Singapore parenting, practical reviews and tech notes

Xiaomi 212W HyperCharge Power Bank 24500 review: heavy, powerful, and travel-ready

Howard Toh

The first thing people ask when they see me using the Xiaomi 212W HyperCharge Power Bank 24500 is not about charging speed.

It is usually some version of: “Wah, so heavy?”, “Drop on my foot can break a bone”, or “Your bag not heavy enough?”

Fair. This is not a cute little pocket power bank. It is the sort of power bank that looks like it has opinions about your cable management. But hear me out.

Xiaomi 212W HyperCharge Power Bank 24500 showing 100 percent battery on a laptop
Xiaomi 212W HyperCharge Power Bank 24500, also known as the “yes, I know it is heavy” power bank.

Why I wanted one big power bank instead of many small ones

Devices are more power hungry than ever, and travelling with power banks has somehow become more troublesome than ever too.

The irony is that the most troublesome place to travel to and within, at least for power banks, can be China, the place that manufactures so many of the world’s power banks. I had my fair share of confiscated power banks during my China trip in 2024, and the newer 3C / Triple C certification checks make it even more annoying when you are taking trains or flights within and out of China.

Then there are the airline limits. The important number here is watt-hours, not the marketing mAh number. This Xiaomi unit is rated at 89Wh, which keeps it under the common 100Wh airline threshold. That matters because I do not want to stand at security explaining a mystery power brick while my children are asking for snacks.

Basically, on the next family trip, I want to avoid whipping out six different power banks for inspection. I am already the designated family power supply person: chargers, cables, power banks, and the quiet resentment that comes from everyone asking me where their cable is.

The practical appeal: 212W across three ports

The headline number is 212W total output, but the useful part is the port mix. It can do up to 140W from USB-C1, up to 45W from USB-C2, and up to 120W from USB-A under the right cable/device conditions.

In plain English: this is powerful enough to be relevant for a laptop, iPad Pro, iPhones, and other hungry devices. I do not need every device to charge at maximum speed all the time. I just need one battery pack that can handle the family travel pile without immediately giving up.

The colour display is also genuinely useful. I like seeing remaining power and charging speed without guessing from four tiny blinking dots like it is 2012.

The weight is the trade-off

Let’s not pretend. This is heavy. If your idea of a power bank is something you keep in a jeans pocket, this is not it.

But the weight is not pointless. Inside are five 4,900mAh cells, giving it the 24,500mAh headline capacity and the 89Wh travel-relevant rating. That is the whole reason this thing exists: fewer power banks, more usable output, less cable chaos.

For daily commute use, I would still pick something smaller. For travel, especially with a family of four, this makes much more sense to me.

Charging the power bank itself

Another reason I like this category of power bank: it can recharge itself quickly. Xiaomi lists up to 100W input through USB-C1, with a full self-charge in as fast as about 2.5 hours under the right charger and cable conditions.

That is important because a huge power bank that takes forever to recharge becomes another chore. If I can top it up quickly at night in the hotel, it is much easier to justify carrying it.

Who this is for

This is for the person who ends up carrying everyone’s power needs while travelling. Parents, gadget-heavy workers, people with laptops and tablets, or anyone who has been emotionally damaged by airport battery anxiety.

It is not for someone who only needs to rescue a phone once in a while. It is also not the cheapest or lightest option. The point is consolidation: one serious, airline-friendly power bank instead of a messy pouch of smaller ones.

My verdict

The Xiaomi 212W HyperCharge Power Bank 24500 is overkill in exactly the way I wanted.

It is heavy, yes. It may also win in a fight against your toes. But for travel, especially with multiple devices and a family that treats me as a walking charging station, I would rather carry one serious power bank than play power-bank bingo at security.

If you are travelling through places with stricter battery checks, the 89Wh rating and proper certification angle are the key reasons this one caught my attention.

Where to buy

I Bought an NFC E-Ink MagSafe Phone Case Because Apparently My Phone Case Needed a Personality

Howard Toh
Black MagSafe compatible phone case with rear e-ink screen
The black MagSafe compatible case with a circular rear e-ink display built into the back.

