Skip to main content

This little power bank uses Bluetooth to make sure you don’t lose it

Power banks aren’t exactly a new idea, with companies like Samsung and Xiaomi having now joined the portable battery party. However, Latvia-based firm Draugiem Group hopes to differentiate itself from the pack by helping to make sure you don’t misplace its battery pack.

Dubbed the CoalBit, this compact power bank includes a 560mAh battery, enough to give your phone up to three extra hours of talk time, two hours of Internet browsing, and 10 hours of music. In addition, the CoalBit includes a flashlight in the event that you don’t have another one nearby.

Recommended Videos

Even though these are rather typical features offered by many of today’s power banks, where the CoalBit steps out from the pack is through the inclusion of Bluetooth. By connecting the CoalBit to your phone, you can not only keep track of where it is, but you can also keep track of both your phone and whatever you have your CoalBit attached to.

Because the CoalBit is so tiny, it’s not that hard to misplace it, which is why it comes with a carabiner clip. However, as some of us are prone to do, we can also lose the things we attach that clip to. As such, you can enable a distance alert that will buzz your phone in the event that you get a little too far away from the CoalBit. If you didn’t enable this, however, Draugiem Group built an app, available for both iOS and Android, that will inform you of the CoalBit’s last known location.

If all of this has piqued your interest, you can currently back the CoalBit through Kickstarter. Currently, there are two versions of the CoalBit being offered: the regular CoalBit and a Lite version, which removes Bluetooth. In addition, the CoalBit comes with either an integrated Micro USB or Lightning cable, so you don’t have to lug one around and risk misplacing it. The CoalBit Lite goes for at least $15, while the regular CoalBit goes for at least $39. Regardless of which CoalBit you want, you will be able to order it in white, black, blue, yellow, or red.

Currently, the CoalBit campaign has drawn in $12,943, with the goal set at $84,000, and with 27 days to go. If everything goes according to plan, Draugiem Group should start shipping the power bank out to backers beginning this October.

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
I record interviews for work. These are my favorite free recorder apps
The iPhone 14 Pro and Google Pixel 7 Pro's voice recording apps running together.

The Voice Recorder app on a phone (left) and the Voice Memos on another phone Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Before you head to the app store on your phone to buy a voice-recording app, take a moment to consider the apps that may already be installed on your phone. Why? In my experience, they're likely all you really need. I’ve recorded interviews and voice-overs for work for years, and I’ve found the two best examples come preinstalled on your phone already, so they’re entirely free to use.

Read more
The best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases: 10 best ones so far
Two Galaxy Z Fold 5 phones next to each other -- one is open and one is closed.

Samsung’s next-generation foldable is here with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. This iteration has some notable improvements, including a new hinge design that eliminates the gap from previous generations when the device was folded. You also get a 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the outside while having a 6.7-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the inside, with both screens having a 120Hz refresh rate. In other words, they're about as nice as you could ask for.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is made with premium materials, and the triple-lens camera system packs in a 50MP main shooter, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. There’s a 10MP selfie camera on the front cover, and a 4MP camera on the inner display. You also get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip inside for the best performance and power efficiency.

Read more
Google Pixel Tablet just got its first big discount and it’s worth a look
Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

Tablets are a dime-a-dozen these days, with offerings from all the great brands including Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, and more. So, if you really want to stand out in a sea of similar tech, you need to do things a little differently. That's what Google's Pixel Tablet offers. How? It comes with a unique speaker dock that can be used to both charge the device and offer room-filling sound -- almost like a smart speaker add-on. Better yet, when your Pixel Tablet is docked it benefits from the Hub Mode, turning the device into a smart display, with digital photo frame support, smart home controls, and hands-free Google functionality. Of course, it could set you back at full price, normally $499 unless you find it included in a roundup of the best Google Pixel deals. Well, guess what? Thanks to a Best Buy Google Pixel Tablet deal, you can get it today for $439 and save $60. Hurry, though, it's part of Best Buy's recent 48-hour sale so it won't stick around for long.

Why you should buy the Google Pixel Tablet
Okay, okay, so in our Google Pixel Tablet review, Joe Maring did give it less than stellar remarks, but he called out its reliable fingerprint sensor, comfortability during use and excellent speaker dock. Honestly, how many tablets come with a matching speaker dock that transforms the entire experience? This tablet also marks a "lot of firsts" for Google, as it's the first tablet from the company in nearly five years, the first Android tablet in eight years, and can be converted into a smart home display with the speaker dock. All of which are notable milestones.

Read more