Tag: Price

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Dabbsson Home Backup Power Station review: portable power at a price


Dabbsson’s home backup power station



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Dabbsson offers a Home Backup Power Station set that gets the job done, but the high price and middling experience make it an average product overall.

The Home Backup Power Station set from Dabbsson consists of three products: a primary power station DBS2300, a battery expansion DBS3000B, and a solar panel DBS200S. They add up to a portable power solution that’ll provide peace of mind if you have deep enough pockets.

We view the power station and battery expansion as a single product since the expansion is useless on its own. However, this is a review of the full set, including the solar panel, since they can be purchased that way for a whopping $3,900.

That roundup will be reassessed in the future, but we’re placing the Dabbsson solution somewhere in the middle. It has great specs but is expensive for its overall experience.

Dabbsson Home Backup Power Station features and design

These three products add up to a home backup and portable power solution. However, each has its own specific uses and features.

Primary power station DBS2300

The DBS2300 is the main battery with multiple inputs and outputs. This is the only device of the three that is useful on its own.

It is a 2330Wh battery made with lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), known for being lower cost and having higher longevity than Li-NMC batteries. Dabbsson uses the same internal designs and materials found in electric vehicles for maximum performance and safety.

Power station DBS2300 and the front-facing ports

Power station DBS2300 and the front-facing ports

Despite its high capacity, it only takes 2 hours to reach full charge when connected to AC power. That’s if the fast charge setting is on and charging at the full 1800W.

A power control processor uses multiple inputs to determine charging speeds and other factors. Dabbsson estimates 4500 lifecycles thanks to this processor.

How long the battery lasts depends on what is connected. For example, it can charge an iPhone around 175 times or run a 1000W blender for 2 hours.

Ports and display

There are fifteen total output ports and four input ports. For output, that’s three USB-A ports, three USB-C ports, five three-prong AC ports, one Anderson port, two DC5521 ports, and a car port. For input, that’s two battery extension ports, a solar/car port, and an AC input port.

There is also a device control port that is only used by the manufacturer.

Power station DBS2300 and the side-facing ports

Power station DBS2300 and the side-facing ports

This is a hefty power station at 53 pounds. It’s 17 inches wide by 10 inches deep by 12 inches tall.

The combined output of the AC ports can equal 2200W or surge to 4400W. In addition, a single high-powered device can be connected with up to 3000W max power draw thanks to P-boost, meant for power saws and similar.

The Dabbsson power station can also be used as an emergency power supply. When the battery is connected to AC power, electricity can pass through from the source to any connected loads without using battery power.

In the event of a power outage, it switches to battery power in 15 milliseconds. This isn’t ideal for some equipment like servers, but it will do for more simple electronics.

The display shows a simple set of information like wattage inputs and outputs, time remaining on battery power, and battery percentage level. Warnings and other alerts also display here.

The display offers useful information

The display offers useful information

The battery is controlled with simple button presses to toggle power on and off for various inputs. For example, some buttons toggle AC, DC, and USB power.

This power station also has a flashlight on the front with different brightness settings and an SOS flashing feature.

Battery expansion DBS3000B

The DBS3000B expansion battery is exactly what it sounds like — this product is an accessory for the power station and isn’t useful by itself.

It is a 3000Wh battery that expands the total capacity of your Dabbsson system to 5330Wh. Two can be connected to the power station for a total of 8330Wh.

It is constructed with the same internal design and LiFePO4 material. It only takes 3 hours to fully charge this expansion battery at 1800W of input.

Connect the battery expansion DBS3000B for more capacity

Connect the battery expansion DBS3000B for more capacity

This battery expansion is 58 pounds and is designed to sit underneath the power station. It is 17 inches wide by 10 inches deep by 12 inches tall.

There is one port for connecting to the power station, two solar/car input ports, and two Anderson ports. Users can connect the main power station to AC power and the expansion battery to solar simultaneously to maximize charging input.

That’s basically it. This is a giant battery meant to supplement the power station.

Get the Dabbson battery expansion on its own for $1,599 on Amazon. There is a $500 discount coupon at the time of publication.

Solar panel DBS200S

The DBS200S solar panel is a 200W solar panel that can be folded for transport and storage. It is made with monocrystalline cells with 23% efficiency.

The solar panel DBS200S has legs for standing up at an angle

The solar panel DBS200S has legs for standing up at an angle

The standard MC4 connector enables it to work with more than just Dabbsson power stations. In addition, the solar panels are IP65 water resistant.

