Database Users

Energizer XP4000 Portable Charge

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875998388
good deal on the xp4000, the xp2000 is selling for the same price though free shipping

I got the 8000mah model for 40 a few months ago from Woot and these are great chargers.

I'm curious, what is the advantage of this over just having a couple Ebay spare batteries and external charger? It seems like the spare batteries are a lot smaller and you can just swap them out. Not trying to a make a point or anyting - but I just dont understand the advantage. I actually have four batteries and 2 chargers and have at least one spare with me at all times. And I got those for cheaper than this Energizer product. Thanks!

Alot of people do not like having to take their case and battery cover off all of the time to switch batteries. I have broken two of my Seidio cases becuase of having to take it off once a day to change my battery.

Makes sense. I guess it is kind of pain to reboot and everything. I have a relative that works at Energizer and prob get me one for very cheap. Might try it out...

wiltok said:
I'm curious, what is the advantage of this over just having a couple Ebay spare batteries and external charger? It seems like the spare batteries are a lot smaller and you can just swap them out. Not trying to a make a point or anyting - but I just dont understand the advantage. I actually have four batteries and 2 chargers and have at least one spare with me at all times. And I got those for cheaper than this Energizer product. Thanks!
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This is a solution for all my gadgets. Ipod, ipad, cell phone, bluetooth headphones etc can all charge off of one pack. whereas a second battery only helps the evo. sweet find, but like the stroths said, i think i'm gonna wait for an 8000mah

stroths said:
I got the 8000mah model for 40 a few months ago from Woot and these are great chargers.
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thanks for telling me about woot, looks kewl

elapshtc said:
thanks for telling me about woot, looks kewl
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Dude, just wait till they do a woot-off. they sell one item at a time until it sells out, then load up another item and so on all day long. it's awesome!

I recommend getting woot watcher from the market if you are a fan of woot. Awesome during woot-offs.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App.

tgruendler said:
I recommend getting woot watcher from the market if you are a fan of woot. Awesome during woot-offs.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App.
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i didn't even know this existed. thank you!!

Here is an alternative that I use and is a 5400
splash Intense 5400mAh External Battery Pack
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003NTYYXY/ref=oss_product
You can connect two devices if you have the other cable. I like it and it charges my evo about three times from 30% to 100%
BTW.. You have to push the ON button for it to charge your EVO. There was one dumb arse complaining about it but it tells you in the instructions that you have to turn it ON for it to work.

A 8000 mah external battery is gonna be a friggin BRICK. Hope you have big pockets.

I bought two energizer portable battery chargers- on sale once. I had a military exercise and was going to be in areas where no electrical outlets. Charged them fully and was happy until the freaking port of the energizer charger caved in. Took them BOTH back and got my money back and bought two 3500mAh batteries on ebay instead the next day. I just plugged the usb cable that came with it gently and it broked off inside. It ain't military grade....

Better (and longer!) AC Adapter!

I order one of these from eBay and it works great. I got one of the car chargers too..just for fun. So my power needs are good to go now! I travel for work and the short factory cross was getting old quick. Hope this helps!
Chlballi
http://cgi.ebay.com/AC-Adapter-Powe...758?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b9ede3b6
Edit:
I just saw this one too..don't know much about it though.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Power-Supply-Ad...158?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a66a3f866

Electronic Crap has a 6 ft charging cable available
http://electroniccrap.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=26_27
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

Nice find. Between this thread and others I've seen, power cables are definitely no longer in "short" supply.
Chlballi

chlballi said:
I order one of these from eBay and it works great. I got one of the car chargers too..just for fun. So my power needs are good to go now! I travel for work and the short factory cross was getting old quick. Hope this helps!
Chlballi
http://cgi.ebay.com/AC-Adapter-Powe...758?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b9ede3b6
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I bought this and have returned it. The tip was 3mm longer than OEM and was loose in the port. It wiggled so much that power would cut in and out. They even sent me a second cable in case they sent the wrong one, but it was the same as the first. They were polite and eagerly offered a refund. I would not recommend this. I also checked Radio Shack and their tips were the same. I'll splice my OEM cable before I risk frying my tablet.

