I have seen Goal Zero products at conventions for years now, and I finally had a chance to try one out for myself. In this case, it is the Flip 30, a recharger for phones and tablets, and just about anything else you have a USB cord for.

Yes, the Flip 30 is a mobile battery, and I have written about several, so you probably know the drill. I think it would be better to talk about what is different about this product.

This weighs about 6.8 ounces and feels like a heavier and bigger Zippo lighter. I like how the USB connector just flips out and can rotate, with some great clicking noises. If you stick the Flip 30 in a USB port to charge it, you will want to make certain that you support it for its weight. It takes about 5 hours to charge, and then you can charge anything.

Well, almost anything. I need to tell you that I tried charging my HTC 10 with the Flip 30, and it would start charging. Now, I tried it on two Samsung phones with the included micro-USB cord, and it worked just fine. I was expecting a button on the Flip 30 to tell the device to start charging, but I didn’t see that, just the usual four indicator lights.

You should be able to purchase the Flip 30 on the Goal Zero site for a holiday special price of $39.99. It is in Charcoal Gray or Goal Zero Green. Yeah, you heard that right.