In-car charger presents four USB ports alongside cigarette socket

In all honesty, USBfever almost nailed this one. The $22.99 in-car charger plugs right into your cigarette socket and gives motorists their cigarette outlet back along with 4 charging USB ports. The one (admittedly massive) tweak we wish it would've made? Replace that cig adapter with a traditional AC outlet. Yeah, yeah -- that would make the whole thing a lot bigger, but you can't deny that it would be way more useful. Version 2, anyone?

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

[jared @ Aug 12th 2008 8:20PM]

Also, won't plugging something in block the USB ports on it?

[etechshop @ Aug 12th 2008 9:00PM]

is that a single 500ma supply to all 4 ports?? or each port gets their own 500ma?

[andres @ Aug 12th 2008 9:35PM]

@etchshop
"- High power output! (2000mA)"
assuming they are talking about usb and dividing by four, yes. each port has 500ma available to it.

[lanejasper69 @ Aug 13th 2008 9:27PM]

Probably not, most devices with car chargers come straight out, i think this gives enough room, at least to 3, maybe one gets blocked by a weird aggled plug, but I doubt all. I'm going to order one....500MAh each port FTW!! Nice!!!


Faslane

[moneym915 @ Aug 12th 2008 8:21PM]

FIRST

[Deathalo @ Aug 12th 2008 11:17PM]

Fail.

[dreamscape86 @ Aug 13th 2008 12:07AM]

Engadget should add a word filter to change "FIRST" on a line by itself to: "I have no life!"

[dreamscape86 @ Aug 13th 2008 12:08AM]

Engadget should add a word filter to change "FIRST" on a line by itself to: "I have no life!"

[jupiterthunder @ Aug 13th 2008 1:06AM]

and it should replace all responses to first posts with the same. Even this one.

[Adam @ Aug 12th 2008 8:26PM]

My name is Adam and I like gefilte fish.

[Ignatius @ Aug 12th 2008 8:40PM]

Good for you.

[Stiv @ Aug 12th 2008 10:08PM]

Gefilte fish make me honk.

[Rogan josh @ Aug 13th 2008 12:04AM]

Chuck E Cheese!!!

[Ayman @ Aug 13th 2008 1:23AM]

Do you like eating the fish or having it as a pet?

[linuxamp @ Aug 13th 2008 7:15AM]

or like as in "I like her"

[thak @ Aug 12th 2008 8:22PM]

so they should just add more USB ports to this thing?

http://www.jcwhitney.com/Cellular-Phone-Accessories/GP_2012982_N_111+10201+600000582_10101.jcw

[Wasko @ Aug 12th 2008 9:56PM]

hahaha zoom in on the picture of that item and there is a dreamcast!! I cant wait to play my dreamcast in my car

[jupiterthunder @ Aug 13th 2008 1:08AM]

@Wasko

My DC is still in my entertainment center along side all the last gen consoles. Yes, I'm a failure.

[linuxamp @ Aug 13th 2008 7:15AM]

Cool tech, ugly design. It looks like somebody chopped of E.T.'s head and stuck his neck in the socket.

[Information Central @ Aug 12th 2008 8:23PM]

When are manufacturers going to abandon these idiotic giant cigarette-lighter sockets and put regular DC sockets in cars?

[andres @ Aug 12th 2008 8:53PM]

what regular dc sockets, ive seen so many variations im glad they've stuck with one.

[Information Central @ Aug 13th 2008 4:13AM]

The standard, circular, coaxial ones they've been using on portable devices since the '60s or '70s...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_DC_Power_Connectors

If they'd just decide which size of these to use in cars (probably the biggest would be best), we could dispense with the giant, hacked cigarette lighters. From Wikipedia on these:

"These sockets were not originally designed to provide DC power, and are not an ideal DC connector for several reasons, notably the fact that three sizes exist (one for 6 V DC and two for 12 V DC) and the mating of the different sized 12 V DC plugs and jacks is problematic. Because of this, and the small gauge wiring sometimes used, they can sometimes provide only unreliable and current-limited power connections."

[Flashpoint @ Aug 12th 2008 8:26PM]

Im glad alot of new manufacturers got the hint and started adding USB ports to cars. I'd like to see them start adding an AC socket upon request with an inverter and I'd also like to see a high quality DC connection placed towards the rear for trailer or stereo connection

[happy_penguin @ Aug 12th 2008 8:39PM]

Every American brand already offers built in household power in several vehicle models. I don't know about Euro or Asian brands.