After using it for a bit i noticed the same thing. Its too late for me to return mine..so. Anyone haveany luck with the one from electroniccrap.com?
Chlballi

I bought the one from electronic crap. Its nice, but nowhere 6 feet long. I'm 5'9" and it barely reaches my neck. It doesn't fit all the way in like the stock, because the plug is about 2mm too long. It's snug though and still better than the stock one. It's about 5' long.
Brash
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App

I've got the radio shake 6ft one.. same thing, the plug is a little long, but it doesn't really bother me. There's no little groove for it to click on, but mostly, i'm not handling the tablet too much when it's plugged in. I've thought about trying to file a slight groove in the tip like the oem one.. but it doesn't bother me quite enough. Just wish the adapter and cord wasn't white.

Is it worth it? (Acer Dock)

I am considering purchasing the dock. I don't need HDMI or the audio port etc.
My plan is to use the A500 as a chumby-like device beside me at night time. So, clock, weather, etc. and a quick touch to dim or light it up.
That being said, is the dock worth it? Does it work well? Mostly I'm concerned about the remote, I'm sure I'll be using that a lot.
I have read that it never used to, but now works nicely in 3.2, but I'd like to verify that here before I drop 50 bucks on it.
Thanks.

If that's all you want it for, save yourself the money and just buy a cheap tablet stand...

FloatingFatMan said:
If that's all you want it for, save yourself the money and just buy a cheap tablet stand...
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And where do I find a remote that will work with it that's small and neat?

Unless you're willing to pay a lot of money just for a remote, I'd have to agree with FloatingFatMan.
While I really want a dock, paying $55 USD for the official Acer dock and another $20 for a power supply (because it doesn't come with one) is crazy, considering the limitations. It's really nothing more than an expensive piece of plastic with a power pass-thru and audio connector.
I think that dock would be good if they droped the price or released a version 2.0 with a power supply, USB, and HDMI (granted, you mentioned you wern't looking for those features).
A simple $5 generic tablet stand and nightstand app will do everything you're looking for... just without the cheap-feeling remote that the Acer dock comes with.
If you really want a remote there are several good Bluetooth versions that will work. I saw some threads with people using a Jabra 3030

Hell, I bent an old coat hanger into a DIY stand and it works great. Not aesthetically pleasing mind you, but it works amazingly for what its worth.
Sent from my DROID X2 using XDA App

I have to agree with the others...
As an owner of the dock, I'm very disappointed. Everything the others say about it is true. A basic tablet stand would likely serve you better. Note that I really don't use the remote, though.

Inexpensive tablet stand
Here's a link to an inexpensive, folding tablet stand. I don't own this, but it has many positive reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/Arkon-Portabl...TAB1/dp/B000CKVOOY/ref=acc_glance_e_ai_ps_t_4

Thanks for the responses. The answer is, yes I really do want the remote. I was only thinking about the dock on behalf of the fact that it would be 2 solutions in 1.
1. I'd get a remote. I haven't been able to source any neat/small bluetooth remotes
The only one I've seen for less than $40 is the PS3 remote and I doubt that's compatible with the A500 in terms of all the relevant functions. There's another, $40 by SMK-Link but again, not sure if it works with the A500 and it's too big anyway.
and...
2. The dock would serve as my charger so I didn't have to fumble for the cord to plug the tablet in every time. I could just drop it on the dock when I'm heading to bed. Afaik the tablet's charger works with the dock, so I wouldn't need to spend another $20, it's not like I need 2 anyway.
The dock isn't absolutely necessary. It just takes a few extra movements to plug it in anyway. I'd gladly save a few bucks on skipping the dock. The remote is the real issue at hand. While I want the tablet to be like a chumby, I also want it to be my music player as mentioned. After I'm done playing with it beside the bed and I've set my alarm, I don't want to have to stretch over to fiddle with it if I don't like the song being played. Likewise, I don't want to have to fiddle with it while manipulating/navigating the netflix app.
If you guys could recommend to me a good bluetooth remote control I'd be happy. I still haven't been able to source a good one. The Jabra 3030 is $60-90 and a bit more than I need but less than I want. I don't need a device to stream music through headphones to me, I already have a great bluetooth speaker system set up in my bedroom. The Street also is missing a directional pad.
I already own the Arkon. That's what I use to dock it now. It serves it's purpose as a dock nicely in terms of leaving it be, but in cases where you need to touch the tablet, it isn't as practical since if you're not careful, touching the tablet ends up fumbling your configuration/angles...even though the hinges are for the most part quite tight.
I'm sad to hear that the dock is disappointing, but for what I want it seems I may not have a choice.
Thanks again for your responses and advice. I look forward to hearing your suggestions. I've searched up and down the net' and haven't been able to find a small, tidy control like the one that comes with the A500 dock.

