CES 2016: Griffin Debuts Travel Power Bank and New Bands for Apple Watch

[MacRumors]

Griffin today announced several accessories for the Apple Watch as part of its CES 2016 offerings, including an assortment of Apple Watch bands and the Travel Power Bank, a new compact Apple Watch charger designed for on-the-go charging while traveling.

The Travel Power Bank is an all-in-one travel solution with a built-in Apple Watch charger. Unlike most Apple Watch charging solutions, it's small enough to be attached to a keychain, and with its built-in 800 mAh battery, it can charge the Apple Watch when away from a power source. According to Griffin, the Travel Power Bank is able to deliver up to 4 full charges to an Apple Watch before needing to be recharged via an included micro-USB cable.

Though portable, the Travel Power Bank isn't cheap. When it becomes available for purchase in the second quarter of 2016, it will retail for $69.99.

Griffin has also announced two new sets of bands designed for the Apple Watch, both of which will be debuting in several months during the third quarter of 2016. The Uptown Leather Band features a design similar to the Hermés Double Tour, with a double-wrap band that winds around the wrist twice.

Available in toffee, black, ecru, or seafoam, each band will come with a metal buckle to match one of the Apple Watch Stainless Steel or Apple Watch Sport colors. Toffee pairs with yellow gold, black and seafoam pair with silver, and ecru pairs with rose gold. Each band uses silver lugs.

The Uptown Leather Band is available exclusively for the smaller 38mm Apple Watch and it adjusts to fit wrists between 5.1 and 7 inches. Griffin plans to sell the Uptown Leather Band for $59.99.

Griffin's Trainer Watch Band, priced at $39.99, is made from a sweat-proof ridged silicone that's ideal for working out. Available in red, blue, black, and white, the Trainer Watch Band is designed to fit the 42mm Apple Watch and wrists sized from 5.9 to 8.6 inches.

The Trainer Watch Band uses silver lugs and it includes a brushed stainless steel buckle to match the Stainless Steel apple Watch. According to Griffin, a notched post at the end of the band secures extra length and offers security during vigorous activity like runs and hikes.

Specific launch dates for the Travel Power Bank and the two sets of watch bands will become available from Griffin later in 2016.

Article Link: CES 2016: Griffin Debuts Travel Power Bank and New Bands for Apple Watch

 

[oneMadRssn]

All these portable battery pack chargers for the Apple Watch seem colossally inefficient to me. From wall power, (1) you run a converter to a USB charger, (2) which charges a battery pack, (3) which then powers an inductive transfer, (4) to another battery in the watch. Each of these steps has a certain loss to inefficiency, and it has double the inefficient steps of just charging directly.

Thus, given the fact that the Apple Watch 205/250mah battery (depending on size), I highly doublt this 800mah wattery pack can charge the apple watch 4 times fully. At most, it might eek out 2 charges, though even that is unlikely considering how crazy inefficient inductive charging is.

 

[Xprmntr]

I'd like to see an Apple Watch charging puck w a lightning port

 

[aardwolf]

Having a gaping hole on your watch can seriously reduce the water resistance...

 

[TeeHawkZ32]

I'd like to see an Apple Watch charging puck w a lightning port

You mean like this?

 

[Born2Run]

I'd like to see someone build an iPhone battery case with a watch puck built in so you only need one wire to charge both.

 

[macduke]

Interesting that Apple Watch chargers are a big thing at CES. These companies do their research. If the Watch was a flop they wouldn't be putting out all of these accessories for it. That being said, I've never once ran out of power using my Apple Watch. Am I using it wrong? I'm also really interested in picking up a third-party band at some point. Right now I just have the Milanese loop and black sport band.

 

[axantas]

You mean like this?

I think he talks about just a puck with a lightning socket. Clever idea. One cable for the phone and just the supplememtary puck for the watch.

 

[vjl323]

The trainer bands look nice and they're affordable! But I wonder how they would look on a space grey aluminum Watch, as the article states, the area on the band where they connect matches the look of a stainless steal Watch and not the aluminum one.

 

[TheRealTVGuy]

All these portable battery pack chargers for the Apple Watch seem colossally inefficient to me. From wall power, (1) you run a converter to a USB charger, (2) which charges a battery pack, (3) which then powers an inductive transfer, (4) to another battery in the watch. Each of these steps has a certain loss to inefficiency, and it has double the inefficient steps of just charging directly.

Thus, given the fact that the Apple Watch 205/250mah battery (depending on size), I highly doublt this 800mah wattery pack can charge the apple watch 4 times fully. At most, it might eek out 2 charges, though even that is unlikely considering how crazy inefficient inductive charging is.

Yeah, but if you use this as a keychain and are camping, crash at a buddy's house, or get caught out someplace, this could come in really handy. (Now watch someone one up my comment by suggesting the proper solution is for Apple to release a watch with at least a 7-day battery life...)

 

[vjl323]

Yeah, but if you use this as a keychain and are camping, crash at a buddy's house, or get caught out someplace, this could come in really handy. (Now watch someone one up my comment by suggesting the proper solution is for Apple to release a watch with at least a 7-day battery life...)

This is exactly how I see this keychain for - though, I wonder how long it holds a charge without being used? How often would I need to charge my keychain?

I'm sure, over time, the Watch's battery life will improve as battery technology in general improves. In the meantime, a small charger that can fit in one's pocket easily and keep the watch alive during a long weekend or while stuck at a friend's place, seems like a great idea to me.

 

[Denmac1]

Yeah, but if you use this as a keychain and are camping, crash at a buddy's house, or get caught out someplace, this could come in really handy. (Now watch someone one up my comment by suggesting the proper solution is for Apple to release a watch with at least a 7-day battery life...)

And if they came out with 7 day battery, they would cry for 14. I'm happy with the one day. Some people just need to move on....(yeah, I've heard all the other arguments for at least 2 day)

 

[xDKP]

Griffin has also announced two new sets of bands designed for the Apple Watch, both of which will be debuting in several months during the third quarter of 2016.

Surely this must be a mistake? What a terrible time to market?! The watch might even have been replaced before they are out with the bands

 

[sglewis100]

This is exactly how I see this keychain for - though, I wonder how long it holds a charge without being used? How often would I need to charge my keychain?

Today's lithium ion batteries don't discharge very rapidly at all. I'm sure weeks without use would be a non issue. Personally, I wish this was on a slight incline or even had a small kickstand. I have a stand at home and removing the cable is a pain. But I travel for business constantly. It'd be nice to have this and be able to use nightstand mode with it.

It's expensive at $70 but then Apple's dock is even more still. And a new charging cable only is a cool $29.

 

[Xprmntr]

Yeah I meant just the puck that u can use with existing lightning cables