Universal Travel Adapter keeps jet-setters happy

Sure, setting out for a trek around the globe sounds like fun and games at first, but when you plop down in that Welsh hotel and realize your US power adapter is worthless, terror can quickly ensue. Fret not, fellow argonauts, as the Universal Travel Adapter with USB Port has arrived to clear your mind of worry and ensure that your wares can be juiced up from almost anywhere. For $17, you'll get plugs for the US, UK, Europe and Australia, but it seems you're on your own if heading to another galaxy.

[Aleks Clark @ Mar 18th 2008 7:54AM]

actually botswana uses the standard europlug (that two-prong one in the bottom of the picture).

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/printer/v1r1/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.printers.plngcfgguide/av1i0mst204.htm

[Aleks Clark @ Mar 18th 2008 7:54AM]

well, two pages say two different things. Still, covered in each case:

http://www.dbicorporation.com/internat/intpower.htm

that list says botswana uses the UK plug

[sgt @ Mar 18th 2008 7:54AM]

Nah, no problem - Botswana use a european-style CEE-7 plug.

[Allan @ Mar 18th 2008 7:58AM]

If you don't need to go to AUS, Belkin has a simpler looking one that we've used at my work for quite a while:

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=135430

Europe, Asia, US, UK

[Aleks Clark @ Mar 18th 2008 8:17AM]

that doesn't have a usb port, or a uk plug...

[Andy @ Mar 18th 2008 8:08AM]

I've had one of these for over a year (identical) - how is this news ?

[recrudesce @ Mar 18th 2008 10:04AM]

i agree. i've had one of these for years - what exactly makes it particularly newsworthy right about now ?

[Colin Westwater @ Mar 18th 2008 8:21AM]

I have one of these:

http://www.swisstravelproducts.com/usb/charger.html

much better solution

[Tim @ Mar 18th 2008 8:25AM]

This isn't newsworthy.. there are loads of devices like these (with USB & Ground connectors). The better ones are more compact and they don't have any parts that you can lose (unlike this one!). I travel a lot, so these are essential!

[Tim @ Mar 18th 2008 8:27AM]

This one from the site the previous poster mentioned is the one I use... it's fantastic, and compact (which is important for frequent travellers!)

http://www.swisstravelproducts.com/power/adapter.html

[Grimmir @ Mar 18th 2008 9:15AM]

There is actually a way to bypass the problem with US P.A in Europe... Just stick a pencil on the top entry and press down, then plug the P.A. and that's it.

[Duy Nguyen @ Mar 18th 2008 9:21AM]

I agree with Tim there, I've been using this same one forever and it works great, compact and has prongs for just about any place in the world:
http://www.swisstravelproducts.com/power/adapter.html

Got it from an airport for I think less than 10$.

If you desperately want USB power, there's also this one for a little more $$
http://www.swisstravelproducts.com/power/travelusb.html


Nevertheless, this piece of device while useful is hardly newsworthy, I don't know how it got on here.

[Hax Or @ Mar 18th 2008 9:41AM]

Great links all.

[Wolfticket @ Mar 18th 2008 10:35AM]

I have this. Or one with exactly the same design. Got it for £5 ages ago. Very handy.
Re: The swiss travel one mentioned a few times above.
I agree that it is more compact and is a neater, more rugged design (I have a mate who has one). But the problem is that you cant use the usb power and the socket at the same time, as you can with this one. That is one of the things I find most useful.

[Andrew Stebenne @ Mar 18th 2008 11:06AM]

I had this thing when I took a trip to Australia. I intended to recharge my iPod Shuffle at some point with it, but lo and behold, the USB power port is set at an unchangeable level (I can't remember what exactly) that was NOT the 5 m/A AC/DC needed to charge my Shuffle. Drivers are more important than they seem, mmmmkay?

[Nate Chatellier @ Mar 18th 2008 12:17PM]

I have this exact plug and have used it while traveling abroad. I plugged my iPhone into the usb port and plugged the adapter in to the wall right next to my bed since I used my phone as my alarm. It would have been perfect except that the stupid thing has a small continual buzzing sound to it that made it hard for me to fall asleep. For this reason, I do not recommend it. An electrical conversion plug should be silent.

[Brian @ Mar 18th 2008 1:00PM]

Whew, I was wondering when someone was going to mention Apple. I can rest easy now.

[Kasi Viswanath @ Mar 18th 2008 9:30PM]

Exactly my thoughts!

[gurly @ Mar 18th 2008 11:03PM]

The Europeans have constructed a better universal all-in-one plug than that. You can buy it at KLM flights.

[Eric Kolb @ Mar 20th 2008 2:48PM]

Waste of money, unless you have so many USB devices that $17 seems a worthwhile price just to save some bag space on cords. Most electronics adapters (includig laptops) will be 100-240V input, so all you need is the dumb $0.80 plug adapter.

[Dan @ Jun 4th 2008 3:30PM]

exact same thing here:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11935