Gentle Alarm's Night Mode + my 10 dollar Merkury Innovations Stand is more and adequate enough on my dresser, plus it looks sexxy .
The Docks current setup is just not worth the money, unless you need a 50+ dollar remote for the brag factor.

I have that stand it works real nice.

it's definitly not worth it !
i had one for another tab. save ur money, and just take a good case

Dock purely for charging?
So there are no cheaper docks purely for charging?
I know I can get a cheap stand and plug in the power cable, that's what I use now - A $3 business card holder from OfficeWorks and the original charger.
But I want a dock that I can throw my tab at, and have it slide in and start charging.

luke.pell said:
So there are no cheaper docks purely for charging?
I know I can get a cheap stand and plug in the power cable, that's what I use now - A $3 business card holder from OfficeWorks and the original charger.
But I want a dock that I can throw my tab at, and have it slide in and start charging.
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I caved and got the Acer Dock. There are just no alternatives for the remote and being able to just sit the device on something and have it charge is a nice bonus over having to plug it in every time.
Not sure why so many are complaining about it. I half expected it to crumble while using it or that it just wouldn't work the way some owners complained of how cheap it was on Amazon. But I read some of the 4 star reviews and went ahead with the purchase.
But the dock works well, the remote works very well, better than I expected and the dock isn't that 'cheap' to me. Then I again, I don't equate something made of plastic to being cheap so that may just be me.
For what it does, allowing you to sit your tablet down to charge AND coming with the remote control (that I can find no alternatives for), it's well worth it to me...you just have to stomach the $50. If you consider the dock to be 20/25 and the remote to be 25/30 (that's what I did), it doesn't feel like a waste of money. Granted, if you don't want the remote then it would definitely feel like paying too much but I haven't found any charging bases either way, and I don't think you ever will since it's a proprietary slot.

I'm considering getting one of these docks.
Its handy to have an audio connection that doesn't use the 3.5ml jack, preventing the jack from getting worn down whenever you want to play music at home.
Let alone not wearing down the solder for the charging port (I hate the charging port, am really disappointed the tab cant charge over its micro USB, but thats a whole separate rant eheh)
I originally thought I should get a second charger and dock, but since using custom roms my battery life has gotten so good that I can leave my only charger at home on a dock and not have to worry.
My battery is usually on 70% ~ 65% remaining by the time I get home, including daily web usage, 2 hours of video playback, and general fiddling here and there.
If there was a cheaper stand that utilised the Dock port, i'd strongly consider it, but since this is the only one I know of that has the port for audio, remote control and charging. if I could get one for 50 bucks I would be very happy.
unfortunately in Aus they're price point is ****ty (aus retail sucks) so Its probably going to cost me $65~

qwertylesh said:
I'm considering getting one of these docks.
...
Let alone not wearing down the solder for the charging port (I hate the charging port, am really disappointed the tab cant charge over its micro USB, but thats a whole separate rant eheh)
...
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If you could charge via the USB, you would wear it down twice as fast. That's because you can't charge it connected to a PC because its USB port simply cannot supply the needed current to charge the battery. So you would have to plug in a charger and unplug it every time you need to connect to a PC for file transfer. Not to mention that this would make developement of applications with A500a pain in the a## because you will be discharging the battery while connected unless you allow it to go to sleep and have to wake and unlock every time you run your app (which would still discharge the battery but slower).
Acer did not put the extra production effort/cost in having more ports just to make your life miserable
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App

