12-volt

With the help of Cobra's newest charger, your Android phone can automatically reconfigure for driving when connected to your car.

The Cobra JoyRide is no ordinary car charger. This 12-volt plug utilizes the Android Open Accessory framework to automatically trigger the launch of a companion app on an Android phone when connected via its micro USB port.

The Cobra JoyRide app features a car-specific interface that presents the user with large buttons to trigger functions such as voice command, hands-free calling, or launching a GPS navigation app. The JoyRide app can also automatically trigger the changing of phone settings--for … Read more

To many of you, one USB car charger is just as good as the next, but if you've ever tried to plug your shiny new iPad or massive screened smartphone into a cheapy charger, odds are you quickly learned how wrong you were.

Not all powered USB ports are created equally. Most USB car chargers output about 0.5A of charging power, which is a massive jump over the original "low load" USB standard of just 0.1A. However, tablets require a bit more juice still than these powered ports can supply. In the case of the … Read more

My time with the Accessory Power GoCharge Power Pack has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. When the device landed on my desk, I dismissed it as a basic 12-volt to USB adapter. However, closer inspection revealed some very interesting secondary features that are worth highlighting. Unfortunately, once I started looking closely, I discovered a few build quality issues that quickly quenched my excitement.

In the box, you'll find the GoCharge unit itself, an AC to USB power adapter, a Mini-USB cable, and a Micro-USB cable.

The GoCharge has about the same footprint as a business card (… Read more

LAS VEGAS--A techie and his smartphone are seldom separated, but even the most phone-obsessed of us have had moments where we've left for work or walked out of a bar without our precious phone.

On hand at CES 2011 is a neat little car tech gadget called the Bringrr, which wirelessly checks that your mobile phone is in the car when you embark on a trip. The Bringrr sits in your vehicle's 12-volt charger and pairs with your phone via Bluetooth. When it senses the car starting, it pings your phone wirelessly. If the phone is present, nothing … Read more

You should see the mess of cables, chargers, and charging cables that clutter my backpack every day. Moving from car to car and home to work while testing a variety of devices means that iPod sync cables, USB cables, Mini- and Micro-USB cables for mobile phones and GPS devices, 12-volt car chargers, and 110-volt wall chargers eat up a good deal of my bag space. For me, this is why Scosche's PowerFuze charger system looks interesting. This charging solution should let you replace a number of cables and chargers for an all-in-one approach. It's a car charger and … Read more

Our product manager Justin sent me a link to Kipkay's YouTube video on hacking apart a 9-volt battery into six AAA replacements. So, I had to try it for myself.

A 9-volt battery is actually made up of six 1.5-volt cells. Those cells are actually quadruple size, but you can make them work in AAA compartments.

Watch this video to see how. With some needle-nosed pliers, pry apart the casing of the 9-volt battery. As long as you're careful not to puncture the cells themselves, there's nothing harmful inside. Once you get it open, pull off … Read more

Tired of not having enough power points in your vehicle to keep your phone charged, your GPS on, and your DVD/monitor combo playing? Change all that by adding additional 12-volt power outlets to your car.