If the weather is right, a 200W solar panel can charge the DBS2300 power station in about 10 hours. Direct sunlight and atmospheric conditions can affect the charging speed.

The four large sections fold out, each with its own leg for standing up. It can be angled so the sun hits the panels more directly. A pouch on the back holds the cables for connecting to the power station.

Using the Dabbsson Home Backup Power Station

As the name suggests, this home backup power station is best used in a stationary location. It can easily power a desktop workstation for hours during a blackout, and the added solar panel can keep it going indefinitely.

We tested the setup as a home backup solution in our office and took it to a local park to test the solar panels. Everything worked as advertised, though there are some oddities worth mentioning — we’ll get to those in a moment.

The power station and backup battery do exactly as they say on the box — plug something in, and it charges. There is a handy 100W USB-C port perfect for powering our 14-inch MacBook Pro, and multiple USB ports for other accessories.

The Dabbson Home Backup Power Station is simple to set up

The Dabbson Home Backup Power Station is simple to set up

The multiple AC outlets increase the usefulness in a home backup setting. We attached our power strip that powers everything at our desk, from the sit/stand motors to the Studio Display and multiple iPads.

Everything continued to be powered normally, and the battery didn’t flinch at raising or lowering the hefty desk. When the battery was connected to AC power, our devices didn’t draw battery power thanks to the pass-through function.

The power station and expansion are hefty products. If you’re going on a camping trip, bring a dolly to haul them more than 20 yards to save you and your back some trouble.

The solar panel was able to peak at about 100W on a sunny day. Note that even with direct sunlight, you’re lucky to get 50% of the rated wattage output on most solar panels.

The fans kicked in as necessary. If the power station or battery is charging in any capacity, the fans will kick on at a low hum.

Charging at a full 1800W makes the fans run at a higher speed, but the noise was tolerable. Though, we wouldn’t record a podcast with that noise in the room.

Luckily, there are a few tricks included with this power station. Users can set the charging speed with physical switches on the side, plus controls in the app.

Physical switches change how the power station operates

Physical switches change how the power station operates

Also, standby times can be altered with a physical switch as well. Eco mode turns the AC or DC power off after a time limit set in the app. Standby mode keeps the switches on until the user manually turns them off.

There are a few experience issues worth bringing up. After a few minutes, the power station display turns off as expected, but the battery expansion display never seems to shut off. We couldn’t find a toggle for it either.

This power station is advertised on the Dabbsson website as multi-use with indoor and outdoor applications. One photo on the webpage even shows a desert setting filled with sand.

An odd warning against outdoor use on this portable power station

An odd warning against outdoor use on this portable power station

there is a warning label visible that reads “Danger: This device is intended to be used indoors only. Do not use outdoors.”

That’s an odd statement considering that’s the opposite of the advertised use case. The power station seems safe enough to use as long as it isn’t wet or raining, but use your best judgment.

The Dabbsson app

To put it nicely, the Dabbsson app is an interesting piece of software. It is very utilitarian and obviously hastily translated from another language.

Users can find multiple spelling mistakes throughout the app, though this doesn’t affect how the app works. It’s just a sign that the English version of the app seems to be an afterthought.

The Dabbsson app needs some work

The Dabbsson app needs some work

It wouldn’t be a big deal if the app weren’t such a central part of the experience. It is needed for toggling P-boost, selecting slow charging speeds, and selecting eco timeouts.

Thankfully the app is easy to navigate and understand. And once everything is set up to your liking, it isn’t something you’ll need to open often.

Potent, portable power

Dabbsson has a great power station and solar panel combo. Everything works as advertised and has a competitive feature set.

There are numerous useful ports, and the devices aren’t too loud or heavy. They may not be the flashiest products, but they get the job done.

This portable power station and solar panel powers your devices

This portable power station and solar panel powers your devices

This is one of the more expensive setups we’ve reviewed, and we’re not sure the price is justified. If you purchase this system, you’ll get a reliable product, but there are cheaper systems with a flashier feature set by comparison.

Dabbsson Home Backup Power Station Pros

  • Fifteen ports

  • Fast 2 hour charge time

  • AC cable doesn’t need a power supply

  • High capacity for its weight and size

Dabbsson Home Backup Power Station Cons

  • Price works for the specs, but app experience and design don’t

  • The battery expansion display doesn’t sleep on the same schedule as the power station’s display

  • App has multiple spelling mistakes and feels utilitarian despite being crucial to the experience

Rating: 3.0 out of 5

This product does what it says for a price that reflects its specs. The design and app experience leave some room for improvement.

