ECOXGEAR EcoCharge+ waterproof rechargeable powerbank and flashlight review

Nowadays, having a portable charger, or power bank, for your cell phone is not only a necessity but it also has to stand up to every day use and abuse. It won’t do you any good if your charger breaks from being dropped or if it gets damaged from water or moisture exposure. This is where the EcoCharge+ from ECOXGEAR stands out from many ordinary power Banks.

The EcoCharge+ is a power bank with a rechargeable 3200mAh 3.1volt lithium battery and is designed to be charged around 500 times. It is meant to charge many devices from smart phones to GPS units to action cameras and even bigger devices such as tablets or iPads.The dimensions for it are 1.2″in x 1.3″in x 4.9″in and weighs in at only 4.8 ounces. It is covered with a rubber coating which makes the EcoCharge+ shock resistant and waterproof with an IP67 rating. The rubber coating is beneficial if you ever drop the EcoCharge+ on your floor in your house or even dropped it, let’s say, on a wet, rocky surface if you ever brought it with you fishing, hiking or camping. It’s nice to know that if it gets knocked around that it is safe. So, if you carry it in your backpack, duffle bag, or purse, you know it will be fine if it gets tossed around.

Although it is waterproof, you have to make sure that the cap to the USB ports is twisted on tightly to ensure that it is sealed. If it’s not closed properly then it is not waterproof. And a side note, you must twist the cap to take it off and not pull it off.

Included on this powerbank is a 150 Lumen flashlight, which makes sense because the EcoCharge+ is closely shaped like a small portable flashlight (like: SUNJACK LIGHTSTICK ). There are four settings to the flashlight as you click the Light Bulb icon button on the side of the EcoCharge+. The first click is the Low setting, second click is High, third click is Flash, and a fourth click is an S.O.S strobe.

And speaking of buttons, the buttons on the EcoCharge+ are difficult to see. This is due to the extreme black-colored rubber coating which almost camouflage the buttons. I always had to spin the EcoCharge+ around just to find the buttons because I could never tell where the buttons were the first time around. So, if you were caught in the dark and had to use the EcoCharge+ as a flashlight, you would have a very difficult and tedious time locating the LightBulb Power button to turn the flashlight on.

But, on a positive side, you can get 32 hours of use on the Low setting and 8 hours on the High setting.

When using the power bank portion of the EcoCharge+ you can monitor the percentage of power remaining from the for LED lights below the Light Bulb and Power buttons. Four lights for a Full charge, three lights for 75%, two lights for 50% and one light for 25% power remaining. The USB charging ports are 5 volts 1.0A for both input and output. However, I would have liked to have seen the output to be the stronger 2.01A for more charging power. Although the EcoCharge+ comes included with a USB cable (appx. 1 foot), there is no adapter plug to go with it. So, if you don’t have an adapter, you’ll just have to settle on charging it by plugging into a computer or laptop. However, many phone chargers have adapter plugs nowadays, so you may be able to use your phone’s adapter plug with the USB cable from the EcoCharge+. Just check the phone’s manual first just to be sure.

It takes about 3 hours to fully charge the EcoCharge+. And on a side note, after the EcoCharge+ was completely empty of all the charging power, the flashlight was still able to turn on.

Keep in mind that when you use the EchoCharge+ to charge your device, you need to press the Power button to initiate charging. Unlike the other powerbanks that I use, simply plugging the USB cable into your device isn’t enough. With my other powerbanks you just plug in the USB cable and charging starts. Not with the EcoCharge+, you will need to turn it on manually. Several times I had forgotten to turn it on and 10 minutes later I was wondering why my phone’s battery charge hadn’t increased. Apparently, I just forgot to press the Power button on the EcoCharge+.

All in all, the EcoCharge+ from ECOXGEAR is a great handy little portable charger, or power bank if you will, that has a few features that many other common chargers don’t have. I think the multi-mode flashlight, the waterproofing, and the shockproofing would make this a handy addition for your everyday carry items and it’s ideal for taking with you when you go camping, fishing, hiking, and any other activities you can think of. And of course, it’s for perfect for anyone who needs a little extra emergency power for their devices with few extra features included.

What is the Quietest Portable Generator on the Market?

Last Updated: May 15th 2017 One of the worst things that can happen has happened! The power is no longer working and you do not know why. You check your neighbors’ homes to see if their electricity is working, you find that they do not have any power either. Well, what do you do? You go and get a generator. What’s more, you probably want to buy a really quiet generator ( for example: GOAL ZERO YETI 400 ) Preferably the quietest portable generator on the market.

