UNCONVENTIONAL SMARTPHONE CHARGING

UNCONVENTIONAL SMARTPHONE
CHARGING  ~

Could Be A Lifesaver In An Emergency….

© 2018 BOB SKIDMORE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BOB SKIDMORE

CORRESPONDENT

We’re now facing the last three months of the hurricane season. If tradition holds true, they could be the most devastating months. Most of us take precautions to ensure that we have the necessities at hand such as batteries for flashlights, radios and other devices that are easily obtained and stored for such emergencies. But what are we to do when the lights go out and we have no means to charge our smartphones in the traditional manner? Naturally, some of us have add-on battery packs that we use year-around. Others have battery backups, inverters or generators that allow us to plug in AC appliances and chargers to provide an alternate source of electricity when a storm or disaster strikes. However, even with such resources at our disposal we may still need an alternative, or plan “B”. Here’s an idea that can literally save the day.

You’ll need at least one or more standard 9-volt batteries, a pair of alligator clip leads, a cigarette lighter USB car adapter with protruding side contacts and a standard USB charging cable that you already use to charge your phone. It’s important that you match everything with its proper polarity (Positive + & Negative -). Take a fresh 9-volt battery and connect the red positive + clip to the smooth round positive battery terminal. You’ll note that the + symbol is generally marked on the side of the battery nearest to this terminal. Connect the other end to the round tip of the USB lighter adapter, which is the corresponding positive + terminal of the adapter. Connect one end of the black negative - clip to the large serrated battery terminal and the other to one of the two protruding side negative - contacts of the adapter. Plug the charging cable used by your smartphone into the adapter’s USB port and the other end into your phone’s USB port. Charging will commence immediately. The amount of charging that takes place is based on the age of your phone, condition of the phone’s battery and the continuous discharge ratio of the 9-volt battery, something that is not a factor when charging from a wall socket. In other words, the amount of energy that will be charged and the charging time will vary depending on these factors. Naturally, if you have several batteries you can continue charging by replacing the 9-volt battery until the phone shows a 100% charge. It’s important to note that you need to monitor the charging process and when charging appears to be complete, or the 9-volt battery appears to be drained, remove the clips from the adapter, or replace the 9-volt battery to avoid discharging the charged phone battery. This method of charging will be much slower than what the normal process would be. Be patient! Make sure that all clips, be they positive +, or negative -, never touch each other, since that will cause a short and could likely damage the phone.

(TIP: Make sure to purchase and use a cigarette lighter USB adapter that has protruded, wing like contacts, not flat ones. This is necessary to have something for the clips to attach to. See the highlighted photo above.)

How does it work? The cigarette lighter USB adapter accepts an input of up to 12 volts. The adapter transforms that voltage to the USB port at 5 volts, the input voltage of the phone. The 9-volt battery, while less than 12 volts provides energy through the clip leads to the adapter and phone’s charging cord. The fact that the 9-volt battery starts out at less than 12 volts is not a factor to be concerned with, it simply reduces the charging speed and stored energy in the charging process.

While this process may seem a bit primitive and unconventional, it could be a life safer during a storm or disaster. It’s not, however, a substitute for the normal charging process of your smartphone.

GADGETEER’S RATING: ★★★★★

Parts are inexpensive and available at most hardware stores and on line. In most cases you may already have most, if not all, of these items. Don’t wait till disaster strikes, stock up now and put them in a safe place.

Graphic credits: Google Images

Bob Skidmore is a freelance writer, who may be contacted at bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com, or followed at twitter.com/bskidmore for the latest gadget industry news. He does not represent, or endorse any of the products he reviews and his opinions are solely his points of view and not those of the manufacturer. The manufacturer generally supplies products and press releases at no cost for the articles and no other compensation is received. THE GADGETEER is highly selective as to products he feels worthy of review so as not to waste the reader’s time, thus the reason for many superior ratings.

##

We are pleased to announce that the PODCAST series of episodes entitled, “CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GADGETEER”, have commenced. You may easily access the first episode, “PERSONAL SECURITY AS IT RELATES TO USING TECHNOLOGY, with Chet Davis”, by simply double clicking on this link below, or the logo shown above: http://thegadgeteer.libsyn.com/

Notice of future episodes, when released, featuring new topics, will be announced in this column when they become available. You can also request that you be notified when a new podcast is available by simply requesting such notification at the podcast hosting site. See graphic below:

If you have any suggestions for topics and guests please email me at:

Bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com

Thanks, and ENJOY!

