ASAP Dash smartphone battery pack has fast 15 minute recharge

Frequent travellers will know the pain of running out of juice for your devices while you’re on the road – especially when you’re in unfamiliar territory and can’t access emails, maps, Uber and other essential services.

Sydney-based company ASAP hopes to make that a thing of the past with the ASAP Dash.

Billed as the world’s fastest pocket-sized charger, the 5,000mAh battery inside the ASAP Dash can be fully charged in just 15 minutes.

This gives the ASAP Dash enough juice to charge an iPhone 5 almost three times over, while we found that devices with larger batteries – such as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung S6 – can still eke out at least one-and-a-half charges.

While powerbanks are certainly not a new product, ASAP’s patented fast-charge technology makes it extremely useful for business travellers.

And you don't even need a full 15 minutes: plugging the ASAP Dash into a standard AC socket for just five minutes was enough to fully charge an almost drained iPhone 5, so even if you’re in a mad dash to get to the airport you can top up the battery pack while you throw your things together or wait for your driver, and not worry about your smartphone dying when you need it most.

In comparison, other powerbanks take much longer to charge or have a much lower battery capacity.

(It’s important to note that while you can charge the ASAP Dash extremely quickly, your devices will still charge at the same speed they are currently capable of.)

The ASAP Dash works with all iPhone and Android phones, as well as any other devices that charge via USB, such as tablets and iPods.

The Dash is also capable of outputting power at 3.1 amps, while most current powerbanks output at 2.1 amps, so you're future-proofed for next-generation devices that'll demand more power.

Due for release in June 2016 the ASAP Dash is now available for a pre-order at chargeasap.com  with 'early bird pricing' at a very appealing US$59 and free shipping to Australia (once released, the retail price will rise to US$119).

We've tested a production sample and were very impressed with its performance, smart looks (the anodised aluminium case is available in three colours) and sub-180g weight, which makes it easy to charge up and throw into your bag just in case you need it.

In short, we reckon the ASAP Dash will quickly become must-have gear for the business traveller.

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