Purchasing a quiet portable generator is not as easy as it might sound. Most generators operate anywhere from a range of forty-seven decibels to seventy-six decibels. Now, those numbers do not mean that a lot of forty-seven-decibel generators cannot sound louder than some of the seventy-six-decibel generators because they often do. It all depends on the mechanics of the generator and the environment or atmosphere that it is used in. In the following comprehensive buying guide we will explain everything you need to know before buying the best quiet generator. We will also show you the quietest portable generators on the market and briefly review each of them.
Why Should You Buy the Quietest Portable Generator?

You might be inclined to purchase a quiet portable generator because the noise it emits is imperative to you. There are other factors that may be important to you as well, like the portability of the unit, environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency of the unit and the cost per watt produced of the unit also. The generator that is the quietest is an inverter generator. Inverters are a quiet generator, but are not a generator that is completely silent. All generators emit some noise, so total silence is non-existent, unless you are taking solar powered generators into account.

You may ask the question about why you should purchase the quietest portable generator on the market. There are a number of reasons why you should strive to purchase the quietest portable generator on the market. Reason number one would be that you would not want a generator that will let others know exactly where you are located. If you do not feel like being targeted by any individuals that wish to know where you are for any reason, you should buy a silent generator.

The next reason is that your HOA or city may have an ordinance for the noise limit that a piece of equipment or anything can emit on your property. As a general rule the limit is 75 decibels. Anything above that level may get you a warning or a fine. Prolonged noise a level higher than 75 decibels can generate physical discomfort for individuals. That is why you have to take the time to research quiet portable generators to ensure that you select the right one. Along with the previous reason to choose silent generators is the noise can be annoying and also it can disturb your neighbors.

Now, if you are not in close proximity to your neighbors, then you might not have those restraints. It may be about keeping your home comfortable so that you can rest at night. If you are in need of generator that will run at night, a noisy generator can make sleeping very difficult. If you chose silent generators that are in the range of 50 decibels, depending on its location, you may not be able to here it.

Camping is another reason to desire a small quiet generator. A small quiet generator for camping can provide the anonymity and the peace and quiet you desire while camping. There are a lot of large generators on the market; however, they are not easy to carry to a camping site that can be a long way off. You might also want to consider the amount of noise that it will generate. Another factor is the fuel efficiency of the generator. If it consumes a lot of fuel, you may want to consider another unit because you will waste precious energy packing a lot of additional gas.

While attempting to camp, another reason for quiet portable generator is it will end the fun times very quickly. Nothing takes the fun out a camping trip more than having to yell to be heard. Also a loud generator is just simply rude. People go camping to get away from the noise and everything and enjoy nature.

How and Where to Write About Technology in Your Business Plan

Often, a business plan introduces a new technology that requires some explaining.

On one hand, as a reader of business plans for investors, I see way too many business plans that ask a reader to wade neck-deep through technology to get to the business. That’s a great way make your reader run in the other direction! It’s a business plan, not a term paper or thesis. Establish technology as a differentiator, when it is. Tell me about it in relation to its importance to the business. Don’t force me to understand it when I don’t need to.

On the other hand, as a writer, manager, and user of business plans as tools for steering a business, I believe you should discuss your technology in the plan for any business. Even if technology isn’t the driving force of your business or your main differentiator, these days, almost all businesses have to manage technology as part of branding, marketing, and communications.

To the extent that technology matters, I want to see it in the priorities and in specific milestones. Are we developing what we should? Are we using what we should? Are we competitive with tools and process?

Doing Business in China: Lessons from an Expat Entrepreneur

Today, China is without a doubt one of the most exciting places in the world to do business. Despite the recent economic downturn, the market potential is enormous, the entrepreneurial spirit in China is high, and the country is inevitably going to increase its global influence thanks to its economic vitality.

Of course, politicians, business leaders, and the media in the West have all taken notice. When you open the political or business sections of any major newspaper or magazine on any given day, there is a good chance you will find something related to China.

A general conclusion you can draw: China has arrived on center stage, and its economic and geopolitical relations with the West will become a defining, if not the defining, subject of the 21st century.

If you plan on starting an international business or if you are already running your own company and are looking to expand to foreign markets, you should certainly consider how to benefit from China’s enormous potential. Depending on your field of business, there are different challenges to overcome and strategies to employ to run a successful China operation.

How to Tell Your Company’s History in Your Business Plan

Company history in a business plan? Yes, it’s a good addition to some business plans, but not all.

For this article, I want to look at how to decide whether or not you include company history, and if you do, what to include and where to put it in the plan.
The purpose of the business plan

When considering what to do with company history for your business plan, first consider the use of your business plan.

For the traditional business plan to be used as a business summary for potential investors, bank loan managers, partners, or legal requirements, a short summary of company history is usually appropriate.
For lean business plans, operational plans, and strategic plans to be used by startup founders, owners, and management team, company history may be overkill. Include it in your plan only where it relates to actual future business. That might be with strategy, tactics, milestones, metrics, or projected sales and spending. In those cases, there should be some direct connection between history and future business.