When you go to coffee shops, public spaces, and even the beach, you’ll probably see people facing their screens and typing away for work or for leisure. The digital nomad and work from anywhere lifestyle is truly upon us. One of the most important things that they need is a power source since not all places have sockets. Of course there’s the pretty common powerbanks to juice up our smartphones but for those that need something a bit heavier in terms of power, there are only a few options out there.
Designers: Sam Hecht and Kim Colin of Industrial Facility
The OE1 Powerbox is a portable battery so you can power up your laptop, tablet, smartphone, and other mobile devices wherever you are. It is more than just a powerbank as it can actually charge three 70W laptops at the same time with its 250Wh of power. It has three USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a tracking device holder. It can also fit into the OE1 Storage Trolleys if you need to power larger electronics like monitors, speakers, projectors, etc. The Powerbox has a power level indicator on top so you can see the power level. It can be charged through a PowerTray or with a charging cable kit that you can purchase separately.
But on its own, the Powerbox is already powerful enough for your mobile devices. It looks like a tool box that is “meant to hold the feeling of ‘battery-ness’. It has a minimalist design since you don’t need it to look like anything other than a battery you can carry around. It is also created sustainably as it uses lithium ion phosphate (LFP) so it can have a longer life cycle. The housing uses 100% post-consumer ABS plastic making it easier to handle during the recycling process.
Of course since it’s more powerful than a powerbank, it’s not that light or can fit into your bag. But it’s still light enough that you can carry it around when needed. As someone who works outside a lot (and whose device batteries seem to be giving up on me easily), this can come in handy even if it may be a little heavy.