It’s a good set of products, so we can recommend them if they fit your needs, but there may be better options.

Where to buy the Dabbsson Home Backup Power Station

Get the Dabbson battery expansion on its own for $1,599 on Amazon. There is a $500 discount coupon at the time of publication.

All three are sold as a combo set on the Dabbsson website for $3,897.



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Apple MacBook Pro 14 Deal Slashes Price to Best $1799 Price


Save $200 on the 2023 MacBook Pro 14-inch.

Apple’s 2023 MacBook Pro 14-inch in Space Gray is on sale for $1,799 this weekend, with free expedited shipping within the contiguous U.S. This is the lowest price on record for the M2 Pro-equipped laptop.

Equipped with Apple’s M2 Pro chip featuring a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, this 2023 MacBook Pro also comes with 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD. The sleek Space Gray finish is the only option that’s $200 off, but you can pick up the Silver configuration for $1,849 from another Apple Reseller in our 2023 14-inch MacBook Pro Price Guide.

There are plenty of additional bargains going on, knocking double and triple digits off Mac Studio hardware, software, iPads and more. Here’s a sampling of some of the deals, with hundreds of items on sale in our Apple Price Guide.



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Upcoming tax and price changes for apps and in‑app purchases – Latest News


The App Store’s commerce and payments system was built to empower you to conveniently set up and sell your products and services at a global scale with 44 currencies across 175 Storefronts. Periodically, we update prices on the App Store in certain regions based on changes in taxes and foreign exchange rates. This is done using publicly available exchange rate information from financial data providers to help ensure prices for apps and in‑app purchases stay equalized across all storefronts.

On February 13, 2023, prices of apps and in-app purchases (excluding auto-renewable subscriptions) on the App Store will increase in Colombia, Egypt, Hungary, Nigeria, Norway, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Prices in Uzbekistan will decrease to reflect a reduction of the value-added tax rate from 15% to 12%. Your proceeds will be adjusted accordingly and will be calculated based on the tax-exclusive price.

While prices on the App Store in Ireland, Luxembourg, Singapore, and Zimbabwe won’t change, your proceeds will be adjusted to reflect the following tax changes:

  • Ireland: Reduction of value-added tax rate on electronic newspapers and periodicals from 9% to 0%
  • Luxembourg: Reduction of value-added tax rate from 17% to 16%
  • Singapore: Increase of goods and services tax rate from 7% to 8%
  • Zimbabwe: Increase of value-added tax rate from 14.5% to 15%

Additionally, by the end of January proceeds will increase for local developers selling in Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand, and Uzbekistan.

Apple will estimate and remove taxes based on the tax category information you have provided before calculating commission. Exhibit B of the Paid Applications Agreement will be updated to reflect this change.

Once these changes go into effect, the Pricing and Availability section of My Apps will be updated. As always, you can change the price of your apps and in-app purchases (including auto-renewable subscriptions) at any time in App Store Connect. If you offer subscriptions, you can choose to preserve prices for existing subscribers.

And as previously announced, in spring 2023, upgraded pricing capabilities for apps and in-app purchases will provide you 700 additional price points and more flexibility to set prices per storefront, so you can manage foreign exchange rate changes independent of globally equalized prices.

View the updated price tier charts.



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Lowest price ever: Apple M1 Max MacBook Pro 16-inch (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) on sale for $2,999


This MacBook Pro is loaded with upgrades.

An exclusive $500 discount on Apple’s high-end MacBook Pro 16-inch delivers the lowest price we’ve seen on the loaded configuration. Plus, save $80 on AppleCare.

Better than Black Friday pricing is here on Apple’s high-end retail MacBook Pro 16-inch that’s packed with upgrades. Pick up the M1 Max configuration sporting a 32-core GPU, 32GB of memory and a spacious 1TB SSD for $2,999 in Space Gray when you enter promo code APINSIDER during checkout.

According to our market research and own price tracking, this is the lowest price we’ve seen on part number MK1A3LL/A. The loaded configuration helps future proof the system thanks to its robust GPU that’s great for content creation, as well as the extra memory (32GB instead of the standard 16GB). The $500 discount is in the form of a $150 instant rebate already in place stacked with the $350 promo code.

