow charge times commonly encountered from PCs, solar panels and third-party chargers. Smartphones commonly charge at 2-watts or less on standard USB data ports, resulting in charge times as high as six hours. The Practical Meter provides that information, and cuts down charge times by as much as 75% with the included 3-in-1 fast charging cable, compatible with iOS and Android devices, micro & mini USB.
Practical Meter: http://www.thepowerpot.com/solar-power-optimized-practical-meter
“We’re really excited to be bringing the Practical Meter to retail,” says Matt Ford, CEO of Power Practical. “We got an overwhelming reaction to our Kickstarter campaign, which made us realize that this is something people have a serious need for. You spend hours charging your phone only to have it halfway charge or discharge rapidly and you have no idea why. This stops that.”
The Practical Meter ships its 10,000 pre-sold units today and is fully available in retail for $24.99 through its two partners and online retailers – ThinkGeek &Grand St – and www.powerpractical.com.