I bought one of those NFC e-ink MagSafe compatible phone cases, because apparently the next logical step in phone accessories is giving the back of your phone its own tiny low-power poster.

The idea is simple: the case has an e-ink style screen built into the back. Instead of being stuck with one fixed design, you can transfer an image from your phone to the case and change the look whenever you feel like it. Today it can be a photo. Tomorrow it can be a graphic. Next week it can be something deeply unserious that only makes sense to you.

The Clever Bit: No Battery Needed

The clever part is that the screen does not need its own battery. It gets powered during the NFC transfer process, a bit like how some NFC cards or tags work. Once the image is written to the display, it stays there without draining anything.

That is the part I genuinely like. No charging cable, no tiny mystery battery, no “please remember to charge your phone case” nonsense. The phone already asks for enough attention.

Custom photo displayed on phone case e-ink screen
A custom image loaded onto the e-ink screen at the back of the phone case.

How the Screen Actually Looks

The case I received is a glossy black MagSafe-style case with the display sitting inside the circular MagSafe area. The screen has that typical e-ink look: muted colours, visible dithering, and not much fine detail. Do not expect OLED sharpness. This is more “tiny printed sticker that can change” than “mini iPhone screen”.

But for this kind of product, that is actually fine. Simple images, portraits, illustrations, logos, or clean graphic designs work best. If you try to put a very detailed photo on it, the result will probably look a bit crunchy. Charming, but crunchy.

Close up of colour e-ink screen texture on phone case
Close-up of the e-ink display showing its muted colour and visible dot texture.

The App Works, But It Is Very Marketplace Gadget

Setup was not too hard. The companion app lets you pick or create an image, then transfer it to the case using NFC. In the app, the device type shows as NFC, and there are options for things like fonts, image tools, language settings, help, and cache clearing.

It works, but the app feels very “random gadget from marketplace land”. Some parts are not fully polished, and the App Store rating I saw was not exactly confidence-inspiring.

Netme app listing used for NFC e-ink phone case
The companion app listing used to transfer images to the NFC e-ink phone case.
Netme app settings for NFC device transfer
The app settings screen showing NFC device type and related options.

My One Rant: Random Ads

My one real rant: the app randomly redirected me to full-screen ads or affiliate-style sites a couple of times. Not constantly, thankfully, but enough for me to notice and go, “Oi, behave.”

For a product that is otherwise quite fun, that feels cheap. If the app is required to update the case, it should not be flinging users into random ad pages. That is not classy.

So, Is It Worth Buying?

Once the image is on the case, the actual product is fun. It is geeky in a way I enjoy. It turns your phone case into something you can refresh without buying another case, another sticker, or another pile of plastic that eventually ends up in a drawer.

Would I call it essential? No. This is absolutely a novelty purchase.

Would I call it interesting? Very much yes.

If you like small gadgets, customising your phone, or owning accessories that make people ask “wait, what is that?”, this is a fun one. Just keep your expectations realistic: the screen is decorative, not high-resolution; the app works, but has some sketchy ad behaviour; and the whole thing is more conversation starter than productivity tool.

For me, that is enough. It is not perfect, but it is oddly satisfying. And honestly, being able to change the back of my phone case using NFC still feels like the sort of unnecessary tech trick that makes my inner gadget uncle quietly pleased.

View the NFC e-ink MagSafe compatible phone case on Shopee

NFC e-ink MagSafe compatible phone case packaging
The NFC e-ink MagSafe compatible phone case in its Creative Case packaging.

This AirTag AA Battery Extender Is Ridiculous, Useful, and Mathematically Kind of Brilliant

Howard Toh

I unboxed one of those AirTag accessories that sounds slightly ridiculous until you think about the use case properly: an Apple AirTag enclosure replacement that runs on 2 AA batteries instead of the usual CR2032 coin cell.

And yes, I know. It makes the AirTag bigger. This is not the sleek little disc you hide elegantly in a wallet. This is the version you chuck into luggage, cable-tie to a kick scooter, or throw into a laptop bag and then forget about until Future You needs it. Honestly, Future You deserves nice things.

