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Main > Hardware
> Nuby Power Plus Advance
HARDWARE/PERIPHERAL - There is something I cannot stress enough about the GBA, and that is the great battery time. I mean, 15 to 20 hours of playtime on two little Alkaline batteries is something to talk about. That much battery time is almost like a barrel of monkeys. I mean, how do they stick that many little plastic monkeys in a can? Either way, the battery time is great. But, you're still going to find yourself spending quite a bit of money on batteries, which can get a little hectic. Making a trip to the nearest Costco whenever you need to restock yourselves with batteries isn't exactly that efficient. So, a battery pack is a good thing, right? And while you're at it, get one that lasts. Ever since I purchased my GBA, I've really wanted to get a battery pack. I kept reminding myself to get one, but with buying a GBA and two games, I found myself constantly pulling out the insides of my pockets and saying "I'm flat broke!" So, before my vacation I stopped at the mall and finally bought one. There was lots of choices. The Charge N' Go seemed like a good route. It's just a special battery lid you put on your GBA, with a recharger somewhat like the ones that come with Palm Pilots. The special lid has two little metal parts on it, and the recharger has two little rods. When a metal part and a metal rod meet eachother and love eachother very much, it recharges the GBA. I was about to buy this when I saw that it said, "Up to 12 hours of gameplay". Twelve hours? I could stick a cork up my ass, twist it 5 times clockwise and I'd still have more time than that. So I picked up the Cobra Power Plus Advance, and I definately wasn't disappointed. I mean, this thing has 30 hours of gameplay! It keeps going and going, I never had to recharge once on my whole 10 day vacation around Alberta and B.C, and there was two four hour plane rides, and two long drives, 7 and 9 hours. So, obviously, I played GBA the whole time with some Incubus going on my Discman. And the thing never quit! Finally, on the plane ride home, the light went red, but when I switched games, it was green again and has stayed that way. Sure, I've recharged it since, but it still never actually did run out. I'm just saying, I cannot stress enough how great the time on this thing is. Plus, it's "Plug N' Play" so right out of the package it's charged for the full 30 hours, none of this "buy it and charge it yourself" crap. Excellent. So far this thing probably seems too good to be true. There are some slightly disappointing facts. The thing is fairly bulky. It's not nearly as bad as the Power Pak EXE, which goes about an inch behind the system, and about an inch and a half below (and that thing still only lasts 15 hours), but it's not perfect. Even though I highly recommend you buy this, it's not like I'm advertising it. Sure, it's not portable. But hey, it's no thicker than the GBA itself, so instead of bitching about the problem, just pop the battery pack off (yes, unlike Nuby's other "Cobra" products, it actually comes off with ease), and put it in your left pocket with the GBA in the right. Or vice-versa. Whatever. It's not that bad, especially for a pack that lasts 30 hours. If you're looking for something that you'll forget is there, this is wrong for you. Also, I found it felt bulky and a little mishaped in your hands at first, but after a while, it actually seems comfortable, atleast to me. There's been alot of complaining from you guys about how the GBA is so small and sleek that you're hands get tired of the wierd position alot quicker than with the Game Boy Color. I agree, but this thing actually fixes the problem for you. Unfortunately, you still can't sneak out of the washroom without washing your hands after whiping, this doesn't eliminate poo from splattering all over the system. Although, the GBA plastic and poo together may just be fragrance of Myamoto. Take a look at the photo on the left. Like what you see? It's a lie. That's the only picture I could find on the net, so I thought I'd just tell you that it isn't exactly the same as the real Power Plus. I've found Nuby likes to put pictures that make their product look better on the front. They could probably actually be charged for it, but I'm too lazy to send in a letter. If you want to, go ahead, they may just send you some free stuff. Anyways, the picture on the left is something that drove me into buying a Power Plus, because that is the picture on the pack. But, it's wrong. The real thing is actually cube shaped. Where the wierd looking grips on the side of the pack itself in the picture start, the actual pack goes straight down. The cobra head is still made to have grips on it, and I have fairly small hands, so not many people should have trouble with it, but I still think Nuby are real assholes for trying to pull off shenanigans like that one. Anyways, don't let this steer you clear of buying the Power Plus, I just thought I would warn you, because I definately don't want you getting mad at me about it. Kapeesh? Not much more to say about this. It's a great buy, and I definately recommend it, especially for the good playing time. It has a few more features, there is a switch on the bottom which makes the Cobra eyes on the back light up. According to the package, this determines the power left in the pack, but as there isn't a manual, I haven't found out if the light just dims, or changes color, or whatever. Either way, even after 24 hours of use, I haven't noticed the eyes looking any different. I'd also like to warn you that the battery pack itself rattles a bit. We all know that the GBA doesn't hold the lid on perfect, and this isn't bad shaking at all, but you should probably know. I doubt it would ever pop off while you're playing, but if it does... it's not my problem! Look out for more hardware reviews in the near future by me....  Top |
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