Power banks or portable batteries are a common part of modern life. While our devices are continually getting more powerful, the batteries inside them haven’t exactly evolved at the same pace. Faster charging and power banks are our stopgap measures until batteries become a lot better without increasing their sizes. Thanks to this situation, the market for portable batteries has grown and thrived, offering people a dizzying number of choices ranging in size, capacity, and features. Of course, there are also different designs as well, but the majority of power banks seem to come in elegant yet drab shades of white, black, and gray. From time to time, however, we do come upon a distinctive-looking design, such as this rather cute power bank that emulates the look of an old-school cassette tape almost perfectly.
Designer: Remax
OK, it isn’t a completely faithful rendition of the well-known medium. It’s rather thick, closer to a Video 8 than a cassette tape, but the markings are all in the right places. Naturally, there are no reels to turn, which would have required a more complex internal design that would make it more inefficient as a portable battery. Accurate imitation shouldn’t get in the way of functionality, especially for a critical accessory such as this.
Regardless of those minor drawbacks, the Remax Powerbank Tape still packs quite a punch when it comes to visual appeal and “wow” factor. Whether it’s the yellow original, the Apple Lightning-equipped red variant, or the new green and yellow update, the cassette tape battery is sure to catch people’s attention, especially once you take it out and plug it into your phone. It even has a transparent case just to complete the illusion of an old-school product.
The Remax Powerbank Tape isn’t lacking in features either, at least on paper. The original model supports both the old micro USB connector and USB-C for input, while only the red has support for Apple Lightning to charge the power bank itself. The newer 2023 model sets itself apart by including two pull-out USB-C cables for output. There’s an assortment of other ports, though, including full-sized USB-A, and in some cases, a small LED flashlight. The location of the ports also depends on which model you buy, and there can be different options, depending on where you’re looking.
That said, you might have second thoughts about investing in this rather adorable blast from the past. Availability is a hit or miss, and you can’t exactly be assured of the quality when it comes to online retailers. There are also some inconsistencies with the specs, like the actual rated capacity of the battery versus its advertised capacity. Given its low average selling price, though, it still makes for an interesting gift, like those short-lived power banks some people give away at events.
