Microsoft Portable Dual Chargers give smartphone junkies a power fix

For technology junkies, electricity is like crack cocaine. During a blackout, it can seem like users go through withdrawals without access to their precious internet and computers. Mobile devices are the best examples of this; when a user's smartphone battery is depleted, it is like the end of the world. They will sit on a filthy Starbucks floor just to charge their phone in an available outlet.

Sadly, more and more phone manufacturers are forgoing the removable battery option, making a battery swap an impossibility. Luckily, portable battery packs solve this issue, allowing users longer portability without needing to seek out an outlet. Today, Microsoft unveils its own such model.

There are three different capacities for this new battery pack -- 5200mAh, 9000mAh and 12000mAh. Obviously, the larger the capacity, the more charges it can offer. Prices will also increase based on each increase of capacity -- $35, $45, and $55 respectively. If you are going to buy one, I would suggest investing in the biggest since batteries lose capacity over time.

"When it comes to charging and holding their power, the Microsoft Portable Dual chargers can hold their charge for months at a time and still have up to 80 percent capacity after several months. They also charge your USB charging smartphone or tablet as fast as our AC-60 wall charger. Checking the power levels on each pack is easy, thanks to the handy LED indicator", says Adam Fraser, Microsoft.

Fraser further says, "if both your Lumia and portable charger need charging, make use of the 'daisy-chain' feature. Simply connect the power pack to the charger, then your mobile device to the power pack and both will charge simultaneously".

Keep in mind, this should charge Android devices and iPhones too.

What makes these models particularly handy is the dual-port functionality. You can charge two devices at once, meaning you can share it with friends, family, or even strangers. Hell, use it as an opportunity to make a new friend or start a romantic encounter; "we met over a charge", you can tell your future kids.

Ready to pull the trigger? You can buy it at various retailers "over the next few weeks", says Microsoft.