By As an Android user, we’re often forced to find creative ways of keeping our devices juiced up on-the-go. The other day I ran across a Kickstarter campaign that looks to solve the most fundamental cause of this problem: keeping a USB charging cable with you at all times. Whether you’re at a friends house, or simply rollin’ with da homies in the six-fo, chances are you have access to some kind of USB port. Only problem is you’re less likely to have a 1-foot charging cable bunched up in your skinny jeans. Enter, the ChargeCard.
The ChargeCard makes sure you always have the most vital component in making sure your device stays charged, by smashing a USB cable into the shape of a credit card where it can easily be stowed away in your wallet or back pocket. At $25 retail, it doesn’t come cheap. Hell, I could buy about 15 USB cables for that price, but that’s the price of convenience.
With still 13 days left to go, the ChargeCard has already reached full funding on Kickstarter where there’s still room for backers to pledge $20 to get their own later this year. The only pitfalls I can find with the ChargeCard is that you really can’t use your device while it’s being charged (thanks to very limited movement), and of course, it’s price. At $10, I could see these flying off the shelves.
Keep in mind there are alternatives. The internet is ripe full of USB charging/date cables that double as bracelets and even some that fit on keychains but at around the same pricing as the ChargeCard (some even more expensive), this Kickstarter campaign is looking all the more attractive. Anyone else thinking about backing the ChargeCard? Or am I alone in my sentiment?
Sound awesome. I’d buy it
awesome idea. To bad Apple is changing the charging port for the new iPhone tho.
Lol Yeah, sucks for them. Bet iPhonies wish Apple had adopted the universal standard instead of going proprietary :p
I have five Android devices, which have three different charge ports (mini, micro, and Samsung-proprietary), so I’d hardly say Android’s much better =P
Mini was the standard before Micro.
Which device has a proprietary cable? Samsung has been on MicroUSB since the original Galaxy line. I’ve had the Epic, GS2 and now GS3 and have been using the same cable the whole time. EU standards require phones to have a micro USB charger connection.
Probably a tablet. Its awesome that phones have standardized, but the tablet space is a mess.
those sound like old android devices. everything I’ve owned in the last two years has been micro USB. It’s been the standard for every major player in the industry for at least that long too.
Mini USB was the standard and all phone manufacturers but Apple used it. Then Micro USB became the new standard and everyone but Apple (and Dell if you count the Streak 5 as a phone and not a 5″ mini tablet as they marketed it as) used it.
Tablets are an entirely different story. Everyone wants their own damn propriataryy cable for their Tablets and it irks me so much. So glad Google went with the standard Micro USB for the Nexus 7.
Then they wouldn’t be unique of they went universal, and they wouldn’t make money off licensing deals from third parties who make chargers…..
Isn’t this just for iphones? Also, how would this work for Android as the port is typically on the side and not capable of supporting the weight of a phone without causing the usb port to become loose and non functional after a short period of time. Just think of what happens after repeated non speaker phone calls while leaving your usb plugged in. Or am I the only one that has seen a phone broken this way?
It’s for Android as well. They have backing available for a micro USB version of this.
And speaking from experience, I’ve never broken a USB port on any of my phones.
Ive never broken or damaged a usb port either, but i dont make a habbit of propping my device up by the usb port either like they have the iPhone in many of their pictures.
That picture charging the iPhone on the PS3 is a huge nono lol. the one on the speaker and printer? That phones gonna fall…. lol
Its a convenient charging cable you keep in your wallet, not a stand tho some of thier pictures would make you believe otherwise. :P
Yeah, the PS3 pic made me nervous as well. Hahaha
Samsung’s are usually on the top, or bottom. Lately I’ve seen them on the bottom. I seen HTC on the side. Haven’t seen other manufactures, though.
Nothing that has a chance of breaking will go in my wallet. Things in my wallet get destroyed.
even if i bought the card, i still need to carry the wall charger with me haha
Yeah, I wonder where there are USB power connectors that don’t also have cables nearby.
I’ll take “Things that’ll break faster than an iPhone dropped from waist height” for $400, Alex
And you get a cheaply made galaxy s3 made from flimsy plastic, you win!!
Sgs3 survives falls better than the iphone.
Don’t reason with facts…. they tend to overheat.
so much flipping flaming. Its a good idea.
Wonder how much praise this would’ve got if the Android (aka microUSB) version was developed and filmed first..I’d buy one. For emergencies etc.
“At $25 retail, it doesn’t come cheap. Hell, I could buy about 15 USB cables for that price, but that’s the price of convenience.” This.
I have so many Micro-USB cables that I pretty much have them anywhere I need them. I have two at work, two in my car, two in my backpack (and I’ll note right here that I can’t remember I time I didn’t have my car or backpack), and more than I can count at home.
So while I may not have one “on me” at “all” times, I have one on me whenever I have access to a USB port. And they were effectively free (since they come with every phone, tablet, and even mouse I’ve purchased over the past few years).
Why not make it a solar charger too?
lol @ rollin with the homies in the six fo
Unless you have usb wall sockets, or a computer thats the only way you can charge it. Nice idea but too bad there isnt a way you can stick it into a regular wall socket
Pass. I use a much cheaper retractable microusb cable instead, and it’s portable enough.
Also, you still need to bring an AC USB charger along if you want to charge your device in a reason amount of time, since a computers’ USB is only 0.5amp, and the A/C wallwart is optimized for your device. My SGS3 charges half as fast on USB vs AC (1.0amp), and if I’m using the phone while charging, too, it barely charges at all when on 0.5amp, but 1amp makes no difference.
This is also why I use wireless adb, instead of usb adb: takes too long to charge. Very few computer usb ports can supply > 0.5amps.
Some OEM’s are selling their laptop’s will full USB power now-a-days…..
Sure, lets just break my USB ports. Good concept, bad implementation.
When I first saw this, I thought it was a concept to charge up a little battery in the card that would give you some extra juice to get through the day. That would be awesome.
But a USB cable in card form? No thanks. I can get three or four retractable USB cables that fit in my pocket/satchel/backpack for $25.
Edit: And I can actually use my phone while it’s charging on a retractable cable. This thing? Not so much.
You have just made a deal breaking point. It would be extremely uncomfortable to use the phone while plugged in. Using a standard charger gives us ability to use the phone, obviously.
Yeah, it’s weird to me that so many people have supported them on kickstarter.
The one positive of this product – saving space in your pockets – isn’t impactful enough to pay a premium for it. Add in the negatives – limited use while charging and the fact that you still need to find a powered USB port to use it – and it seems like something you would find at Sharper Image.
I’ll buy ChargeCard when it can charge my phone without having to be plugged into a computer.
Yup, having a Droid Razr Maxx is really creative…