And unlike most of the other rapid-charging advances you may have read about on Geek.com, this one works with existing technologies. Legion Meter is designed to reduce charging times on today’s smartphones and tablets using good old USB ports.
It has being developed by PLX Devices, an established company that has successfully brought several products to market over the years — so you can be sure this is something that’s actually going to happen
The downside to Legion Meter’s charging abilities is that not everyone will see much of a boost. The 90% figure refers to an ideal test case: an iPhone 4 or 4S charging on a desktop PC or laptop’s USB port. 90% is a big increase in that case, but it’s not going to be any faster than using a wall adapter with decent amperage.
Still, PLX testing shows that the Legion Meter can improve times on a wide range of devices. Even when using Apple’s beefy 2A wall charger, an iPhone 4S charged 12% faster. Android phones on Mac USB ports charged 74% faster, and they were 88% faster on a PC USB port. If you own an iPad or iPad mini, there’s another reason to like Legion Meter. Though neither likes to charge on a PC’s USB ports, they will with a Legion Meter plugged in.
Even if you’re not interested in the possibility of faster charges, there’s another reason to get excited. The USB dongle has a built-in multimeter that can tell you the wattage and amerpage of your current connection. It also works a bit like a gas pump, keeping tabs of the mAh it’s pumping back into your battery. A handy feature if you’re curious just how much of the original capacity you’re still able to take advantage of.
Still, PLX testing shows that the Legion Meter can improve times on a wide range of devices. Even when using Apple’s beefy 2A wall charger, an iPhone 4S charged 12% faster. Android phones on Mac USB ports charged 74% faster, and they were 88% faster on a PC USB port. If you own an iPad or iPad mini, there’s another reason to like Legion Meter. Though neither likes to charge on a PC’s USB ports, they will with a Legion Meter plugged in.
Even if you’re not interested in the possibility of faster charges, there’s another reason to get excited. The USB dongle has a built-in multimeter that can tell you the wattage and amerpage of your current connection. It also works a bit like a gas pump, keeping tabs of the mAh it’s pumping back into your battery. A handy feature if you’re curious just how much of the original capacity you’re still able to take advantage of.