You can also save on AppleCare, which is $80 off when you tack on the 3-year extended protection plan to the system in your Adorama cart and enter the APINSIDER coupon code during checkout. Step-by-step activation instructions can be found below.

In our 16-inch Macbook Pro Price Guide, which tracks the latest offers across Apple Authorized Resellers like Adorama, B&H, Amazon and Best Buy, you’ll find the APINSIDER discounts at Adorama offer the lowest prices on dozens of models. If you want to jump directly to Adorama’s deals, head over to the site and enter promo code APINSIDER during checkout to see how much you can save.



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Apple announces biggest upgrade to App Store pricing, adding 700 new price points





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Pitaka MagEZ Pro Case review: Wireless iPad charging at a steep price


Pitaka MagEZ Pro Case



AppleInsider may earn an affiliate commission on purchases made through links on our site.

Wireless charging for the iPad Pro is finally here — assuming you want to spend $200 or more on the Pitaka MagEZ Case Pro ecosystem.

There are several products in Pitaka’s MagEZ lineup, but they all revolve around the MagEZ Case Pro. So that’s where we’ll start.

MagEZ Pro Case

The Pitaka MagEZ Pro Case is more of a shell cover than a full case and wraps around the back of a recent-generation iPad Pro. A USB-C adapter attached to the Pro Case plugs into the iPad’s port to then route the magnetic charging connection from the back of the case to the port.

It’s a clever solution to give the iPad Pro wireless charging capabilities. The left side of the iPad is left unprotected so it can work in conjunction with the Magic Keyboard for iPad.

The MagEZ Pro Case is slim enough to fit into Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad case and also includes the necessary three connection points allowing data and power to pass through.

We had no problem fitting our 11-inch iPad Pro into a Magic Keyboard for iPad and shutting it closed. Pitaka’s case almost disappeared while using it with Apple’s keyboard case.

The X on the back of the case is the charging connection point

The X on the back of the case is the charging connection point

The USB-C adapter part of Pitaka’s Pro Case can even be folded back in the event you need to plug a different cable into the iPad.

We liked the smooth backing of Pitaka’s case coated in aromatic polyamide (Aramid Fiber). It felt good to hold while using the iPad on the couch.

The biggest concern is not the case itself, but its $99 price. The wireless power benefit of the case requires spending even more on a stand or a compatible charger.

If you like the idea of a slim protective shell that can be used with the Magic Keyboard (and don’t need the power part) Pitaka does make the MagEZ Case 2 which is slightly less expensive.

Note: we used a prototype model of the new case with an 11-inch iPad Pro, but had no issues with its fit or performance.

MagEZ Charging Stand

MagEZ Charging Stand with the MagEZ Pro Case attached

MagEZ Charging Stand with the MagEZ Pro Case attached

The MagEZ Charging Stand offers both power and productivity. We saw the stand provide around 20W of power to our iPad connected and 15W from the Qi charger in the base when a Google Pixel 7 was on it at the same time.

The stand can rotate an iPad 360 degrees from landscape to portrait. It can also tilt up and down 32.5 degrees.

We wished the vertical arm would have been able to be adjusted up or down for more versatility, but the 9.7-inch height still worked well for typing on the iPad and watching movies.

The magnetic force of the MagEZ Charging Stand and the MagEZ Pro Case was strong. We had no concerns about the iPad slipping off or falling if it were to be bumped.

Convenience, at what cost?

Using a case on your iPad usually means sacrificing some convenience. Only using the Magic Keyboard for iPad is heavy and bulky. Other iPad cases can be difficult to take off and put on again.

Pitaka’s MagEZ Pro Case is a rare instance where an iPad can always stay (mostly) covered and still enjoy the benefits of Apple accessories. It worked well and felt great to hold.

Its main problem, however, is its value. It’s expensive to spend $99 for the Pro Case and then $129 on the Charging Stand. Other accessories will run that bill up even further too.

There are plenty of iPad stands we like for less money. But the extra functionality Pitaka’s case and stand provide is certainly handy if you’re willing to splurge.

Ultimately, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you do want what Pitaka is offering. But, it isn’t perfect.

Pitaka MagEZ Pro Case system – Pros

  • Pro Case works with Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad

  • Pro Case provides protection from scratches and daily wear

  • Charging Stand offers plenty of power and a strong magnetic connection

Pitaka MagEZ Pro Case system – Cons

  • Pro Case is expensive for its level of protection

  • USB-C port could be accessed, but it takes a little work

Rating: 3 out of 5

The MagEZ Pro Case for iPad Pro is available for purchase from Pitaka’s online store for $99.99. It’s also available in a bundle with the MagEZ Charging Stand, for $228.99.

