We don’t ask much from our external and back up batteries, except that they work and that they power the devices that we need. But of course the makers would like to give us more than what we expect, and Braven’s newest baby, the BRV-BANK PRO LE is chock full of surprises, claiming that it’s the “World’s First Ultra-Rugged, Smart Modular Backup Battery”. And its modular design and compatibility to optional but pretty handy accessories from its maker.
Let’s focus first on its ruggedness. The backup battery can actually survive being fully immersed in water as it has IPX7 waterproof rating. It also has a 300 lumen LED flashlight so you can actually use it in the dark. And it has aircraft-grade aluminum housing so you know that you can drop it and it will not break and it will still work. It is Bluetooth SMART enabled and using Braven’s proprietary app, you’ll be able to control the battery, like monitoring its power levels, turning the charger on and off, and locating the battery bank in case you lost it.
It also has two modes that you can use in times of trouble. The Bear Mode turns on your smartphone’s motion sensor so that it will sound an alarm or trigger the flashlight, in case your phone gets moved or picked up or something. The Find Me mode meanwhile is for when you’re lost and you need to be found (obviously). It uses the visual morse code for S.O.S through its flashlight. And hopefully, someone sees it.
The BRV-BANK PRO LE is also compatible with accessories from the BRV-PRO modular rugged-speaker, like a solar charging panel, multi-tool, GoPro compatible action mount, and a stacking plate so you can stack several batteries to give you more power. It will be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2016 for only $129.99. You can check it out at Braven’s booth at CES 2015.
