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Twelve South's PlugBug World: the little red gizmo goes international
Remember the Twelve South PlugBug? It's a cool little bright red adapter that adds a 2.1 Amp USB charger to your MacBook power adapter so you can charge both your MacBook and favorite iOS device at the same time. Today Twelve South unveiled PlugBug World (US$44.99), an international version of the charger that includes snap-on plugs for use in outlets around the world. Made with the traveler in mind, PlugBug World has snap-on plugs for use in US/Canada/Japan, UK/Hong Kong/Singapore, Continental Europe, Australia/New Zealand and China. They're available for purchase now, and Twelve South is picking up shipping costs in the US. International customers can get flat-rate shipping to most countries. We'll have a review of the Twelve South PlugBug World soon. It's too bad PlugBug World wasn't out a couple of weeks ago; our intrepid world traveler Mike Schramm could have used it on his trip to Marseilles, France this week.
PlugBug World brings global travel to the MacBook / USB charger
Globetrotting Mac users looking to slightly condense their cable packing will no doubt be happy to learn that the outlet-obsessed folks at Twelve South have announced the launch of the PlugBug World. The latest version of the hybrid charger adds five international plugs (US / Canada / Japan, UK / Hong Kong / Singapore, Continental Europe, Australia / New Zealand and China) to the combo MacBook / USB charger. Interested parties can pick one up now through Twelve South's site for $45 -- or £39.99 / €44.99, depending on which part of the world you're in at the moment. The domestic version of PlugBug, meanwhile, will run you $35. There's a press release after the break for your perusal.
Engadget speaks with Twelve South on keeping the company small
Engadget has posted a must-read writeup on one of our favorite companies here at TUAW, Twelve South, the makers of the popular BookBook cases and the PlugBug power accessory for Apple devices. It's long, but it shows how Twelve South is a lesson in focused vision: Making really great high quality products for the Apple audience. It doesn't hurt, of course, that Apple buyers tend to appreciate quality with their wallets, but Twelve South has carved out a really excellent niche for itself over the years. It's also wild to hear the story behind the company: They nabbed a sales deal with Apple even before a production deal was made for their products, and they only solidified that by happening across an extra contact in China. And Twelve South's philosophy of staying Apple is maybe the most interesting thing in the whole writeup. "Every time I'd walk into an Apple Store, I'd see heaps of 'Mac-compatible' accessories," says co-founder Andrew Green. "Mac users don't want compatible. They want exclusive." Twelve South made the commitment to serve Apple users on their own terms, keeping his company small and focused for exactly that reason, and that's partly why Twelve South has seen so much success with its products.
PlugBug adds an iPad / iPod / iPhone USB charging port to your MacBook power adapter
Twelve South, the same South Carolina-based outfit that's been keeping the Bass(Jump) coming, has just outed the best MacBook power adapter accessory... ever. Almost. The PlugBug is an iPad / iPhone / iPod / USB-based-whatever charger that snaps right on top of your existing MacBook or MacBook Pro AC adapter, allowing you to charge your Mac laptop as well as a single USB-based device at the same time. It's a ten-watt adapter, so your iPad and those other high-powered gizmos should take take to it just fine, and it's actually capable of acting on its own should you ever need to dismount it. Unfortunately, those in need of a non-US adapter will be out of luck, but on the upside, this converts international adapters for US use should you head over this way. It's on sale now for $34.99 at the source link below, and if it only had more than one USB port, we'd recommend it without hesitation. Ah well -- there's always version 2.0, right? Promo vid's after the break. %Gallery-138088%
Twelve South's PlugBug solves all your charging needs
We've appreciated TwelveSouth's work before -- the BookBook especially has earned some praise from various members of the TUAW staff. But I definitely like this new item, called the PlugBug. Yes, it's a standard charger, designed to combine both your iPhone or iPad and your MacBook (Air, standard, or Pro) into one outlet. There are a few devices that will do that, including, you know, just a usual power strip. But I really like the look of this one, and the fact that it seamlessly combines with all of Apple's usual cords and hardware. That top red part is essentially a USB charger (which is helpful -- I've had to use the wall chargers much more often since picking up my iPad, especially while traveling), and then of course that bottom part above is just the usual MacBook charger, with the wall plug segment pulled off (note that the PlugBug only includes the red part, not the MagSafe charger itself). I like it -- simple, easy to use, and as versatile as I need it for charging while on a trip. The PlugBug is available for $34.99 right now.