The MagEZ Charging Stand is also available from Pitaka’s online store separately, priced at $129.



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Apple announces biggest upgrade to App Store pricing, adding 700 new price points – Latest News


Developers will also gain new flexibility to manage pricing globally

Apple today announced the most comprehensive upgrade to pricing capabilities since the App Store first launched, providing developers with 700 additional price points and new pricing tools that will make it easier to set prices per App Store country or region, manage foreign exchange rate changes, and more.

Since the App Store’s inception, its world-class commerce and payments system has empowered developers to conveniently set up and sell their products and services on a global scale. The App Store’s commerce and payments system offers developers an ever-expanding set of capabilities and tools to grow their businesses, from frictionless checkout and transparent invoicing for users to robust marketing tools, tax and fraud services, and refund management.

Pricing has been foundational to these capabilities, enabling developers to choose from a variety of business models, such as one-time purchases and multiple subscription types. These new pricing enhancements will be available for apps offering auto-renewable subscriptions starting today, and for all other apps and in-app purchases in spring 2023, giving all developers unprecedented flexibility and control to price their products in 45 currencies throughout 175 storefronts.

Under the updated App Store pricing system, all developers will have the ability to select from 900 price points, which is nearly 10 times the number of price points previously available for most apps. This includes 600 new price points to choose from, with an additional 100 higher price points available upon request. To provide developers around the world with even more flexibility, price points — which will start as low as $0.29 and, upon request, go up to $10,000 — will offer an enhanced selection of price points, increasing incrementally across price ranges (for example, every $0.10 up to $10; every $0.50 between $10 and $50; etc.). See the table below for details.

In each of the App Store’s 175 storefronts, developers will be able to leverage additional pricing conventions, including those that begin with two repeating digits (e.g., ₩110,000), and will be able to price products beyond $0.99 or €X.99 endings to incorporate rounded price endings (e.g., x.00 or x.90), which are particularly useful for managing bundles and annual plans.

Starting today, developers of subscription apps will also be able to manage currency and taxes across storefronts more effortlessly by choosing a local storefront they know best as the basis for automatically generating prices across the other 174 storefronts and 44 currencies. Developers will still be able to define prices per storefront if they wish. The pricing capability by storefront will expand to all other apps in spring 2023.

For developers distributing their apps around the world, the App Store’s global equalization tools have given them a simple and convenient way to manage pricing across international markets. Today’s enhancements expand upon these capabilities, allowing developers to keep their local currency constant in any storefront of their choice, even as foreign exchange and taxes fluctuate. This means, for example, a Japanese game developer who gets most of their business from Japanese customers can set their price for the Japan storefront, and have their prices outside of the country update as foreign exchange and tax rates change. All developers will also be able to define availability of in-app purchases by storefront.

Periodically, Apple updates prices in certain regions based on changes in taxes and foreign exchange rates. This is done using publicly available exchange rate information from financial data providers to help ensure prices for in-app purchases stay equalized across all storefronts. Currently, developers can adjust pricing at any time to react to tax and foreign currency adjustments. Coming in 2023, developers with paid apps and in-app purchases will be able to set local territory pricing, which will not be impacted by automatic price adjustments.

These newly announced tools, which will begin rolling out today and continue throughout 2023, will create even more flexibility for developers to price their products while staying approachable to the hundreds of millions of users Apple serves worldwide, and in turn help developers continue to thrive on the App Store.

Learn more about auto-renewable subscriptions

Learn about pricing for auto-renewable subscriptions



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Apple launched price hikes knowing Services growth was faltering


Services growth slows as Apple seeks more revenue sources

Apple services growth has slowed to single-digit percentages, all while the company seeks new revenue sources from subscription price hikes, advertisements, and new developer fees.

Note that this is still a growing segment, and it is bringing in more revenue than the iPad and Mac combined. However, any reduction in growth potential is seen as a weakness in the segment by investors and analysts.

This decline in growth also comes at a time when Apple’s services are under intense scrutiny by analysts and customers alike. The company recently raised prices on Apple TV+, Apple Music, and Apple One. Also, the blowback from increased advertising in the App Store has caused Apple to pull back on its efforts in advertising, though temporarily.