Batteries to back up cell phone available at Pa. Convention Center

Pennsylvania Convention Center officials hope visitors will get a charge out of the facility’s newest amenity. 

Tom Hutchinson of SMG Management, which runs the convention center, said staffers noticed too many people hanging around portable phone-charging stations and wanted to offer an alternative.

“MobileQubes had an option where you could get a small battery charger and still continue to be mobile with your mobile device, and we thought it was a great add,” Hutchinson said.

The charger attaches to the bottom of the smartphone and can recharge a battery twice.  Hutchinson said the center now has kiosks where people can rent and return the units.

Rental is $4.99 for the first day, 99 cents for each additional day.  Similar back-up batteries sell for between $10 to $50 dollars. That, of course, requires running out and finding a store to buy one.