If you have any older notebook, there is the possibility that sooner or later your power supply will die.  In fact, there is a good chance that it will fail before your notebook does.  So whether you need a replacement power supply, an extra one for the office so you do not always have to plug and carry one with you, or you need a more flexible alternative when you travel, check out some of the power supply choices on the market today.

Universal Power Supply for AC / Auto / Air

Company: Targus
Product: Mobile 70W Universal AC/DC Notebook Power Supply
Model #: APM10US
Web Site: http://www.targus.com
Retail Price: $119.99

The Targus Mobile 70 Universal AC/DC Adapter is a good replacement power supply for any notebook.  With a set of included power tips for most notebooks, and other tips available from Targus, this power supply will work with almost any notebook.  Check the Targus web site for compatible tips for your notebook.  With 70 watts of continuous power and up to 90 watts of peak power, this power supply can handle the needs of any power hungry notebook.

The Targus Mobile 70 features:
Compatibility
* Varied models of Averatec, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, IBM, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba and Winbook.  Power Tips for other notebooks available separately.
* Auto and Airline power adapters included
Compliance
* FCC, CE
Includes:
* 8 tips (2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12 and 20)
* 3-foot AC input cord
* 3-foot DC input cord
* 6-foot DC output cord
* User guide
Size
* 5.4"x 2.15"x 0.85”
Technical
* 100-230 VAC
* 11.75-16.00 VDC
Warranty
* Limited Two Year Warranty
Weight
* 7.5 oz

The Targus Mobile 70 is a universal power supply that works anywhere in the world ( 110V/220V) with an extra plug adapter for some foreign countries, adapts to many different notebooks by using custom power tips, and can be used from a AC wall socket, auto power socket (car cigarette lighter socket), and airline power port aboard the airplane.  This is one power supply that can handle almost any power needs you have for your notebook.

Travel Plug Adapter

Company: Kensington
Product: Travel Plug Adapter
Web Site: http://www.kensington.com
Retail Price: $19.99

So now that you have a universal power supply for your notebook and are planning a trip to a foreign country, what will you do about all the different wall power sockets used in different countries?  You can either buy a different socket adapter for each country or get the Travel Plug Adapter from Kensington.  This handy device will allow you to plug power plugs from any country into power sockets in any other country.  A truly universal plug adapter.

Features
1. All-in-one plug provides adapters for more than 150 countries
2. Easy to use with slide-out power plugs
3. Compact, self-contained unit eliminates tangle of adapters
4. Adapts power outlets for laptops, chargers and similar devices
5. Safety release button and built-in fuse ensure safe operation
System Requirements
Suitable for most consumer electronics. 2.5A; 110V - max 275W; 220V - max 550W.  Does not reduce or convert electrical voltage. Not for use with high-watt devices such as hairdryers and irons.  Please check electronic device specifications before using.
Dimensions - 2.25"L X 2.0"H X 1.875"W
Weight .5 lbs.
Warranty - Kensington 1-Year warranty.

This is a product that everyone who travels to many foreign country with electrical products will need.  Just make sure that anything you plug into it is compatible with the power voltage and frequency of the country you are visiting, as well as the wattage limits of this product.  This product will not convert voltages or handle high wattage devices.

Portable Power Supply

Company: MFuel
Product: Universal Power Bank
Web Site: http://www.mfueldirect.com
Retail Price: $399.99

If you spend a lot of time with your notebook away from a power outlet, then the life of the notebook battery is a big concern to you.  My notebook is a power “hog” and will typically get less than 80 minutes of life on a full charge.  Hardly enough to get any real work done.  So if you need more work time away from a power outlet, then perhaps a portable power supply is what you need.

The MFuel Universal Power Bank is a complete solution for portable, external power for all your portable electronic devices.  The main component is the Power Bank which can power or recharge most portable electronic devices including notebook computers, cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, portable DVD players, portable game players, etc.  The Power Bank features an LCD display that shows charge time, battery level, and the estimated run time for the device connected to it.  The Power Bank comes with two Power Pucks (retractable cables), one for high voltage devices such as notebook computers and one for low voltage devices such as cell phones, MP3 players, etc.  The Universal Power Bank uses the MFuel patented interchangeable Hot Tip technology to simultaneously charge and power both a notebook and a low power device.

The Universal Power Bank includes 27 Hot Tips and a DC Car Charger Adapter to handle most of the high and low power portable electronic devices without having to buy additional adapters or tips.  Check the web site for a list of specific devices and Hot Tips.

The Universal Power Bank features:
Li-Ion 9200 mAh External Battery Pack
DC Car Charger Adapter
12 Notebook Hot Tips
6 USB Hot Tips
7 Cell Phone Hot Tips
2 Ethernet Hot Tips
High Power Cable Pick
Low Power Cable Puck
World Jack Plug Adapter
Universal Charging Adapter
Travel Bag
Operating Temperature Range: 0C-40C
Storage Temperature Range: -40C-85C
DC Input: 15-24V DC
Output Power (High): 16V-24V/3.55A (Peak 4.6A)
Output Power (Low): 3V-12V/0.1A (Peak 1.8A)
Continuous Output Power: Up to 102WH
Power Bank Dimensions: 266.98mm(L) x 97.59mm(W) x 24.50mm(H)
Power Bank Weight: 900g
Built-In Safety Protection:  Over Surge, Over Current, Over Voltage, and Excessive Temperature.

Recharging the Power Bank requires the use of the Multi-point Universal Charging Adapter and your original notebook power supply.  The Universal Power Bank does not come with a power supply, so you can use your notebook power supply or purchased the MFuel World Pak power supply.  Simply plug your power supply into the Universal Charging Adapter which plugs into the Power Bank.  The Universal Charging Adapter has 10 different sockets to make it compatible with almost any regular notebook power supply and handles any necessary voltage conversion to the Power Bank.

The Power Bank uses a smart digital technology to power and recharge portable devices with clean, safe power using its built-in safety features.  The company claims up to 12 hours of additional time for notebook computers and up to 100 hours of additional time for mobile phones.  Of course these are optimum times under optimum situations.  And the times would vary greatly depending on the type of device you have, so you should use the numbers for comparison only.  On my notebook computer, which is a power hog and uses 16V power, I averaged around 4 hours of additional run time which is pretty good.  Also keep in mind that like most rechargeable batteries, the Power Bank will lose its charge over time, even if you are not using it.  So make sure to recharge it before a long trip.  I found that from full charge to empty during times of no use, the Power Bank will lose its power in about 6-8 weeks.  And like any large battery pack, it does have a tendency to get hot while recharging or powering other devices, so care should be taken when using it for long periods of time.  Even with the built-in protection circuit, you should avoid overcharging the battery.

The MFuel Universal Power Bank comes with a Travel Bag, World Jack Plug Adapter so you can charge and power your devices in over 120 countries, and a 1 year limited warranty.  You should check with MFuel to determine which countries the World Jack is compatible.  The model we reviewed appears to only be compatible to countries with 110V power since it does not convert voltages.  There are also Hot Tips to convert the Power Puck into a USB or Ethernet cable.  So if you are looking to power your notebook or any portable electronic device, then check out the MFuel Universal Power Bank for an All-In-One solution for portable power.

-- Harvey Lee,
Senior Technology Editor