The Dexim BluePack S3 & S8 – A Portable Battery Pack Designed for James Bond

I’ve reviewed quite a few battery packs lately. It seems that this is the hot market currently just the way iPod cases were to iPods a few years ago. You can’t seem to get away from them. However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a wide variety of options in the market. And, I view having a portable charging solution for your cell phone a critical item to have in any household.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have needed to charge up my iPhone or other device and had to rely on a portable battery pack. I actually have quite a few at my disposal. And they are completely indispensable at tradeshows or on trips. I have lent out one of my charging solutions time and time again to various coworkers. Now I have another one to add to my battlechest (as well as to the weight of my backpack), the Dexim BluePack S3. Note there is also a version that has a more powerful battery called the BluePack S8 which is a 3000 mAh battery; the S3 is a 2600 mAh battery.

So what makes portable battery packs different from each other, and specifically, the Dexim BluePack? Well, in my opinion, there are a few things:

• Design/Features
• Duration
• Weight
• Price

So quickly…

• Design – the BluePack S3 is very compact and has some nice smooth round edges. It can actually easily fit into a pocket. It’s built out of a sturdy aluminum that looks like it can withstand scuffs and scratches. There is a battery charge level indicator that is activated by pushing a button on the side of the battery. On the end is a standard USB port, a power port for charging and a small light that is turned on by holding the battery charge level button for a few seconds. That is a nice extra touch and makes your battery pack multi-functional and a bit like something you would find in 007’s bag of trick. For me, I liked the small, rugged design.
• Duration – The S3 is a 2600 mAh Lithium Polymer battery. (Note there is larger version that is a 3000 mAh battery called the BluePack S8.) But what do these numbers translate to? With the S3, that equates to 10 hours of talks time, 20 hrs of video, 20 hrs of gaming and 80 hrs of music. With the S8, even more time!
• Weight – Batteries, even despite their size, are typically quite heavy. It is up to the designer to figure out how to do this properly, packing more charge into a smaller, lighter device. The S3 weighs about the same if not slightly less than an iPhone. In fact, the iPhone 3GS weights 4.8 ounces and the Dexim weights 3.2 ounces. The weight of the S3 is quite reasonable in my opinion.
• Price – The Dexim BluePack S3 is pretty affordable, retailing at $65.90 but you can pick them up on Amazon as well. I couldn’t find a S3 on Amazon currently but the big brother, the S8 is available for $79.90. I believe that it’s on-par with others in the market.

Some other S3 specs while we are at it:

• Battery Input power: 5V DC,2A
• Battery Output power: 5V DC,1
• Dual USB AC adapter output power: 5V DC,2A
• Input power: 100-240V~50/60Hz 0.3max

The Dexim BluePacks have built in short circuit protection to prevent your devices from overcharging. It comes with a dual USB charging cable which works on the included wall charger, or by plugging into two USB ports on your computer. I believe you can charge on your computer with just 1 USB cord but it takes a bit longer. Included with the BluePack is a couple of charging cables (mini & micro USB connections) and a dock charger for iPods.

I realize that there are plenty of battery pack solutions out there, some attach as cases for your device while others are external, like the Dexim. For me, the Dexim is particularly nice because it looks sleek, is fairly compact, works with many different types of USB-powered devices, has a rugged construction, but also, because it is somewhat utilitarian beyond simple charging, namely because it has a bright LED light built into it. It is a surprising yet useful feature that could definitely come in handy.

The bottom line is, I view external battery packs to be emergency devices. You should have them around or carry them with you as portable backup power supplies since you never know when you might be away from a plug for an extended period of time. Or if the power is out and in an emergency, you know that you can extend the life of your phone or gadget a few hours longer, making portable power a required tool.

Disclosure Text : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. More information can be found in my About page as well as here .

HTD says: With its black, modernistic look, rugged design AND the built-in light, any secret agent would be foolish not to have a Dexim BluePack S3 or S8. Anyone who travels or needs a solid emergency standby battery should have one of these as well.

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