Out of Juice? The Monster POWERCARD Can Help

While at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, I attended the Monster Press Meeting.  “Head Monster,” Noel Lee, always comes up on stage to introduce the latest products every year…on his Segway.  This year, they had a special guest,  Shaq, come on stage to introduce one of their latest product innovations.  Shaq introduced us to the new Monster POWERCARD, which is the thinnest rechargeable smartphone backup battery I’ve ever seen.  It’s the size of a credit card, though a little thicker.  In fact, in Shaq’s large hand, you could hardly even see it!

Monster believes the near credit card thinness and design of the POWERCARD will make it more convenient to carry it in a pocket or a purse pocket.  The size and weight are great.  It’s perfect for those emergencies when your phone is dying and you need a fast charge.  I can begin using my drained phone right away, as soon as I plug in and turn on the POWERCARD.  It charges fast.

I tried the POWERCARD on my completely dead phone to see if I could still make a call.  I was making a call as soon as I booted up my phone and it kept charging while I talked.  Without making a call, it took about 10 minutes to get 12% on my Samsung Galaxy S5 phone.  My phone charged to 24% before the power was completely discharged from the POWERCARD.  Not as full as I would have wanted it to charge, but certainly enough to finish a phone call, check email, and have my phone last for a little bit longer.

As a mom with a lot of tech in my home, I do have several battery backups already.  I wouldn’t leave on a trip without them.  But typically, I don’t carry them with me throughout the day…they are just too heavy.  But with the Monster POWERCARD, I slipped it into the pocket of my purse and I have backup anytime I or a friend is in need.  The POWERCARD does not add bulk to my purse and it keeps its charge, so when I need it, it’s ready.  And because of it’s thin size, I can definitely see the benefits to men who want to put the POWERCARD into their back pocket.

Features:

• Can quickly give your phone energy on the spot
• Auto sensing technology determines the speed your smartphone requires and provides speed for instant power
• Thin and lightweight
• Can charge any smartphone with its USB port
• Available in 5 colors

Pros:

• Provides instant power to my phone
• Love the thin design, doesn’t take much room in my purse
• Light indicators tell you how much juice is left on the POWERCARD
• The POWERCARD itself charges up pretty quickly

Cons:

• Does not come with a built-in cord, but it does come with a micro USB cord
• The three blue LED’s are hard to decipher between 2 lit and 3
• Will not fully charge your smartphone, especially if newer.  Expect a 24%-40% increase in charge, dependent upon the type of phone you have

The Monster POWERCARD comes with a USB to micro cord, but if you have an iPhone, you can use your own cord to charge your phone.

The Monster POWERCARD will be available on June 23rd at Walmart for $39.95, which is $10 less than the MSRP they told the press in January.

A Mom’s Perspective

Until phones come with more efficient, longer lasting batteries, devices like the Monster POWERCARD, are very useful to fill in the gap in the meanwhile.  I like that the POWERCARD comes with a USB to micro cord too, so in my car, I can hook it up to my car charger and charge the POWERCARD without having to bring it in the house to charge.  This way, I can keep it in my purse and charge it in my car when I need to charge it after use.  Very convenient.

The POWERCARD won’t give your phone a full charge, but it’s great when you’re in dire need to make a phone call right away and you have no power left.  It’s handy as an emergency charger.