Yooatom's Origin 800 Brings Mobile "Hive Mind" Charging to Indoor and Outdoor Lovers Alike

Folks, the name Yooatom may not mean a whole lot to you, but it will soon enough. I say this because upon stumbling across the Origin 800, I realized that this crew may be onto something, and it's a whole lot cheaper than you may think.

To understand more about what the Origin is and how it can impact our lives, it should help to take a look at the whole picture or the company behind this portable charging station. Yooatom is that team, and since 2020, this crew has aimed to bring portable devices of all kinds into our lives. This includes portable lamps, perfect for camping, "smart" cup coolers, and the most recent addition, the Origin 800.

Simply put, it's a portable power station with little itsy-bitsy pieces that can be broken off and spread around a campsite to feed the electrical needs of several family members at once. Let's dive a tad deeper and see what Yooatom is trying to achieve here.

Now, just so we're on the same page here, the 800 has recently completed a crowdfunding session, and according to the IndieGoGo page, these babies are currently being tested before being shipped out to interested buyers.

While the manufacturer promised a delivery date starting with January 2024, things seem to be a bit slow at the moment, but moving forward nonetheless. Even the admins are active on the server and answer any and all questions and concerns that may arise. Not to mention that Yooatom was present at the recent 2024 CES, where they unveiled this beauty in the flesh.

The 800 gets its name from its ability to handle 800 W of AC output. Under this function, the Origin can run everything from a food processor to your PS5, a microwave, or a projector, among others. However, it does all this with a twist.

The Origin is actually a two-part system, sometimes three-part, four-part, five-part, six, and it all begins with that large bulbous base or the Power Hub. It's through this central unit that any energy stored in the tower modules (Power Stacks and Dock) is moved into devices or back into the Stacks and Docks themselves.

Why a split component system that you can break apart and take with you to the corners of the earth? Well, precisely for those reasons. While the Hub and Stacks work together to power larger devices, if you're looking to recharge your phone, tablet, or laptop, just grab a Stack from the hive, throw it into your backpack, and as soon as your battery starts dying, recharge your device.

I don't think I need to point out just how important this can be while you're exploring unknown landscapes. You can even do this with one or more Stacks connected, again removing any doubt that you'll find your way back to camp.

Another reason why this sort of hive configuration is rather neat is because it allows interested buyers to do two things. The first is to get their hands only on the amount of energy they would need for activities, and the second allows existing owners to expand their needs in time. Oh, and since the Stacks are filled with LiFePo4, if one starts to give out from excessive use, it shouldn't be too difficult or costly to pick up a new Stack or Dock module.

But that's not the end of this story; after all, a portable charging system must have a way for itself to recharge, and Yooatom ensures you can do so via an array of options. For starters, the 800 also serves the purpose of an outdoor battery bank, so you can use solar panels to recharge your unit(s), sap power from your car, up to 130 W an hour, or just plug it into your wall socket before you leave home; in 2.5 hours, it'll be back to a full charge. Type-C recharging is also possible with all parts of this system, so there's really no reason for you to ever run out of juice.

Then, there are integrated features like a six-layer BMS (battery management system), voice control backed by AI, and clearly an app that even tracks the amount of energy in each piece of this puzzle.

So, how much can we expect to pay for one of these systems? Well, it depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go. If money's no object, go for a complete Deluxe Package at $800 (€740 at current exchange rates) and grab a complete hub with four stacks and a dock, yet another four stacks, and even the cooling cup and lamp. Want just the most basic setup, with one Hub, a Stack, and a Dock? $389 (€360) is what you'll need. I think it's clear which is the best deal.

From here, we just need to sit tight and hope that production picks up the pace a little bit because, honestly, it looks like a neat little gimmick to have in your possession, be it for backyard use to keep speakers bumping or in the woods to help you keep track of Google maps.