RSS Feeds
Peripherals
Oncore 6-Bay MacBook and iBook Charger Lightning Review
Posted by Gizmodo US Edition at 7:40 AM on October 1, 2008
The Gadget: Oncore's 6-Bay Macbook or iBook battery charger that really only charges three batteries at one time because it's a cluster of charging bays and not six individual chargers. Once the first battery in a single charging bay is full it will switch charging to the other battery which allows for six batteries to be fully charged over time.
The Price: $US389 MacBook Model / $US409 iBook Model - which doesn't include any batteries
The Verdict: My first impression is that this charging bay seems cheaply made especially with the $US400 price tag. The bay is basically a hollow plastic box with battery ports indented on the top. The ports aren't even that deep so for Macbook batteries that stand about 9" tall they stand rather unsecured.
Then there is the issue of how it can only charge three batteries at one time and not six like you would think. At first this is kinda stupid but in reality it's OK. The way Oncore has managed to send power to each charging bay set is good for the batteries and your electricity bill because once all batteries are charged it will shut off charging so the batteries aren't constantly charging and the power isn't always running.
Overall Oncore's 6-bay battery charger is actually a pretty good charging bay for MacBook or iBook batteries, and it will successfully charge six different batteries like it advertises. The type of person who would actually need six different batteries all ready to go at any given time is kinda slim. I can only see it being usefully for a business or family of frequent travelers who require more than one battery on each job or trip. So for those who are just looking for an extra battery charger there are cheaper alternatives that should do the job just as well. [Oncore]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
joandrade
Posted 8:14 AM 1/10/08
@nutbastard: No, the car can take 12 passengers, but will only move 6 passengers at a time, providing a total transport of 12 passengers.
joandrade
Xavoc
Posted 8:08 AM 1/10/08
@theogcasey: Extended coverage of an event in which you didn't have readily available power outlets. Datacenter crashcart laptops. Hospitals. Warehouse systems. Mass charging is needed in many places. It just isn't typically a mainstream need.
Xavoc
Barry99705
Posted 8:06 AM 1/10/08
@dhaberer: I forget who made the ones my past employer bought. It would charge I think 8 or 10 at a time. When you have 80 to 100 of them running around with middle schoolers extra charged batteries are nice. Ours were pretty nice, metal boxes, with deep battery bays.
Barry99705
Notch Johnson
Posted 8:00 AM 1/10/08
Come on the the train . . . and ride.
Notch Johnson
kylo4
Posted 8:00 AM 1/10/08
....or you could leave it plugged in and charging or use the money to buy a cheap broken Macbook and just put your battery in there to charge it and allow it to still be cheaper than this.
kylo4
beekerstudios
Posted 7:56 AM 1/10/08
@theogcasey: I am sure there is a market for it, for computer labs or something? But that's a very small market, which explains the crazy price. Make less of them, but still make a lot of moolah.
beekerstudios
Kaspir
Posted 7:55 AM 1/10/08
I'll pass on the charger, but how much for the couch? Freakin sweet.
Kaspir
Xavoc
Posted 7:54 AM 1/10/08
@nutbastard: Or when 12 when occupied by clowns.
Xavoc
graverobber- It says Loud Pipes Save Lives
Posted 7:53 AM 1/10/08
Four benjamins for a battery charger? I think not.
graverobber- It says Loud Pipes Save Lives
theogcasey
Posted 7:51 AM 1/10/08
awesome.
... but why the fuck would anyone need that many batteries to begin with?
theogcasey
nutbastard
Posted 7:49 AM 1/10/08
This brand new Car features 12* seats!
* passenger capacity limited to 6 passengers. once those passengers exit the vehicle, 6 more can enter, providing a total of 12 seats.
nutbastard
dhaberer
Posted 7:48 AM 1/10/08
Wow, do you really need that many batteries for your macbooks? Well I guess since you've already overpaid for the macbook, what's another few hundred on this?
dhaberer
Xavoc
Posted 7:48 AM 1/10/08
@BiZarRroBALlmeR: What are you, some kind of 7'th bay adventist?
Xavoc
Xavoc
Posted 7:47 AM 1/10/08
Interesting, too bad my macbook pro battery (non-apple branded generic replacement purchased as a gift for me) is splitting open ala the recalled batteries w/ bulge issues when overheating.
However, at this rate I will have a bunch of half-dead batteries sitting around to use should I need to prop-up a short table leg or something... Unless the leg breaches the battery containment and well you know what happens.
I could see this being good for maybe apple stores where they could send you on your way with a freshly charged battery for your new laptop or charge your battery while they're doing their genius bar thing. Or maybe, you know, if you're like Giz and need 3 batteries per laptop to handle apple's "BOOM" releases.
Xavoc
BiZarRroBALlmeR
Posted 7:46 AM 1/10/08
I thought it said "6 Day" charging
BiZarRroBALlmeR
Suttin
Posted 8:40 AM 1/10/08
If they want this to be a good product for mainstream consumers, add 2 powerd usb ports and a spot to charge an iPod/iPhone.
Charging station in a box :)
Suttin
jbang
Posted 9:01 AM 1/10/08
@jbang:
"$300 for a dell" = "$300 more than a Dell"
jbang
jbang
Posted 9:00 AM 1/10/08
@dhaberer: Bah, MacBooks are on par with most notebooks of similar specs. The "Apple Tax" is now about $300 for a Dell. And that's a Dell. I'd pay $300 for iLife, OS X, the customer support and the industrial design. I'd even go so far to say build quality - until they change the chassis and hardware design and nut out the problems over a build or two.
And whoa - Apple apologist much? I cannot justify the charging structure for the black MacBook, which is a most modest spec boost and clearly about the colour.
jbang
Faslane66
Posted 8:52 AM 1/10/08
@Suttin:
That I could see, maybe like 2 charger stands (for an extra battery) an iPod 5G scharger(old style for older pods, shuffles etc. a few usb, 2 firewire one 400 and one 800 and an iPhone/Pod dock for 1st and 2 generation and an integrated S-Video and component output all in one unit!!! One Can Dream!!!! Maybe I'll build one and make my million....oh wait, the economy is f-ed up totally, nevermind.
Faslane66
Faslane66
Posted 8:50 AM 1/10/08
a bit overkill, unless used in an Apple store i think. I only have 5 MacBook Pros at any one time LMAO!!
Faslane66
greggantic
Posted 10:40 PM 1/10/08
this might be used for schools ect...
greggantic
Con Seannery
Posted 5:55 AM 2/10/08
@jbang: Oh, so you'd pay $300 to have an OS made for the illiterate (pictures instead of words), customer support that still won't give a shit about you but might have a better script because all of the products are right from CrApple, the pretentious iPrefixes all over your programs that aren't all that great and have alternatives for less than $300, and to kill functionality for the sake of a shiny gizmo? Honestly, die CrApple fanboys die...
Con Seannery