Among our many stops at the 2014 International CES, we were able to check out the Anker exhibit. Anker develops various products for mobile devices. Things like: external batteries, chargers, phone and tablet cases, phone and tablet screen protectors, and much more.

We have already noted that there was a huge power theme at CES, but Anker takes it beyond simply power. One of the biggest hurdles that external battery developers face is compatibility and the strength of the current the battery provides (amperage). The problem lies in the fact that tablets and phones, and even different phones, do not charge at the same rate. Most tablets charge at a rate of somewhere around 2.1 amps, while most phones charge at a rat of around 1 amp. Most external batteries, however, do charge at the same rate, making it time consuming to charge a tablet on a battery meant for phones.This is where Anker comes in.

Anker has developed an ingenious way to solve the compatibility problem with PowerIQ. Essentially, PowerIQ is a chip embedded in the charger or battery that, “intelligently identifies your device and speaks with the language it needs for full speed charging.”

During our booth visit, we had a chance to speak with an Anker representative, who explained PowerIQ, and gave us the lowdown on some of their most recent products: