"Hold on a second, my battery's about to g..." We've all been there and it's infuriating, isn't it? But it's not just mobile phones that have a habit of running out of juice when you least expect it; this is the age of the portable gizmo and PDA's, PSPs, iPods and digital cameras all require power. So what do you do when your battery's kaput and you're nowhere near a power source? No, you don't start thrashing your phone with a branch, Basil Fawlty style; you reach for your PowerMonkey.

PowerMonkey is a sleek little gadget that provides hours of extra power for portable devices. Think of it as a back-up battery that, once charged, holds its power without leakage for up to a year. Simply plug it into your gizmos and let the juice flow. You'll never be caught out with a dead battery again.

There are two kinds of PowerMonkey, the solar-powered eXplorer and the mains-powered Classic but both models come complete with all kinds of adapters, so you can fire up virtually any device imaginable. The eXplorer even features water-resistant rubberised casing, a folding solar panel and a handy LCD screen that displays remaining charge - ideal for adventurous eco-types who won't be near an AC socket anytime soon. When you want some more portable power just leave it to soak up a few rays.


Speaking of sockets, both PowerMonkeys come with a universal mains adapter so you can charge 'em up in over 150 countries. You can even use a USB port to juice up your Monkey. They really have thought of everything. In fact when it comes to essential travelling companions, PowerMonkeys are liable to oust fresh pants and toothpaste because they're always on hand to provide emergency power when you need it most. Take four bulky chargers on holiday? No thanks.