From air-powered vehicles to miniature robot bands, people just seem to keep finding innovative uses for Lego. It was only a matter of time before the versatility of those little plastic blocks was put to use in the era of the smartphone. The COI+ Lego Power Brick, a block of Lego which acts as an external battery pack for your phone or tablet, is designed to offer on-the-go charging while adding a little creativity to the mix.
The Power Brick measures 72 x 120 x 13 mm (2.83 x 4.72 x .51 in) and sports an On/Off switch on its underside with a grid of typical Lego bumps on its top surface, inviting endless possibilities for plastic constructions.
More practically, the included slanted Lego bricks can be used to create a customizable stand for your phone or tablet, which can then be given a little extra juice through a Micro USB or regular USB port on the brick's side.
Housing a lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 4,200 mAh, the 115 g (4.05 oz) Power Brick is capable of charge speeds of up to 2 A and is compatible with "most smartphone and tablets."
While the output of the Power Brick is by no means remarkable, perhaps speaking to our creative inner child can help it make up some ground on back-up battery packs of similar size.
The unit comes in red, yellow, blue or white accompanied by one USB to Micro USB cable and additional Lego bricks. It is currently available for pre order at US$49 ,with shipping slated for March 2014.
Product page: Shop Brando
