Targus has been a laptop bag maker for as long as I can remember. Despite so, it is just another gadget accessories maker, well, that’s until now… The Californian company has brought to CES 2019 a very interesting backpack called Targus Mobile VIP+ Backpack that has a built-in battery and a Qi wireless charging cradle in one of the side pockets. You can easily tell that the pocket is “powered” by the subtle hint of a blue accent that runs along the peripheral of the pocket.
The cradle is designed to hold a Qi-enabled phone, such as the iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, or Samsung Galaxy S9, in place to keep it charging even as you move around. This is intriguing as wireless charging and moving around never seems to get along well. However, there’s nothing particularly high-tech with this setup because, the cradle is connected to a standard power bank via a standard USB cable. So, it is basically a backpack that comes with a power bank.
The only special design would be the cradle and also, a RFID blocking pocket to prevent asshats from skimming your credit cards remotely. But because it uses a standard power bank and it being removable, you can actually slip in a bigger capacity battery if you so desire. Targus described Mobile VIP+ Backpack as “packed with technology,” but it is really just the Qi wireless charging. That, however, does not mean it is any less sellable.
It is actually pretty cool since you need not to deal with cables when charging. The cable that connects the battery and the cradle is all there is and you never had to touch it until the power bank needs recharging. Beyond the “tech,” the Targus Mobile VIP+ Wireless Charging Backpack has pretty everything you expect from a backpack, including contoured shoulder straps, an air-mesh back panel for comfort, a trolley strap to secure to rolling suitcase, a tuck-away bottle holder and whatnot.
The Targus Mobile VIP+ Wireless Charging Backpack will run you back at $199.99 a pop when it becomes this April.
Images: Targus.
