This could well be the smallest uninterruptible power supply ever — someone merged a 5,000mAh battery with a plug and added rather useful charging protections to produce a nifty gadget that's very different from your standard powerbank

Japanese electronics firm Elecom, best known for inventing the first-ever oval mouse in 1988, has launched a new device that marries an AC charger with a mobile battery to produce an incredibly versatile power station .

The DE-AC08-5000 is ultra-portable, with a slim design that can easily fit into small bags or pouches. It has both a 5,000mAh battery and a plug, and supports USB Power Delivery 20W, allowing fast smartphone charging to ensure you never run out of battery unexpectedly.

Elecom claims the battery can charge a typical 1,800mAh smartphone about 1.6 times and a 3,000mAh smartphone about 0.9 times when the phone is off. What sets the device apart from other power banks is that you can plug it into an outlet and connect your smartphone directly, using it like a regular charger. It supports charging both the power bank and a connected device simultaneously, usefully prioritizing the latter until it is fully charged.

Black or white (with a face)

The power plug has a swing mechanism, so it can be tucked away into the main body when not in use. You can check the remaining battery level through a four-stage LED indicator, so you always know how much power is left.

Elecom’s 2-in-1 AC charger and mobile battery is available in two versions: black and Shiro-chan, Elecom’s quirky product line, which is white with a cartoon face on it (as you can see in the top photo). The price for both is the same at 5,980 yen, about $37.

Elecom says the device uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that lasts for about 500 charge cycles and includes five protection functions: overcharge, over-discharge, overcurrent, short-circuit protection, and temperature detection. It is also safe for air travel, meeting UN38.3 standards.

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