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IDAPT accessories: Style and substance from Barcelona
IDAPT is a design company in Barcelona, Spain that reflects a lot of the character of the city that's seen in the image above. While some products such as the US$9.99 Sutra channel the quirky and playful side of the architecture of Barcelona, others like the $49.99 Universal Charger i4 are as industrious and flexible as the residents of the city. Today I'm taking a look at three products from the company, all three of which one TUAW reader will win in a giveaway. Universal Holder Sutra Normally I'm skeptical of anything advertising itself as "Universal", but in the case of the Universal Holder Sutra, the name seems to be very appropriate. This is a very inexpensive stand that works with your iPhone or iPad to prop it up in a variety of positions. It's lightweight at 1.3 ounces (36.85 grams), and made of bright white plastic with accents available in six different colors (red, blue, gray, green, orange, magenta). When standing vertically, Sutra props your iPhone or iPad up in either portrait or landscape orientation. For typing on an iPad, simply place the Sutra on its side, put the iPad on top of it, and it's tilted at a slight angle that's perfect for typing. There's one more trick to the Sutra as well: one side of the case opens up to reveal a "storage trunk" inside which a pair of earphones, a connection cable, or whatever you'd like to keep neatly tucked away can reside. Smart design, low cost, multiple uses. A very smart little product! Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible IDAPT Universal Charger i4+ We see a lot of charging docks around here, the majority of which are designed to be used with one or maybe two devices of a certain type. For example, you'll get docks that have a 30-pin Dock connector, others that have a Lightning connector, and some that just provide empty USB ports into which you plug cables for a messy-looking charger. The IDAPT Universal Charger i4+ is indicative of the flexibility that the company builds into its products, as it is compatible with over 5,000 different devices. It does this by offering a variety of tips (some included, some extra) that plug into the base unit. For example, the unit I tested included tips for 30-pin Dock connector, Lightning connector, mini-USB, and two for micro-USB. Three of those tips can be plugged into the base unit at a time, meaning that you could theoretically charge an iPhone in a Mophie Juice Pack case (micro-USB), an iPhone 4S (30-pin Dock connector) and an iPad mini (Lightning connector) simultaneously. Oh, and there's a USB port on the side, so if you happen to have one more device to charge, you're set. There are are a huge number of other tips available for everything from AA/AAA batteries, the iPod shuffle, a Qi wireless charging module, even Palm devices. Just about anything you want to charge can be connected to this truly universal charger. The IDAPT Universal Charger i4+ is a 25 W charger, so every tip is getting full power even when you're charging four different devices. Every device charges just as quickly as if you've connected it to the original manufacturer charging adapter. Design-wise, the i4+ is kind of an inverted truncated pyramid in shape, and comes in a choice of black, white, cyan, magenta, yellow, and green. At $49.99, this is also a very reasonably-priced product compared to some single port units we've tested in the past. Once again, the low cost, design, and flexibility give this IDAPT product a top score from me. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible IDAPT Universal Holder HUG Desk OK, now let's see if we can go for the review trifecta here. The final product I'm looking at is the IDAPT Universal Holder HUG Desk. In comparison to the little IDAPT Sutra, which is designed for portable use, the HUG Desk is designed to take up residence on a desk or table. When IDAPT says that this is a "universal holder", they mean it. It can hold any smartphone or tablet made today. It gains this flexibility by using an elastic double strap to hold onto two diagonally-opposite corners of your device. That strap is affixed to your device through a micro-suction pad, meaning that you can take it off of one device and slap it onto another without any sticky residue staying behind. IDAPT also notes that the HUG Desk works with many smartphone and tablet cases, so you don't even have to remove those protective cases to mount your iPhone or iPad on the HUG Desk. That strap, by the way, is held by a heavy steel base outfitted with non-slip materials. I tried the HUG Desk with two devices; my iPhone 5s in a Mophie Juice Pack Helium case and an iPad Air without a case. Note that while you're attaching the elastic double strap with the micro-suction pad, you'll want to be sure to hold that pad into place as any shearing motion caused by pulling on one of the straps will definitely cause the pad to pop off. The pad is meant to have strong "stickiness" in the vertical direction, holding it into place. The swivel mechanism on the top of the HUG Desk can be placed into just about any position from vertical to completely horizontal, making it one of the more adjustable iPad/iPhone stands I've ever tested. And IDAPT did it again with the pricing -- the Universal Holder HUG Desk has a price tag of $29.99, which is much less than many of the competing stands that aren't have as flexible in terms of use with a number of different devices and in a variety of positions. Once again, the company from Barcelona has pleasantly surprised me with another low-cost accessory that can be used a lot of different ways. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway And now it's time for a TUAW reader to win a package containing all three of these top-rated accessories from IDAPT. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before July 12, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive three IDAPT accessories (Universal Holder HUG Desk, Universal Holder Sutra, Universal Charger i4+) valued at US$89.97 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
IDAPT Universal Charging Station i4: A flexible way to charge everything