LT500 Call Center Phone

MAKING PHONE CALLS EFFICIENT, COMFORTABLE, AND MORE….

© 2018 BOB SKIDMORE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BOB SKIDMORE

CORRESPONDENT

I know landlines are thought of as old technology in bygone years, however there are still practical uses for them. Examples would be in home/off-site offices, fax machines and data transmissions. For purposes of this article we’ll be looking at the home/off-site office application.

There is nothing clumsier as holding a phone up to your ear on a lengthy call, or while trying to take notes, or even operate a computer and still communicate with the other party. Yes, there is always the speakerphone feature available on many telephonic devices, but the hollow sound, or even lack of stable communications caused by extraneous sounds that temporally mute the call, can become an annoyance. The HT-500 is what’s commonly known as a call center phone, an application where hands-free operation is a must. The HT-500 is manufactured in China for multiple telephonic device suppliers, such as AGPTEK, WIKOO, LAZADA and CALLANY, just to mention a few. It’s readily available at retail outlets as well as on-line shops.

The HT-500 has a number of features that make this a great solution: FSK/DTMF caller ID display; Automatic checking; 30 incoming and 5 outgoing number memories; 2 digits PABX code setup; 32 digit pre-dial and edit; Green backlight status display when off-hook; LED indication; Flash and Mute function; Headset volume selector 2-step switch; 2-step ringer volume and ringer off position selection; Flash time 100ms or 600ms choice; Power save function and noise cancellation. The HT-500 is made of a black ABS plastic material and is 5.5x3.9x3.1 inches in size and weighs 13.1 ounces, a weight that can possibly cause unwanted desktop movement. The weight and compact size do, however, make it practical to transport to various locations where it might also be needed. The display screen requires a direct square-on view to be legible, otherwise the characters are not visible. The VH-500 headset is extremely comfortable while still maintaining a good grip on your head. It features a most flexible high quality microphone, something usually found only on much more expensive models. It has excellent sound quality too.

One of the handiest features of this phone is a record-out, monaural, mini jack. Note, a recorder is not included! This is ideal for documenting instructions given to you by a tech support person. It’s also perfect for interviewing someone for a broadcast or podcast, a use I will soon have when I introduce my own podcast, A CONVERSATION WITH THE GADGETEER. Watch for an announcement coming soon on this exciting program.

(TIP: The legality of recording phone conversations varies from state-to-state. Check to see how the law may apply in your area for your specific application.)

Overall, I found the HT-500 call center phone to be flawless in function and operation, and it’s space saving too. Since this is not a cordless phone, it comes with a 3’ cord having a standard RJ11 plug that easily connects with the commonly used RJ12 phone jack supplied by your phone company and/or VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) provider’s modem. It’s feature packed, has a very comfortable headset and is modestly priced, making it practical, even for just occasional use.  The owner’s manual is very basic, but you’ll quickly learn the operation with its use. A great value!

RJ9 Coupler

(TIP: It’s possible to obtain an RJ9 coupler that will allow you to extend the headset by coupling an RJ9 extension cable to it. This is great for people who like to walk around the room while talking. Note, RJ9 signifies the type of connector used at each end of the cable. The cable ends are considered to be male while the coupler has two female RJ9 jacks thus allowing the coupling of the handset and the extension. Such cables are available in lengths of up to 25’. Check Amazon for these accessories.)

MSRP: Around $39.00 Available at retail & on-line.

GADGETEER’s RATING: ★★★★★

For more information go to: https://amzn.to/2O0YScM

Graphic credits: Manufacturer

Bob Skidmore is a freelance writer, who may be contacted at bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com, or followed at twitter.com/bskidmore for the latest gadget industry news. He does not represent, or endorse any of the products he reviews and his opinions are solely his points of view and not those of the manufacturer, or any legal resource. The manufacturer generally supplies products and press releases at no cost for the articles and no other compensation is received. THE GADGETEER is highly selective as to products he feels worthy of review so as not to waste the reader’s time, thus the reason for many superior ratings.

##

THE GADGETEER'S first podcast is now available. Double click on the link below for immediate access:

http://thegadgeteer.libsyn.com/

It's possible to receive notifications of new episodes when they're available. You can also share an episode with others. See photo below for easy instructions.

Manage

Enjoy!