Lind Electronics’ PowerMax 90
by Mitchell Levine
As useful as current portable computers are, one feature that has not matched the frenetic norms of Moore’s-law-paced technical evolution is battery life. A complete charge of the lithium-ion battery on my 2.4 Ghz laptop yields enough power for about two hours of continuous use: A complete charge on my 866 Mhz notebook in 2000 lasted—you guessed it—about two hours. Obviously, it seems that a great deal of progress has not been achieved.
Of course, I understand it’s not that simple. New applications are more resource draining. Although this issue might not be critical for desktop replacement system users, New York schoolteachers don’t often have that luxury. With an estimated 15,000 new laptops in the schools this year, plugging every system into an AC power supply requires parity between the number of computers and available output jacks in classrooms.
Luckily, Lind Electronics offers a convenient, affordable solution with their PowerMax 60 and 90 external power packs. These peripherals act as auxiliary battery packs which, after being charged in advance with a provided AC converter at any convenient outlet, can offer up to 8 to 10 hours of additional power for a wide range of popular portable models.
After choosing a SmartTip connector configured specifically for our test unit, a Hewlett-Packard 3000, I was able to begin charging within just a few moments of opening the package from the manufacturer. After topping off the Max’s power meter, and plugging into my laptop, I was then able to watch three DVD movies consecutively before getting a battery warning. My li-ion battery alone wouldn’t have even made it through Dawn of the Dead, regardless of what some idiot in a Mario Brothers shirt might tell you.
With a form factor less than the footprint of a typical notebook (and an approximately 1/2” depth), a small investment in a Lind PowerMax 90 can offer any mobile user or space-pressed teacher all the advantages of portable computing without the added hassle of brief charge life.#
For more information, or online ordering, log online at www.lindelectronics.com.
