Six of the best gadget chargers

By Peter Jenkinson

It's one of the most frustrating problems of the 21st century - the battery icon starts to flash on your gadget, but you have no charger available.

What could be more exasperating than lugging around a smartphone or other device with no power, leaving you forced to hunt down an internet cafe or telephone box (yes, they do still exist)?

Here's a selection of six emergency chargers to foil that frustration and keep you in contact.

Get Clamped - ChargeGenie Universal MicroUSB Rechargeable Charger - £24.99 from http://energenie4u.co.uk

If you have a micro USB port on your smartphone then look no further for a portable charging solution, because this one really is one-size-fits-all. A compact device that clamps on the back of your phone for emergency power, it's lightweight enough to stay on while you use your phone and five LED lights let you know how much power is left for use.

Back Pack - Freeloader Globetrotter Classic Charger - £64.99 from http://menkind.co.uk

Stick this solar powered panel on your back and charge up all manner of gadgets while you are on the move. The panels can fill the internal battery in around eight hours and then, in turn, power an iPod for 18 hours or a smartphone for 44 hours.

Power Up - Power Up - Solarpod Pro - Around £1,400 from http://completeeco.com

This product uses solar panels to back up the internal battery and allows you to plug in just about anything from a kettle to laptop, making it an ultimate power source. Power up the battery from almost any source including mains, car lighter socket or even USB and it'll give you the power for about anything you can imagine - it's an amazing bit of kit.

Slim Stick - Pebble Smartstick Charger - £18.99 from www.firebox.com

With five different adaptor tips for all the top gadgets, this device is ideal to keep about your person for some extra power when it is needed. There are four colours to choose from - so you'll even be able to find a hue to match your outfit perfectly.

Branded Beast - Duracell 3 Hour USB Travel Charger - £29.99 from www.currys.co.uk

This useful unit from Duracell is perfect for when you're travelling and provides a convenient source of backup power. The micro and mini USB cables allow you to charge a range of portable devices, and it even has an LED indicator to show you how much charge is available.

Your Flavour - Juice Chargers - From £14.99 at www.firebox.com

It is almost inevitable that you will lose the bit of wire supplied at the outset, so treat yourself to one of these Juice Chargers when you purchase your new gadget. Complete with some rather swish, colourful packaging and ready to charge pretty much every device you can imagine, you probably won't misplace this handy charger quite so readily.

App of the week: Blue Nose Friends Tatty Puppy - £1.99 from iTunes

If your little ones are fans of Tatty Teddy, they'll be delighted with this first app from My Blue Nose Friends. The free version features a fun mini-game and the full paid one includes six games, suitable for kids aged four to eight. Best of all, there are no scary in-app costs and no adverts.