It may not be the sleekest looking way to charge a spare battery without putting it inside the Dell Streak, but the Lenmar Universal Clip Charger with adjustable contacts and USB plug that you see above gets the job done and only costs about $10 (MSRP $15.95) from places like Amazon
StreakSmart reader Robin sent me all the photos in this post and says that charging the battery with the Lenmar Universal Clip takes just about as long (or maybe a bit longer) than charging it in the device. Considering that you would most likely use this while the other battery is in your Streak, though, I don't think a slightly longer charging time is a big deal since both batteries can be charged at the same time.
The first photo may not make it evident, so here's a brief rundown of how the clip charger works with the Streak battery.
You clip the clip (I don't know how else to say that) on the battery then adjust the metal prongs so that they're touching the battery's two outer contacts (the first and last ones if you're looking at them from left to right). The charger automatically senses the polarity and adjusts accordingly, so it's safe and there's no risk of shorting the battery. When the connection is properly made, the LED glows green.
Then you just connect the USB plug to a computer's USB port, a USB wall charger, or a USB car charger. The LED will glow red to indicate charging and turn back to green when the battery is fully charged.
This clip charger isn't the only product of its kind and it may not be the most attractive one out there, but a ~$10 price tag for something that really works is hard to beat. One thing to note, however, is that the charger isn't very well made. Robin says it isn't very sturdy and that you get what you pay for.
The Lenmark Universal Clip Charger is available now from Amazon
Thanks, Robin!
Wow! Another neat gadget for my Streak. Nice find!
This seems like a nifty and cheap way to get some extra run time, especially given how horrible my battery life is on the Dell Froyo build 12821.
I dont know…seems to me like the thing is made in China and might catch on fire…
It’s very safe. Auto shut-off. Smart charging with current detection. No worries with this device.
I searched hard for this one. I haven’t even plugged my Streak in since I got it. I just swap the battery in the charger when it gets low.
hmmmmm, I might actually buy me a couple then. Thanks Robin!
i think this is an method with one extra step.
there are many charges on ebay for the battery itselt
like:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Advanced-USB-Battery-Charger-Dell-Streak-Mini-5-/260699595112?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item3cb2e82168
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-USB-Desktop-Battery-Charger-Dell-Streak-Mini-5-/260690319727?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item3cb25a996f
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-USB-Desktop-Battery-Charger-Dell-Streak-Mini-5-/320593137758?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item4aa4d7105e
i think buying this clip is just not enough as u also need to buy the USB charger (unless u depend on the computer)
or just buy a USB charger from dell for $19
but again this is an other alternative
thanks Robin and Jenn
No need to buy anything extra. The wall charger in the picture above is the one that comes with the Streak. The car charger is the one from the car docking station. That is extra. You can buy a cheap usb charger from just about anywhere for under $10. The best thing about this one is you don’t have to buy online. You can walk in to a store and see it first hand before you decide.
u r right. but i am from australia and we dont have bestbuy and Amazon, Best Buy, Radio Shack
and i am still waiting for some one who can discover a PDMI to HDM cable
Be careful with those chargers you linked. They do not have the same safety feature as the Lenmar one. If you look at the third and fourh pictures from the top you will see a green light on the clip with just the battery attached. This shows you a proper connection before you plug the battery into a usb charging device. The ones you linked do not have that feature. Although I know it’s the outside contacts that are used for charging, this charger doesn’t specify which is positive or negative. It controls the polarity on its own. Another feature.
Here is the link to all of their resellers. You can check and see if any of them ship there.
http://www.lenmar.com/Web/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=PPUCLIP&WhereToBuy=1
Amazon will send this item to Australia…I just checked, ‘coz I live in Sydney.
…now all I need is a source for the extra batteries…Optus don’t have them (or any other accessories…thanks again, Dell Australia)
Hey Robin…. I bought mine but it does not seem to work….
the light is always green… even if i plug the charger without a battery…
Any idea ?