Unboxed AirTag AA battery extender with AA batteries, shell, screws, tool, and mounting accessories
The unboxed kit: enclosure, AA battery compartment, screws, tool, adhesive bits, and the usual small parts designed to disappear if you sneeze.

What this thing actually is

The product is basically a rugged AirTag enclosure that replaces the normal button-cell battery setup with a larger battery compartment for two AA batteries. The packaging claims waterproofing, AA battery support, and more flexible mounting options.

Retail packaging for an ultra-long battery life extender for Apple AirTag using AA batteries
The box calls it an ultra-long battery life extender for AirTag. Big claim, but the battery math is not nonsense.

The appeal is simple: AirTags are brilliant until you need to keep replacing CR2032 cells. Apple’s official claim is “more than a year” of battery life, but real-world use can be shorter, especially if you make the AirTag play sounds often. I have seen people mention closer to 6-12 months depending on usage, which is fine for keys, less fine for things you don’t want to keep opening up.

The battery math, because of course I did the battery math

A typical CR2032 coin cell is around 220-240 mAh at 3V. Let’s use 235 mAh as a reasonable middle number.

A decent AA lithium battery can be around 3000 mAh at 1.5V. Two AA batteries in series give you roughly 3V, which matches the AirTag’s expected voltage range better than one AA alone. When batteries are in series, voltage adds, but capacity in mAh stays roughly the same.

So the simplified comparison looks like this:

  • CR2032: about 235 mAh at 3V
  • 2x AA lithium in series: about 3000 mAh at 3V
  • Capacity ratio: 3000 / 235 = about 12.8x

If Apple says the AirTag can last about 12 months on a CR2032, then the very optimistic theoretical number becomes:

12 months x 12.8 = 153.6 months, or about 12.8 years.

That is the “spreadsheet is feeling generous” number. Real life will be worse because batteries have self-discharge, voltage curves are messy, contact resistance exists, weather matters, and electronics never read your calculations before disappointing you. But even if we haircut that down quite aggressively, a claim of just over 10 years theoretically is not crazy when using good lithium AA batteries.

With alkaline AA batteries, the numbers can still be much better than CR2032, but I would be more cautious. Alkalines are cheaper, but they are also more likely to leak if left alone for years. And if this thing is going into luggage or a bag you don’t inspect often, battery leakage is exactly the sort of quiet betrayal that ruins your day later.

Use lithium AA batteries if you can

My practical advice: if you are buying this for long-term placement, use good AA batteries, preferably lithium. The whole point of the product is to stop thinking about the battery. Saving a few dollars on bargain-bin alkalines and then discovering battery leak gunk in your tracker years later feels like losing at a game nobody told you was running.

Where I would actually use this

Two assembled black AirTag AA battery extender enclosures with keyrings attached
Fully assembled, it is definitely no longer tiny. But for luggage, scooters, and bags, that is not really the point.

This is not for every AirTag use case. I would not put this in a slim wallet. I probably would not use it on keys unless I wanted my keychain to look like it had a side job.

But for these, I get it:

  • Checked luggage
  • Cabin bags
  • Kick scooters
  • Laptop bags
  • Tool bags
  • Storage boxes you only touch once in a while

Basically, anything where size is less important than “please keep working without making me remember another tiny battery purchase”.

The trade-off

The trade-off is obvious: it makes the AirTag much bulkier. But that bulk buys you a much larger energy reserve, better mounting options, and less battery anxiety. For luggage and gear tracking, that is a trade I can live with.

Would I use this for every AirTag? No. Would I use it for the AirTag I intend to forget inside a bag for a very long time? Absolutely.

View the AirTag AA battery extender on Shopee

Affiliate note: some links may be affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps fund the very serious scientific pursuit of buying oddly useful things and then doing battery math on them.