Bluetooth Audio Receiver... not bad for $35

I picked this thing up on eBay for $35 brand new w/free shipping.
***THERE SHOULD BE AN IMAGE HERE BUT I'M A N00B AND CAN'T POST OUTSIDE LINKS***
It's a "B3510 Bluetooth Audio Music Receiver". It can hook into your home stereo or a pair of computer speakers or your car's aux input and use it like a pair of bluetooth headphones for your tablet. I'm using this on my Acer Iconia Tab a500 to put Pandora to my home stereo. It's kind of nice having Pandora playing turned up in the living room while I'm able to change stations in the kitchen. 30-foot range is about all you'll get out of this thing though. If you search eBay for "bluetooth home audio" you'll find plenty of other options. I went with this one because it looked the cleanest and was the cheapest. It got to my door from overseas in about 10 days.
Cheers.

20 bucks. Works great. Monoprice is the best.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10827&cs_id=1082704&p_id=7364&seq=1&format=2

Wow... can't beat that. Have to admit I've never heard of monoprice.com though... thanks for the tip. I'll be checking it out.
I wish we had a Fry's here... this town sux!!

You don't need a Fry's store in your town, just go to their website That is unless you want instant gratification...

I'm male... instant gratification, of course

Yea, I know the feeling, when I need something now and can't wait, I just go to Fry's. Otherwise it's always online for me. hehe

I needed an additional receiver for the bedroom so I ordered your suggestion from Monoprice. I'll re-post when it gets here with first impressions.
Funny thing, It was $26 and change which included overnight shipping. Still cheaper than e-bay.
The one thing I will say though, this adapter from Monoprice is going to be a big white box either up on the wall or taking up 2 slots on a power strip whereas the one that I got from ebay is a small little black square with a single outlet, small corded power supply.

Ok... The bluetooth audio receiver from Monoprice has it's pros and cons but for me it's more of a comparison to the same product I ordered off of eBay a bit ago.
The unit from Monoprice actually is nice because of the price. With overnight shipping it came out around $26 and change where as the one off of eBay was $35 with free shipping but it took about a week and a half to get here.
The Monoprice model is kind of a pain in that you have to string the audio cable from your receiver down to the nearest wall outlet or plug this into your power strip and let it use one outlet and cover the one next to it. One plus though is that it's got a USB jack on it in case you want to charge something.
The model I purchased from eBay has a small power supply with a cord so it allows you to place the unit in your entertainment center with everything else.
The Monoprice model constantly blinks it's bright blue LED when it's not in use (solid when it's connected) whereas the unit I bought from eBay is solid when connected and OFF when not in use. Most wouldn't think this would matter but if it's in your bedroom plugged into an exposed outlet, you'll be sleeping to a constant blue light.
So, although saving a little coin is nice, I'll buy into the more aesthetically pleasing choice next time.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Tiny piece of tape covers blue light. 2$ extension cord puts it anywhere you want.

Cheap QI Wireless chargers. Are they any good?

Been thinking about getting a wireless charger for some time. However the price has been putting me off for a while.
But, now that demand for QI chargers have been growing, there are more cheaper versions available.
I've been looking around and seen the site mentioned a few times: http://www.fasttech.com
Prices are pretty good ($ to £) and there's free shipping. I've been looking at the USB version as I would want to plug it in to either my desktop or laptop rather than use a mains adaptor.
But I'm worried about the quality of these devices. They don't look too robust and might break easily. Also concerned about charging times, I've heard that cheap QI devices can take a long time to charge or don't fully charge the phone.
So, has anyone got any experience with these products : good/bad or are there better alternatives at the same price.
Thanks
Sent from my Nexus 4

cmberry20 said:
Been thinking about getting a wireless charger for some time. However the price has been putting me off for a while.
But, now that demand for QI chargers have been growing, there are more cheaper versions available.
I've been looking around and seen the site mentioned a few times: http://www.fasttech.com
Prices are pretty good ($ to £) and there's free shipping. I've been looking at the USB version as I would want to plug it in to either my desktop or laptop rather than use a mains adaptor.
But I'm worried about the quality of these devices. They don't look too robust and might break easily. Also concerned about charging times, I've heard that cheap QI devices can take a long time to charge or don't fully charge the phone.
So, has anyone got any experience with these products : good/bad or are there better alternatives at the same price.
Thanks
Sent from my Nexus 4
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Your answers should be here --> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2123394
Rather Large thread just on the Fasttech charger.

