The Frugal Networker

The Jackery Bar – Black version
Jackery
$29.99 Amazon (Prime)

There are some products that you just have to see to believe and the Jackery Bar is one of those products. It’s very hard to explain but easy to see, once you’ve held one in your hands. The Jackery Bar, in a nutshell, is a small, about the size of 4 AA batteries, case with rechargeable batteries inside that provides you with a source of portable power. I, for one, didn’t understand how powerful or handy this little gadget is until I needed it–or rather until my wife needed it.

My wife and I were at an Oklahoma State University home football game a few weeks ago against Kansas State University. We both usually carry our iPhones with us so that we can text friends and family when OSU scores or pictures of interesting people at the games. On this auspicious day, I didn’t have mine, which annoyed her greatly. She had hers but it was only at 18% power. Someone forgot to plug in her phone.

We needed to communicate with our son after the game to coordinate a dinner meeting with him and his girlfriend. She was afraid that we wouldn’t be able to do that because of my incompetence. I know, right–my incompetence alone.

While messing around with the pockets of my jacket, I noticed extra weight in one. I thought that I had my cell phone in it and as I was about to say that I have it, I pulled out the Jackery Bar.

At first, it took me aback because I had to remember why it was in my jacket. It was there because I went on a so-called photographic expedition a few days before and took it with me in case my digital camera’s battery died on me. It didn’t and I forgot to take the Jackery Bar out of my pocket and put it away. Hey, I’m a guy, I don’t always put my things away as soon as I’m finished with them.

Well, after missing one of the exciting OSU interceptions of the game during my deep thought, I explained to her what had happened. She looked at me unimpressed. Fortunately, she also had her charger with her. I took her phone, her charger, and the fully charged Jackery Bar and connected them all together in one of my pockets.

A couple of hours later, at the end of the game (OSU won!), she skeptically snatched the cell phone from my pocket to see how much power she had left on her iPhone. To her surprise, it was at 100 percent.

She said, “Hey, it worked. What is that thing?”

I had to explain it on our way to my son’s dorm across campus. She said, “Thank you, honey” and grabbed my hand. We chatted happily the rest of the way.

That scenario, as unusual as it sounds, could have gone much differently and normally would have. But the Jackery Bar saved me and possibly my marriage. I guess that might have been a better title to this piece: How the Jackery Bar Saved My Marriage.

Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.

The black Jackery Bar was officially announced on September 12, 2013. I’m a little late in getting this review out but it’s totally worth the wait just for the story alone. Below is the official press release about the new product:

Santa Clara, CA (Thursday, September 12th) — Jackery, a provider of premium rechargeable battery products for mobile devices, announced today the launch of a new black version of its popular Jackery Bar portable battery. Jackery’s loyal customer base submitted many requests for a black Jackery Bar to join the silver version and the company’s original distinctive orange.

The black version of the Jackery Bar offers users an additional 120 hours of operational time and is the world’s smallest portable battery with a 2.1A output. Weighing only 5.4 ounces, the Jackery Bar is designed for maximum convenience, giving smartphone and tablet users a reliable and portable power source. Ideal for users that need power and device security, the Jackery Bar is a secured batter with four layers of smart safety protection.

“We introduced a sleek and stylish black color for Jackery Bar in addition to the classic orange and silver colors due to a lot of demand from our customers for the classic black look,” said York Wu, CEO of Jackery. “Jackery Bar offers great looks and power, with a powerful charge that can be on standby for up to six months. Our products embrace both form and function, with a great design aesthetic that is complemented by our extraordinarily powerful portable batteries.”

In addition to iOS and Android devices, Jackery’s products are also compatible with Windows phones, various smartphone and tablet platforms, multiple gaming devices, and MP3 players.

Jackery also features the Air, Giant, and Mini products, each designed to offer portability and power for electronics users.

One of its very cool features is the built-in flashlight. It has a very bright single LED light at one end that you activate with a double press of the power button.

Why it’s frugal: After my personal saga, I shouldn’t have to tell you that its value and frugality are far beyond its price tag. However, for the more practical among you, the Jackery Bar can save you time in that you can charge your device or power it while on the move. You can’t do that any other way. Ordinarily, you have to stop, plug-in, and wait for hours. Charging on the go is worth a lot. Think about the possibilities.

Review: 10/10

Recommendation: For married folks and singles alike, the Jacker Bar is the ultimate in portable power. I won’t guarantee that one will save your marriage but it will save you time and time is money.

Jackery is a Santa Clara, California-based technology company focused on developing premium battery products for smartphones and tablets. The company offers a lineup of two products, the Jackery Bar and Jackery Mini, which both offer considerable charging time and small form factors for owners of the most popular smartphones, tablet devices, MP3 players and gaming devices.

For more information, visit http://www.jackeryusa.com.