http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/ Engadget Comments for Ventev EcoCharge whacks vampire draw, charges two devices for the price of one http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Mar 24th 2010 12:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Mar 24th 2010 12:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Heh +1]]>Mar 24th 2010 1:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Greedy bastards]]>Mar 24th 2010 12:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
Belkin Dual USB does much better job]]>Mar 24th 2010 1:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Wouldn't it charge slower if you just had USB plugged into a USB brick? Plus I'd prefer a hard wired plug anyway as it wouldn't unplug as easily.]]>Mar 24th 2010 9:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
But it also has a standard USB port to plug in, say, a dock connector USB cable and charge an iPod? Or am I missing something?]]>Mar 24th 2010 1:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
It has one standard USB, and one hard-wired cable with fixed port.

So to be clear, you can use it as a USB brick with any USB charger cable.]]>Mar 24th 2010 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/the problem with that, you need a power strip with 90 degree plugs. it will still take up 1.5 (maybe 2) outlets for the other power strips. i've got a combination of different power strips]]>Mar 24th 2010 1:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
According to one source from 2006, the fee went from 1.5% to 10% to $4 flat:
http://www.smarthouse.com.au/iPods_And_Portable_Players/Accessories/B8G3H6R6

I'm not clear on whether chargers are treated differently from products that use more advanced dock functionality.

Wired in 2008 seems to support a fee still existing:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/03/dock-still-dark/

And it sounds like the industry standard is more like 1-2% (from the first source) rather than 10% or the possible $4 flat fee.]]>Mar 24th 2010 2:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Mar 24th 2010 2:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Double-checked your math... :) Yup...

30 YEARS!!!

Too bad that in 3 years they'll have nano-USB plugs... And all the over-concerned "green" citizens will continue buying massive amounts of "green" products replacing the piles of "green" products with "greener" chargers. All the while the dump fields will be filling with the disposable and ever-so-greener adapters for obsolete greener-than-an-hour-ago products.]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
Excellent source: withouthotair.com
]]>Mar 24th 2010 6:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
Multiply that amount of energy usage by a city of 10,000,000 people and you might understand why Vampire energy usage is a problem. Then multiply that again, by the dozen or so other devices around the house that rely on vampire electricity.

While I agree, the cost of the device is too high, and it's not worth buying it as a separate item if you already have a charger, this type of technology should be incorporated in ALL chargers - be they phone or powertools or other.

They really should be updating the Energy Star ratings and making them more stringent.]]>Mar 24th 2010 8:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Mar 24th 2010 8:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
The point should not be to replace your existing chargers, but to buy greener alternatives when you need new ones. That said, the cost of the chargers should be competitive with traditional chargers to make the choice easy. Then still remains the obstacle of education.

The other points made in this thread are important too, these should be available as a USB brick in addition to dedicated plug type. Some people don't have the USB adapters, but most do and it would lower overall cost, material waste and make the device more future proof. If they want to be green they should think about landfills at least as much as the power savings.
]]>Mar 24th 2010 9:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
I just noticed that the second charging facility is a USB port, so the charger is a USB brick intrinsically. Best of both worlds I guess, I just didn't look at the pictures closely enough.]]>Mar 24th 2010 9:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
1000 watts / 0.575 = 1739 hours / 24 = 72 days for the old adapter to consume 1 kilowatt hour more than the new design.

Old: 1000 watts / 0.6 = 1666.7 hours to the kilowatt
New: 1000 watts / .025 = 40,000 hours to the kilowatt

Old: 1666.7 / 24 = 69 days
New: 40,000 / 24 = 1667 days or 4.4 years

So over the same period of time (4.4 years) you will save 23 kilowatt hours or about 1.50 to 3 dollars. So it would take 44-88 years to pay for itself assuming it stays at $30 per adapter.
]]>Mar 24th 2010 3:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Mar 24th 2010 3:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/
But if you need a second charger for your house, it gives you a better option.]]>Mar 24th 2010 9:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Mar 24th 2010 6:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/24/ventev-ecocharges-whacks-vampire-draw-charges-two-devices-for/Mar 24th 2010 6:22PM