Thanks. The N7 version from fast tech seem pretty good. Are there any others that are worth considering?
Sent from my Nexus 4

People have been saying the Metrans one has been one of the best QI Chargers, As well as the Panasonic ones. Since more Flagship Phones (HTC ONE, Galaxy S4) are coming out with Qi Enabled I can see more chargers hitting the market. Ones I'm on the watch of are: QiMINI and the New Nokia Car Charger. The QiMINI mostly due to size and portability but if the price is over $60USD I'll pass since I can get the Metrans or the Orb for that much. The Nokia Car Charger looks very promising but if the Price is too high then I'll have to wait to see if other Car Chargers come out. And hopefully it won't have the QC Issues the other Nokia Charger had.

Yeah there are a lot of new designs hitting the market. However, I think paying over $30/£20 is too much for a 'novelty' charger. At the end of the day a wireless charger does exactly the the same job as a $1 cable but doesn't have the ability to transfer files. So I don't really warrant paying loads for a QI charger.
But on the other hand if I get a cheap one I don't want it to be crap!
Sent from my Nexus 4

cmberry20 said:
Yeah there are a lot of new designs hitting the market. However, I think paying over $30/£20 is too much for a 'novelty' charger. At the end of the day a wireless charger does exactly the the same job as a $1 cable but doesn't have the ability to transfer files. So I don't really warrant paying loads for a QI charger.
But on the other hand if I get a cheap one I don't want it to be crap!
Sent from my Nexus 4
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a good counter to that statement is that i can transfer files wirelessly too

cmberry20 said:
Yeah there are a lot of new designs hitting the market. However, I think paying over $30/£20 is too much for a 'novelty' charger. At the end of the day a wireless charger does exactly the the same job as a $1 cable but doesn't have the ability to transfer files. So I don't really warrant paying loads for a QI charger.
But on the other hand if I get a cheap one I don't want it to be crap!
Sent from my Nexus 4
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You set your budget too high For what it does, I wouldn't pay more than 20 (plus shipping) for a QI charger. I believe they are so expensive now because of the novelty. Won't be too long, before they fall below the 20 mark. I already have one on order that costed me 21 including shipping. And that thing is as small as a hockey puck. Look it up in case you haven't, it's called the metrans mwt03
---------- Post added at 09:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 PM ----------
Wuss912 said:
a good counter to that statement is that i can transfer files wirelessly too
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I disagree that it's a good counter. You don't need a wireless charger to transfer files wirelessly. How does that support the purchase decision of one? Add to that the fact that wireless transfer is slower than through a 1$ data cable, it actually weakens your counter

I made the point of Wireless chargers being a bit of a novelty in my review here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2246340

Sorry to kind of go off on a tangent, but is the Nexus 4 Qi Orb really worth all that money? I can only get it from Mobile fun in the UK for £60.
Sent from my Nexus 4

razor5cl said:
Sorry to kind of go off on a tangent, but is the Nexus 4 Qi Orb really worth all that money? I can only get it from Mobile fun in the UK for £60.
Sent from my Nexus 4
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Look around in the accessories section. Much better and cheaper alternatives available.

QI Charger cheap
Type into amazon "qi wireless charger" and it should be the first link that comes up, a white charging mat thats says "qi wireless charger" on it, sorry I cant post links :/
This charger has some good reviews on amazon and youtube, and its only £20 with postage! I dont think the official nexus orb is completely worth the money, since people have complained of problems with it not letting the nexus stick to it.
Yeah, so have a look for some videos on it on youtube
I personally prefer the black one lol!