APC Power Ready Backpack
Richard Price
April 2006
 For some time now I have been carrying my laptop around in an APC backpack.
It’s a convenient carry case, with a special foam protected compartment for a laptop.
It also has all the usual pockets, straps and zips you would expect to see on a small backpack. To be honest, it’s a pretty ordinary backpack.
Unlike other backpacks, this particular one comes with an APC TravelPower Adapter.
Big deal! All laptops come with a power adaptor — how else can you charge the battery or use them.
What I like about the APC Travel Power Adapter is that it comes with a variety of snap-on adapters that are compatible with most laptops.
The adaptor includes an airplane power plug adapter, cigarette lighter plug adapter, four international plug adaptors, and a selection of notebook power port adaptor tips.
Of course my test unit only came with one notebook power port adaptor, which just goes to prove how easy it is to lose the things — but fortunately it fitted my Optima notebook.
The power cable is also easily adaptable to conform to whatever country you happen to be in.
I would suggest care when unplugging it from your hotel room. The slide-in design, means it is quiet easy to leave a plug in the hotel room power socket.
Using the adaptor is easy enough. Use your thumb or a coin to turn the voltage knob on the adaptor to the appropriate setting for the laptop (15 — 20 V). The bottom of the laptop should have the information needed.
Select the correct tip to fit the laptop power port and connect to the power source using the appropriate plug adaptor. Here you can also select air, auto or AC power outlet.
Unfortunately, I have not been doing much flying recently so I was not able to test this in Business Class.
A multi-port USB socket on the TravelPower Adaptor provides two USB ports for charging mobile devices such as a PDA and mobile phone.
USB chargers are sold separately, and may have been included with your PDA or phone.
The TravelPower Adaptor weighs about one kilogram, and is certainly worth slipping into any laptop carry case.
APC Power Ready Backpack total RRP AU$209.98
Backpack: AU$69.99
Universal Travel Power Adapter:AU$139.99
For more information see http://www.apc.com/
By Richard Price, Editor EnergyME.com
For information on getting a product reviewed email richard@energyme.com |
