DLO WallDock iPhone charger shoots for minimalist practicality

Yesterday's in-wall USB charger hackery might have inspired plenty of you to take up tools and start the USB power revolution, but if you own an iPod or iPhone and just a smidgen of common sense, you might wanna look at this first. The DLO WallDock is a teeny tiny charger that plugs into those familiar standard wall sockets, and its designed so that your iDevice leans back when connected, turning it into a neat (and wireless) substitute for your regular dock. We still wouldn't sacrifice the $25 asking price at the altar of cable freedom, but the more important question is, would you?

[LeJay Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:35AM]

Didn't know "wireless" was normally used the literally.

[townes66 Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:36AM]

Brilliant. I'll add this to my other wall charger & 15 iPod USB cables collection

[ack154 Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:37AM]

I like the concept but wouldn't spend the $$. My iDevice does it's charging right on the USB cable after syncing.

Not to mention my apartment has absolutely awful outlet placement and I don't even know where I'd put that.

[Yoshi1080 Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:38AM]

If it was available with a Euro plug and an additional USB port on the front for a second USB device I would buy it at any price!

[SamUK Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:44AM]

@Yoshi1080

Then you are a fool.

[LeJay Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:56AM]

@Yoshi1080
Any price? If you'll sign a contract with that I personally build you one for... Let's say a million euro?

[Yoshi1080 Posted Dec 4th 2009 10:05AM]

Just to clarify, obviously I meant any REASONABLE price. 25$ is totally fine by me.

[scoobydooby Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:42AM]

The fact that the prongs don't rotate means it'll be useless on half the outlets in my house...

[8Complex Posted Dec 4th 2009 9:12AM]

@scoobydooby Agreed, except that would actually be /all/ outlets in my house.

[Bamboo Posted Dec 4th 2009 9:58AM]

@scoobydooby

Or you could just get one of these
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2871202

Lowes has them really cheap as well. Very easy to swap out.

[Showbiz Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:42AM]

Actually, I agree with Yoshi. I don't have an iDevice, but if they made one for the Droid and/or Eris we have here, I would pick one up just to get rid of all the cables and neaten things up.

[Wally Posted Dec 4th 2009 8:55AM]

this looks interesting!

[AKJ Posted Dec 4th 2009 9:06AM]

DLO makes some good iphone/ipod accessories, and IMO beats griffin and belkin in that market.

Been using their iphone Ventmount for over a year and it's been especially useful with the advent of navigation apps. Again, very practical and minimalistic.

[Dionte Posted Dec 4th 2009 9:09AM]

The only place I have outlets high enough were this would be useful is the bathroom and kitchen and those are the last places I like to keep my iphone, water damage much.

[phacops Posted Dec 4th 2009 9:32AM]

it's worth maybe $8 US.

[gotsmart Posted Dec 4th 2009 9:42AM]

Folding prongs would make this much more travel-friendly.

[3645debd Posted Dec 4th 2009 9:42AM]

this is awesome... and genius. I love it

[HardToBelieve Posted Dec 4th 2009 10:02AM]

Why does a minimalist own an iPhone? :-|

[montysaurus Posted Dec 4th 2009 10:15AM]

@HardToBelieve

because they like to get minimal amounts of work done on their smartphone.

[Maxwell Posted Dec 4th 2009 10:20AM]

@HardToBelieve I can't really think how the design could be more minimalist, except perhaps removing the volume button.

[darex Posted Dec 4th 2009 10:38AM]

There's nothing wrong with this product or idea that it needs to be trashed in the article; however, I do agree with the one comment that if it were made more amenable to travel (i.e. could accommodate Euro plugs and others), then it would make for an ideal travel charger. Plugging in adapters would push it too far away from the wall and make it unstable, however. They could certainly redesign a "world" version though (e.g. with slide-on prongs for the various outlets found in different countries, the way many gadget's power adapters already do).

So, "version 2" will be worth considering for sure.

[obtusechicken Posted Dec 4th 2009 11:33AM]

"a neat (and wireless) substitute for your regular dock"

Except that a regular dock can be used to sync, this only charges. Still cool though.

[ZeroCorpse Posted Dec 4th 2009 12:03PM]

The only place in my home-- or most others-- where the outlets are up above ankle-height is in the kitchen.

So this is sort of useless unless I want to dock an iPhone in the kitchen.

--Not that I have an iPhone...

[ZeroCorpse Posted Dec 4th 2009 12:13PM]

@ZeroCorpse

Oh, wait. The bathroom has highly-placed outlets, too. Awesome. You can store your iPhone in your bathroom.

[reddyroc Posted Dec 4th 2009 12:32PM]

This would work so well for me if only my plug where I charge from wasnt horizontal rather than vertical. I still like the idea though.

[reddyroc Posted Dec 4th 2009 5:19PM]

@reddyroc they should make it so the plug rotates.

[JerkyChew Posted Dec 4th 2009 1:32PM]

Too bad it can't do landscape mode, I watch NBC Nightly News podcasts while doing the dishes and this would mount nicely on my kitchen wall.

[xxcorpxx Posted Dec 4th 2009 2:06PM]

I like it. My wife might actually keep her iphone charged once in a while. Perfect for kitchen placement. I gotta get it.

[nthn2551 Posted Dec 4th 2009 3:24PM]

I like it but all of my outlets are out of the way and down near the floor so I won't be getting it.

[maisp Posted Dec 4th 2009 4:20PM]

/looks at picture. Why would anyone ever plug this into the bottom outlet?

[Kesey Posted Dec 4th 2009 11:11PM]

@maisp Only because it looks better in marketing photos.

[larry91403 Posted Dec 4th 2009 11:36PM]

Make a berry model and I'm sold.