Powerbag Instant Messenger bag

Testing and Impressions:

As a messenger bag, the Instant Messenger functions quite handily. The reinforced metal plate in the top keeps the bag from folding in on itself when carried by the shoulder strap, which is an all too common failing of messenger bags. The shoulder strap itself has a distressing tendency to get twisted up; a hinged buckle on either end would have helped there. I don’t have a tablet to cart around, but the tablet pouch makes a handy storage spot for the Cat5 cable and humongous power brick that are obligatory extras for this laptop nowadays. The other pouches in and around the main compartment make keeping the various other necessary bits organized a breeze. Not once was I forced to choose which gadgets would get a pouch and which would be left rattling around in the main compartment—everything has a proper place in this bag.

As a charger, my results with the Instant Messenger were somewhat mixed. Both Android-based devices and my friend’s iPhone and iPad charged without issue, from dead to full in no more time than they would at the wall. The rapid iPad charging was especially impressive, given how notoriously power-hungry that device is when feeding from the wall. It’s worth noting, however, that the external Dock connector is limited to 1A of current output; charging an iPad 2 required the use of the internal USB port and charging cable.

Other USB-powered devices, such as my Sandisk Sansa Clip+, fared less favorably. It would charge as long as the bag was on, but it apparently wasn’t sending back the right signals to the charger, as the bag would repeatedly shut itself off in the middle of the charging process. Having to babysit my MP3 player to get a usable charge out of it was annoying, to say the least. As mentioned on Powerbag’s website, the Instant Messenger is not suited for charging high-drain devices like laptops, and it doesn’t even try. If the main battery-vampire in your mobile kit is your laptop, you’ll still have to find an outlet when that critical battery alarm sounds.

The bag itself charges from any wall outlet, with an included AC adapter that plugs into the bag’s bottom corner. This process was quick and painless, and the upstream charging port has an attached rubber plug to keep moisture out while on the go. As previously mentioned, checking the battery’s charge level is a simple matter of tapping the bag’s power button. One light means the battery is about flat, four lights means fully charged.

Conclusion:

The Powerbag Instant Messenger is designed with a very specific person in mind: the highly mobile road warrior with a battery-sucking smartphone or tablet. If this sounds anything like you, the Instant Messenger is a great way to stay connected while on the go, at least with your smartphone or tablet. If you don’t particularly need the gadget-charging feature, the $179.99 MSRP might well cause you to reconsider. We did have a Powerbag with us at CES 2012 and a good dozen or so occasions we were asked by other press if we happened to have a charger that they could possibly charge their phone with. We replied with “you’re in luck, yes, we have a Powerbag.”

Pros:

• Smart design
• Lots of pockets
• Keeps your smartphone/tablet juiced up on the go

Cons:

• Expensive
• Laptop slot too small for many 17″ models
• Charger may need babysitting if your device isn’t on the supported list

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