Neil Hughes
The newly announced NomadPlus battery accessory serves as a plug for Apple's official 5-volt wall charger that packs in a full 1,800mAh battery, which can completely recharge an iPhone 5s on the go.
Though the NomadPlus, which is currently available for preorder for $39, was previously announced with a smaller battery, Nomad revealed on Wednesday that it has upgraded the battery specification to 1,800mAh, matching the capacity of Apple's iPhone 5s. That means the accessory will be able to provide a complete recharge rather than a partial one.
Unlike other battery packs, which frequently require dedicated micro USB cables to have their power replenished, the NomadPlus features a unique design where a 5-volt Apple wall charger can be inserted into the back. A built-in USB plug accepts power from the adapter, and when the parts are connected the unit appears as a single wall charger with integrated battery.
On the front of the NomadPlus is a USB input, into which an Apple Lightning cable can be inserted to recharge an iPhone 5s, 5c or 5. Of course, the USB plug could also be used to charge other devices, but the 1,800mAh battery capacity was designed with the iPhone 5s in mind.
The NomadPlus is made of polycarbonate, measures square in length and height, at 53 millimeters by 53 millimeters, and is 31 millimeters wide. It weighs 60 grams, requires a two-prong IEC Type A Apple wall charger, and outputs at 5 volts/1 amp over USB.
AppleInsider previously reviewed the ChargeCard flat USB to Lightning charging cable, as well as the keychain-worn ChargeKey Lightning cable, and had an extremely favorable impression of both accessories.
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18 Comments
Clever design. very tempting.
Have one on order. Won't ship until the very end of November IIRC. (I wonder if it will charge an iPhone "6" fully...)
[quote name="SockRolid" url="/t/181812/nomadplus-battery-attachment-for-apple-wall-plug-will-completely-recharge-an-iphone-5s#post_2578583"]Have one on order. Won't ship until the very end of November IIRC. (I wonder if it will charge an iPhone "6" fully...)[/quote]Doubt it, maybe though they will make one size of IPad/MacBook charger that will fully charge a iPhone 6.
Page not found. My concern is whether it'll be 1 or 2.1 amps. I'm done with 1 amp charging lol. Updated: page works again, also says it's just 1 amp charging. For $40, that's ridiculous. You can find $15/20 ones at Walmart that have a bigger battery.
The USB connection is nice, but I wish the battery enclosure had a male charger connection sticking out 1/4" on the side so that I could plug an iPhone or iPad directly into the battery. That way it would not be necessary to carry a cord for the battery to be useful. An alternative would be a small USB-to-iPhone adaptor, which would also do away with the need for a cord.