Does your family have a bunch of digital devices that all need to be charged up simultaneously? IDAPT has released an innovative solution to charge everyone's favorite digital toy at the same time. The IDAPT Universal Charging Station i4 (starting at US$59.99) can charge up to 4 devices simultaneously, using an innovative dock and adapter design that works with over 4,000 different digital devices. Design The Universal Charging Station i4 uses a dock design with three spots to plug in your devices. Each of these spots can be outfitted with a "tip" that is designed for a specific device. For the purpose of this review, I was supplied with the standard retinue of 6 tips -- Nokia 2, iPod/iPhone, MiniUSB, MicroUSB, Sony Ericsson 2, and Samsung 4 -- as well as an additional iPod/iPhone tip. Since I have a few digital devices around the office, it was a piece of cake to get the IDAPT set up for testing with four items charging simultaneously. "But, wait," you might say. "I thought you said that there are only three charging points where you can plug in your devices!" You'd be partially correct -- there are three of the IDAPT tip locations, plus a regular USB connector for a fourth device. I chose to use that fourth spot to plug in an iPad 2. The IDAPT i4 comes in black, white, and seven other colors, so you can get one to match almost any decor. If you need more than just the standard 6 tips that come with the device, there are many more available at about $9.99 each. There's even a tip that comes with two rechargeable batteries (AA or AAA) for $19.99. Setup is extremely easy. You just plug in the dock, choose the proper tips, and plug the tips into the dock. There's an on-off switch on the top of the dock in case you want to power everything down or turn it on again. A red light indicates that the device is charging, while a green light appears once a device is fully charged and ready to go. The Universal Charging Station i4 is made out of a scratch-resistant plastic material, so regardless of how many times you plug or unplug devices, it should remain scratch-free. Just remember to dust it occasionally, especially if you have the black model. Functionality Capable of DC output up to 13 Watts, the Universal Charging Station i4 is able to charge up a full set of devices. As you can see in the gallery or title photo, I had an old iPhone, an old iPod, a T-Mobile Android phone, and my iPad 2 all charging simultaneously. All of this is done with a box that's only 6.7" x 5.3" x 1.3". What I like about the i4 is that it is "future-proof." If Apple decides to change the adapter used on devices from the Dock connector to something else, all I need to do is buy a new tip and I'm ready to go. The tips plug in easily and lock in place, and if you need to remove one for replacement at some point, there are two buttons that need to be depressed to pop the tip out. I had no issues at all swapping out the tips. Conclusion Anyone in a muli-device household who would like to be able to charge up to four devices at the same time should look into the IDAPT Universal Charging Station i4. It's designed with capacity for an iPad and three other devices (all iPhones? It's your choice!), and looks pretty good in the process. The extra tips make the IDAPT i4 your one-stop-shop for all of your charging needs.
Idapt's $40 i2+ universal charging dock now shipping, patching over divides
Fancy a way to charge his and her phones with a single dock? Idapt's i2+ has you covered -- the multifaceted mobile charging machine that launched at CES is now shipping directly from the company, with Walmart, Crutchfield, Costco and loads of others slated to pick it up in the coming weeks. It'll set you back $39.99 (or €34.99 across the way), with that tally netting you six of the most popular charging tips: miniUSB, microUSB, iPod / iPhone, Samsung 4, Nokia 2 and Sony Ericsson 2. Head on down to the source link if you're anxious to drive one more faction out of your current domestic situation.
Idapt 2011 charging systems hands-on
Idapt has its new i4 and i1 Eco universal chargers on the CES show floor, and if you're not a fan of iGo products but hate the need for multiple chargers you should maybe give these a look. The i2+ simultaneously charges three different devices (plus one via USB), and comes bundled with six tips for charging pretty much any gadget you can throw at it. The tips can be interchanged quickly by clicking on either side, and it even puts your devices on display. The i1 Eco utilizes the same interchangeable tip system, but only has room for one in addition to a USB port. This one has hot swappable end tips for charging in the car or on the go, and costs around $25. Check out both of them in the gallery below. %Gallery-113266%
Idapt's i2+ universal charging dock rejuvenates your Nexus S and iPhone 4... simultaneously
We've come a long way since 2008, eh? Not only has the Idapt i2+ seen a massive external makeover compared to the original, but this one supports the simultaneously charging of three mobile / USB devices. The "universal" charging dock ships with a cornucopia of tips, enabling it to juice up a Nexus One, BlackBerry, iPod, iPhone, PSP, GPS system or pretty much any combination of handheld gizmos on the market. Two docking ports are arranged on the top, and a spare USB port allows a third item of your choice to receive new life via a tether. It'll ship in "an assortment of colors" this spring, but it looks as if pricing won't be announced until later on. One more look (along with the full PR) is after the break.
Idapt's i1 Eco universal charger keeps it lean, mean, and definitely green
You won't have a difficult time hunting down a charger these days, but hunting down a good one? Now that's a challenge. If you're looking for something that's off of the beaten path (and shamelessly fond of Ma Earth), Idapt's new i1 Eco may be precisely what the doctor ordered. It's a universal charger with two points of charger: a USB port and a tip port, the latter of which is useful for "over 4,000 gadgets" include the iPad, iPhone, PSP, your Xbox 360 controller and your GPS unit. It features an auto-off system that disables it when not in use, and a restart button kicks things back into gear when the time comes. It's slated to ship this spring, but only heaven knows for how much.
TUAW holiday grab bag giveaway: Everything for the Apple fan
Can you imagine waking up on Christmas morning surrounded by a pile of accessories for the Apple devices in your life? Or even better, giving someone a pile of fun gifts? TUAW and the Max Borges Agency want to give two lucky readers the chance to win some holiday grab bags full of fun gear for the Apple fan. You'll have to enter by midnight tonight (ET) to be eligible, because the goodies will be express-shipped to your homes to arrive on Christmas Eve. To see what each of the grab bags contains and find out more about the giveaway, read on. Photo credit: Julia Freeman-Woolpert, sxc.hu
