Charge Via USB... Internationally

Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:18PM EDT

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USB charging can be a real lifesaver: No more worrying about bulky, unlabeled, and easily misplaced A/C adapters for your PDA, phone, and other gizmos. A much saner solution: Just plug the device into the USB port on your laptop while you're traveling and leave the wall worts at home.

But what if your laptop isn't charged? Or you're out of USB ports? Or, heaven forbid, you left the thing at home?

Good news: Kensington's Travel Plug Adapter with USB Charger ($30) solves all of these problems. The device resembles a standard power converter, with a twist: In addition to a cap that allows you to swap one country's A/C plugs for another's, you can sub in one with a standard female USB port. Just plug your iPod into the Travel Plug Adapter and plug the Adapter into the wall: It works in over 150 countries.

The design of the product is genius. Instead of a bagful of adapters that you'll invariably lose, the device features a series of switches. Slide one down and U.S. plugs pop out. Retract those and you can slide out French or Japanese connectors. Genius! Now if only it could convert voltage on the fly...

Comments on Charge Via USB... Internationally

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  • 2 Posted by amir_at2020 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    Usually the problem with these is that it doesn't charge the devices to 100%, it rarely reaches 90%.

  • 4 Posted by m_cathcart on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    Sadly Kensington have lost the plot with chargers.... Their Universal 120W Airline/Wall charger was a great idea but they've never really made it THE essenttial solution. For example, they provide a dual charging cable that allows you to connect to any power supply and charge a laptop and a device like a camera or cellphone. Well what if you don't want to charge your laptop but do want to charge your cellphone AND camera? Bzzzt doesn't work, can't be used even though the voltage/wattage requirements are lower. Also, with many devices now coming with USB cable and able to charge from USB, they Universal Power Supply should have a USB tip that could provide a generic charge point. That of course would almost eliminate the need for this device though. However, since this device only provides a single USB socket for $30 it eliminates itself. How many serious travellers travel without at least two of the following: cellphone, camera, video camera, GPS...

  • 5 Posted by theplaidcrusader on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    Can you really charge your iPod with this thing in a country where the voltage out of the wall is something like 220? I know it doesn't convert on the fly...so can, for instance, an iPod shuffle handle it?

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