Products We Never Regretted Buying in Our Parenting Journey (Part 1)

Howard Toh

It has been slightly more than 10 years since we became parents. In that time, we have bought baby products that were brilliant, baby products that were mildly useful, and baby products that made us wonder whether sleep deprivation had affected our judgement.

With a new baby arriving in the wider family, we have been sharing the things that actually helped us survive the early years. That conversation became this post: products we never regretted buying, and in some cases, products that quietly became lifesavers.

This is Part 1 because there are more than three. But these are the ones that came immediately to mind because we used them hard, recommended them often, or are somehow still using them in 2026.

Disclosure: some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

1. Electric nasal aspirator

Let us be realistic: children will get stuffy noses, and babies cannot blow their own noses. When they are blocked, feeding becomes miserable, sleep gets worse, and everyone in the house starts operating at 3% battery.

Before we got an electric nasal aspirator, we used manual ones. The hand-pump type was the least useful for us because the suction was weak and awkward. The oral-nasal type, where you use a tube to control the suction yourself, worked much better because you can adjust the suction as gently or firmly as needed.

And no, do not panic. A proper oral-nasal aspirator has a chamber or filter so your baby’s mucus is not going into your mouth. The idea still sounds ridiculous until you are staring at a congested baby at 2am and suddenly become a very practical person.

The exact electric model we used is no longer sold by the same seller, but this is the kind of electric nasal aspirator equivalent I would look at today. I would also still keep an oral-nasal manual aspirator around because it gives you direct control over suction.

We used nasal aspirators far longer than I expected. Not just during the baby phase, but up till the kids were about 6 years old, whenever a blocked nose was bad enough that they needed help clearing it.

I wrote an older comparison of the NoseFrida Snotsucker and Lucky Baby Easi Clear nasal aspirators. I have updated the old dead buying links there, but the actual experience still holds: the manual oral-nasal style works, and having one ready at home is not overkill.

2. Stokke Tripp Trapp chair

The Stokke Tripp Trapp chair is one of those purchases that looked expensive at the start but became easier to justify every year we kept using it.

We bought ours in July 2015. It is now 2026, and we are still using it.

The main reason is adjustability. The seat and footrest can be moved as the child grows, so it does not behave like a typical baby product that is useful for a short window and then becomes a bulky thing you need to sell, store, or pretend you will pass to someone someday.

The other reason is build quality. The wood feels solid, the chair is stable, and it has survived years of meals, climbing, wiping, shifting, and everyday family chaos. It is not a magical chair, but it is a well-made one. For something used daily, that matters.

If I were buying a high chair again, I would still prioritise these things over gimmicks:

  • Can the child sit properly at the table?
  • Can the chair adapt as the child grows?
  • Is it stable enough that you are not quietly anxious every time the child moves?
  • Is it easy enough to clean after real meals, not showroom meals?

On those points, the Tripp Trapp has been one of our best long-term parenting buys.

3. A good changing table

The changing table we bought is no longer sold, and honestly, I do not think parents need to be fixated on one exact brand. What matters is having a proper changing station at the right height, with enough storage, and ideally enough distractions to keep the baby from treating diaper changes like a competitive sport.

This baby changing table with storage is the type of setup I would consider today.

Yes, you can change diapers on the sofa, bed, or floor. You will probably do that sometimes anyway. But if you are changing a baby multiple times a day, your back will eventually have opinions. A proper changing table helps because:

  • the working height is kinder on your back;
  • you can keep diaper cream, hand sanitizer, wipes and spare clothes within reach;
  • there is room underneath for the bulk-purchased diapers you swore were on offer;
  • sensory toys or hanging distractions can buy you a few precious seconds while you clean up watery poop before the next round of pee arrives.

A changing table is not glamorous. Nobody dreams about buying one. But when you are doing repeated diaper changes on very little sleep, boring and ergonomic is exactly what you want.

Part 1, for now

There are more products we would recommend, but these three are a good start because they solved real problems: blocked noses, daily meals, and diaper changes without destroying your back.

Parenting products are easy to overbuy. The better question is not “is this cute?” or “does this look clever?” but “will this still make my day easier after the novelty wears off?” These three did.