[lanejasper69 @ Aug 12th 2008 8:29PM]

Not bad at all :-)

Better than anything else I've seen for this. 4 ports, fuhgetaboutit!

Faslane

[NeonFire @ Aug 12th 2008 8:44PM]

Neat concept - great when you need to charge your iPod and a few other things while on the go. At least you wouldn't run out of USB ports. :D

[abonstu @ Aug 13th 2008 1:08AM]

AC outlet? bah... thats not a 'tweak' thats an entirely different device and there are already plenty of inverters on the market.

this seems like a pretty useful device in its own right, most of the stuff you want to charge on the go can be charged from USB, the only change i would make is to see it in black - ive never seen a car dashboard in white plastic.

as an aside, i reakon we are overdue for redesign on the car DC power outlet, the connection is just crap, hefty devices move around and lose contact - we need something smaller and more sturdy.

[Joe @ Aug 12th 2008 8:47PM]

What good would an AC outlet be on that thing if all you'll ever get is just 12V?

[RikF @ Aug 12th 2008 8:51PM]

I suggest googling 'power inverter' before you make yourself look any dafter...

[ddaw735 @ Aug 12th 2008 9:00PM]

You are so fucking stupid.

[Joe @ Aug 12th 2008 9:05PM]

@RikF: The device in the article isn't an inverter!


Punk!

[andres @ Aug 12th 2008 9:19PM]

"Replace that cig adapter with a traditional AC outlet. Yeah, yeah -- that would make the whole thing a lot bigger with the necessary power inverter, but you can't deny that it would be way more useful"

[Loonie @ Aug 12th 2008 10:58PM]

*slaps own forehead*

Yeah, I believe the idea was that it should contain an AC outlet AND and inverter, thereby giving it the ability to create and output 110VAC.

God, I can't believe I wasted 30 seconds of my valuable life typing that.

And that.

And that.

[andres @ Aug 12th 2008 8:54PM]

good for you

[andres @ Aug 12th 2008 10:04PM]

host comment deleted again.
these orphaned posts are annoying me

[avi @ Aug 12th 2008 8:55PM]

will this work for iPhone 3G?

[linuxamp @ Aug 13th 2008 7:17AM]

No, only non-apple USB chargeable devices.

[Mark @ Aug 12th 2008 8:59PM]

actually I like it better this way since my gps unit didn't come with a wall charger and doesn't use USB. I think I actually might get this

[Marq @ Aug 13th 2008 1:16PM]

So wait...your nav system only use the cigarette lighter? Why would you get this then? Just plug the damn thing up to your regular cigarette lighter.

[Trevor @ Sep 16th 2008 4:53PM]

I'm guessing that maybe he wants to use....I dunno...the USB ports? Maybe?

[Fanfoot @ Aug 12th 2008 9:03PM]

Actually, I'd like it better if it ONLY had the USB ports, and no cigarette lighter socket at all. With USB ports I can pretty much charge everything I've got, and they could make it smaller, letting it fit the one inside by arm rest better...

With four sockets I could just leave cables plugged and ready for my cell phone, my wife's, my headset and my iPod...

[thak @ Aug 12th 2008 9:10PM]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12886

[Rogan josh @ Aug 13th 2008 12:07AM]

I'd like it evden better if all the USBs were swapped for RS232... then I could power my Teletype 8-p

[crow610 @ Aug 12th 2008 9:09PM]

I DON'T SMOKE

[Peter @ Aug 12th 2008 9:13PM]

good for you!

[Rogan josh @ Aug 13th 2008 12:08AM]

Even if someone lights you? Whoa! Smokeless guy!!

[TEG @ Aug 12th 2008 9:14PM]

They do make Power Inverters, about this size, with at least 1 USB port on them, many with 2 or more.

TEG

[eddy @ Aug 12th 2008 10:19PM]

Agreed, the car charger for my PSP is ultimately a USB charger.

[javaholic @ Aug 12th 2008 9:31PM]

etchshop...heres your answer;

Output Current:

[andres @ Aug 12th 2008 9:40PM]

2000ma