So many gadgets, so much to recharge

Gadget heads on the go are usually slowed down by only one thing: dead batteries.

Cell phones, digital music players, digital cameras and other devices demand to be juiced up occasionally. That can lead to an ugly pile-up of power adapters, recharging cradles, extra batteries and the like. Plus, they’re only useful when you’re near a working outlet.

And who wants to carry all that stuff on the road?

Xantrex is hoping that when you head out of the door you’ll replace that tangle of cords with their new XPower Pocket Powerpack 100, a portable power source for your personal tech.

The company claims this battery/inverter can recharge a Blackberry 30 times, an iPod 20 times and a cell phone about eight times, or power a laptop for about 2.5 hours.

"If people constantly need to recharge mobile devices at stationary outlets, they effectively lose the benefit of mobility," says Grant Dunbar, a product marketing manager for Xantrex.

The Powerpack 100 weighs about 2.4 pounds, so the “pocket” moniker is a bit of a stretch. The device will operate or recharge gadgets via AC, DC or USB ports, and it comes with car and airplane adapters. It’ll set you back $120.

Earlier this year I reviewed the Xantrex Powerpack 400R, a much bigger temporary power supply and was duly impressed by its versatility. It powered my TV and a lamp during a blackout. It’s also got a radio, alarm clock, jumper cables and an air compressor for inflating tires.