In-car charger presents four USB ports alongside cigarette socket
By Darren Murph 
posted Aug 12th 2008 8:16PM
posted Aug 12th 2008 8:16PM
[Via Coolest Gadgets]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
Also, won't plugging something in block the USB ports on it?
is that a single 500ma supply to all 4 ports?? or each port gets their own 500ma?
@etchshop
"- High power output! (2000mA)"
assuming they are talking about usb and dividing by four, yes. each port has 500ma available to it.
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
FIRST
Fail.
Engadget should add a word filter to change "FIRST" on a line by itself to: "I have no life!"
Engadget should add a word filter to change "FIRST" on a line by itself to: "I have no life!"
and it should replace all responses to first posts with the same. Even this one.
My name is Adam and I like gefilte fish.
Good for you.
Gefilte fish make me honk.
Chuck E Cheese!!!
Do you like eating the fish or having it as a pet?
or like as in "I like her"
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
hahaha zoom in on the picture of that item and there is a dreamcast!! I cant wait to play my dreamcast in my car
@Wasko
My DC is still in my entertainment center along side all the last gen consoles. Yes, I'm a failure.
Cool tech, ugly design. It looks like somebody chopped of E.T.'s head and stuck his neck in the socket.
When are manufacturers going to abandon these idiotic giant cigarette-lighter sockets and put regular DC sockets in cars?
what regular dc sockets, ive seen so many variations im glad they've stuck with one.
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."
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
Every American brand already offers built in household power in several vehicle models. I don't know about Euro or Asian brands.
Not bad at all :-)
Better than anything else I've seen for this. 4 ports, fuhgetaboutit!
Faslane
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
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.
What good would an AC outlet be on that thing if all you'll ever get is just 12V?
I suggest googling 'power inverter' before you make yourself look any dafter...
You are so fucking stupid.
@RikF: The device in the article isn't an inverter!
Punk!
"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"
*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.
good for you
host comment deleted again.
these orphaned posts are annoying me
will this work for iPhone 3G?
No, only non-apple USB chargeable devices.
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
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.
I'm guessing that maybe he wants to use....I dunno...the USB ports? Maybe?
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...
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12886
I'd like it evden better if all the USBs were swapped for RS232... then I could power my Teletype 8-p
I DON'T SMOKE
good for you!
Even if someone lights you? Whoa! Smokeless guy!!
They do make Power Inverters, about this size, with at least 1 USB port on them, many with 2 or more.
TEG
Agreed, the car charger for my PSP is ultimately a USB charger.
etchshop...heres your answer;
Output Current:
2000ma
There is something like this at Wal-Mart but it's only 12 bucks
Look, I didn't spend 15hrs in line to get an iPhone 3G (White) to just walk into the local Walmart. This piece of consumer electronic tells everyone around me that I'm of a certain upper echelon. Yes, I have arrived.
Pfft. I laugh at your Walmart.
on the other end of the spectrum
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/BlackFridayRuler/walmart.jpg
There are many AC power inverters for vehicles that have USB ports for charging included.. I just picked one up from Staples the other day.
not bad, but the dollar store by me still has these instock, and you cant beat that price, even though its only one USB.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.688
Using Power inverters to power laptops in cars always struck me as slightly ridiculous. Convert 12v DC into 100-240v AC only to have the laptop adaptor convert it back to low voltage DC. Surely this is massively wasteful, there must be a better way of dealing with the cigarette lighter output.
BTW: http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/12878.htm?referer=FR_PROD-PR-P-12878 is pretty much exactly what you describe.
This charger is nice - I like those 4USBs - but I prefer this one I saw in a store earlier this week:
http://us.kensington.com/html/13884.html
USB and a standard US power socket...
Oh, right, and I suppose you want to ruin Christmas too?
Way to go, Cynic Man
Batteries will always be DC, so there will have to be an inverter to make an AC 110V outlet.
Well, I smoke in my car - but I don't use the cig lighter. However, there are devices which still use it for power (such as my inverter)
My inverter is plugged in all the time, and I have never had a flat battery from it - I think the cigarette lighter in my car (and most others) only works when the car is running or in ACC on the ignition....therefore no flat battery.
yes you will see a lot of these devices in hospitals around the world,... after being removed from patients %^$ for "accidentally" sitting on it
Yes you are correct Alex. Also as I stated earlier, plenty of cars already offer household current. As far as running down the battery, many cars have built in power management to prevent this. It isn't that difficult.
Just curious. How many of you drive cars with ice-white interiors?
Looking around the carpark I can see a Volvo stationwagon with a sort of light grey dashboard.
How about car accessories that match the inside of an actual car?
(Yes that would mean producing a tan coloured one for the Alfa in the corner.)
Personally, the story written by Engadget doesn't come close to the hard-hitting, grammatically correct masterpiece on this device's website:
"Of course, you may buy a Cigar Socket Splitter, but in doing so, you need to put some stickers somewhere inside your car or even put some nails into your car. It has no problems if your car just cost you some hundreds, if you car cost you some ten thousands, will you still consider to put stick, nails to your car?"
BTW, abonstu, you have your wish. They're current out of stock, but replacements will come in black.
+ly