UniversalCharger
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Exogear's Exovolt Plus 'stackable' battery pack claims to be the first of its kind
We've seen (and tested) a fair share of interesting power packs during our time, and Exogear's hoping to make a mark of its own in this very juicy department with what the outfit's calling "the world's first" stackable battery pack. The newly minted Exovolt Plus consists of a main 5,200 mAh kit, which can then be paired -- or, in this particular case, stacked -- alongside a "Sub Battery" unit to create the ultimate portable charging station. One thing worth noting, though, is that each extra stack will be sold separately for nearly $50, while the essential Exovolt Plus is set to run at about $90 minus some change. Given its universal capabilities (30-pin, USB and micro-USB), something tells us the Exovolt Plus won't have trouble landing any suitors despite its somewhat hefty price tag. Still, you'll have to wait a little while before you can snag one of these, as it's currently listed as "coming soon," and its creator's yet to reveal when we can expect it to go on sale.
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.
European Union's 'One charger for all' starts sampling, coming this year
It was way back in summer of 2009 that Nokia, Apple, RIM, and the rest of the mobile world agreed to make micro-USB the connector around which all future European chargers would be built. Since then, most of those companies have transitioned their hardware to micro-USB without further prompting, but the European Union is still pushing ahead with a universally compatible charger standard to make sure everything is nice and harmonized. The details of what's expected of these chargers were published in December and now the first samples of the new hardware have been produced. The EU expects all manufacturers to have chargers adhering to the new guidelines by the end of 2011 -- and if you're wondering about how Apple, one of the signatories to this agreement, will handle it, there's a note to say that adapters will be allowed on phones without a micro-USB port. Full press release 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.
Kiwi Choice launches U-Powered USB portable solar charger
Oh sure, we've seen quite a few solar chargers in our day, but rarely do we get the chance to actually use one for the weekend. A new outfit by the name of Kiwi Choice gave us such an opportunity recently, and today it's officially launching the U-Powered USB portable solar charger. Put simply, this here device folds out into a tri-pointed thingamajig with a trio of solar panels ready and willing to catch sunlight and store it within. The impatient among us can also juice it up via USB or AC adapter, with a full charge taking at least four hours. The device boasts a power capacity of 2,000mAh, and there's also a magnet for storing it underneath your vehicle's seat or dashboard. Oh, and there's even a LED flashlight on the front in case of emergency. The company ships the device with 11 different tips, one of which plays nice with Apple's dock connector. We tested it out on a few obvious candidates, and while it had no issue juicing up our iPhone 3G, the in-house iPad saw the dreaded "Not Charging" logo appear moments after it was connected. The bundle also includes an AC plug and an in-car cigarette adapter for times when the solar charger is pooped, but unfortunately, neither of those options would charge the iPad, either. We will say, however, that it managed to charge every other handheld we had just fine, and while the build quality wasn't exactly world class, it's suitable for tossing in the car and having around when energy is needed. It's available today for $49.99 if you're interested. %Gallery-93042%
Solar Technology debuts universal CamCaddy camera charger
Solar Technology's CamCaddy universal camera charger has been available in a bundle with the company's Freeloader Pro solar charger for a little while now, but it looks like the company has just now made it available separately for folks not quite ready to go solar. As you might expect, the charger isn't quite fully "universal," but the company says it should be compatible with more than 85% of the proprietary batteries used in digital cameras, camcorders and DSLRs, and it's provided a handy tool on its website to let you check your camera before you buy. The charger is also naturally still fully compatible with the Freeloader and Freeloader Pro, and you'll also get a car adapter, a USB charging cable, and both US and Euro plug adapters to ensure your camera stays charged wherever you go. Look for it to set you back £25, about $40. [Via ePhotoZine]
MiLi Universal Charger for the psychedelic world traveller
Are you a globetrotter with a penchant for vivid colors? Mili's got your back with its compact and surprisingly practical Universal Charger. Capable of plugging into US, UK, EU or Australian-style sockets, this unit covers quite a bit of ground and can power a pair of devices at once via USB. Technically then, you're unloading the chargers from your bag and refilling it with USB adapters, but a lot of UK road warriors would carry live rattlesnakes around if it meant freedom from those humongous plugs. There are nine color options -- some of them are even socially acceptable -- for the discerning customer with £20 ($33) in his pocket, and pre-orders are being taken now for August 14 delivery.
GSM Association sets 2012 target date for universal cellphone charger
Well, this is certainly interesting. Just a couple of days after a top European Union commissioner mused about the need for a universal cellphone charger, the GSM Association has now come out and announced that it and 17 of its partner companies are indeed working on such a solution, and that they plan to have a common format in place by 2012. That rather ambitious date will be a bit easier to meet considering the group's choice of connector, micro-USB, which has already gained quite a bit of acceptance as a common format. The use of micro-USB apparently won't be firm requirement by 2012, however, with the GSMA simply saying that the "majority" of new phones sold by then will support what they're describing as the universal charging solution (or UCS), which itself will have to meet a number of strict requirements in order to be broadly compatible. Of course, while everyone including the likes of Nokia, Motorola, LG, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson have signed on with the GSMA, there are a few big names absent, not the least of which, unsurprisingly, is Apple, so there's certainly still quite a ways to go before we have a truly universal standard.[Via BBC News]
MTI Micro shows off universal fuel cell charger with removable cartridge
As you may or may not have noticed, the folks at MTI Micro seem to be plenty convinced that fuel cells will eventually power all manner of devices, and they're now taking things one step further with their new Mobion universal fuel cell charger that, yes, promises to provide power to any device in the entire universe (with a USB port). To add a bit more practicality to the equation, the charger makes use of removable (and disposable) cartridges, which each provide 25 watt-hours of power, or roughly enough to fully charge the average cellphone more than ten times. While it's only in prototype form at the moment, the company says that the final product should be available by the end of 2009, although it's not making any promises about a price just yet.[Via Planetary Gear]
O2 launches green charger, first from UK carrier
Earth-friendly initiatives are picking up steam in the mobile world just as they are with virtually every other industry, and the redesign of the wall warts we all use to recharge our phones seems to be one of the lowest-hanging fruits. The problem stems from the fact that the chargers continue to draw prodigious power even after the phones to which they're attached are fully charged, leading to millions of wasted watt-hours year in and year out. The problem's so fricking big that the top five handset manufacturers put aside their differences long enough to agree on a standard for rating how "green" chargers are, and O2's British outpost wasted no time in jumping on the bandwagon with a universal charger said to be some 70 percent more efficient than your average brick. We imagine most other carriers are going to follow suit on this -- at least, they should -- and at £14.99 (about $22), it looks like there ain't much of a premium for saving the planet. Cheers to that, we say.
