If you want to charge your electronics without getting tangled up like a scene from a bad Sci-Fi movie with wires and cables everywhere, read on! We check out the Energizer iSurge Travel Charger for your life-on-the-go, and the IDAPT i4 Universal Charger for keeping things charged at home.
Energizer iSurge Travel Charging Station
We have all seen the Energizer Bunny on TV, beating his little drum and helping to power spacecraft in a time of need, but even the best battery-powered gear needs to be charged eventually. While Energizer is well-known for its line of batteries, it also has been supplying a wide-variety of products including table lamps, headlamps, and flashlights, as well as portable power solutions such as emergency radios, car chargers, and a line of battery rechargers.
While iPhone and iPod chargers abound, the recently released Energizer iSurge Travel Charging Station model is a solid product that will make both travel and charging on the go a whole lot simpler for users of many electrical devices, both Apple and not.
Solidly made of high-density plastic, it features a well-thought out design complete with prongs that rotate to fit different types of electric sockets, which we found really useful. The unit is a small black plastic box and includes three regular (US only) AC outlets, and two high-wattage USB ports so you can charge devices that demand more juice to fully charge such as a tablet, iPad, or a Blackberry quickly. Plus, it sports the obligatory 30-pin dock on the top deck for charging iPhones or iPods. The Energizer iSurge works great in practice, and we found it replaced several other chargers and power adapters. Our only wish is for it to be available in a 110/220 Volt model, to free it from its current limitations to just U.S.-style plugs and voltage requirements. All in all, we think the Energizer iSurge Travel Charging Station is a great solution that sparks the charging needs of on-the-go digital travelers.
For more information on the Energizer iSurge Travel Charging Station visit: www.amazon.com
IDAPT i4 Universal Charger
Once back on the home front, you'll need a solution that can charge multiple devices, often different types, shapes, and connectors. One of the most flexible we have seen is from IDAPT. The IDAPT i4 Universal Charger is a small flat base with connectors, into which you can plug different rectangular shaped modules depending upon your needs. We choose a single iPod dock, and two Micro USB modules, so that we could charge all three at once, no extra cables, just a nice and neat system. They have additional modules for most popular phones, iPods/iPhones, Nintendo DS, and even a module for rechargeable AA and AAA batteries. The system is flexible, good looking, and helps to reduce cable clutter - something we can all get a charge out of! Our only wish is that they might introduce a version with double the number of ports, since most digital mavens we know have more than four devices that need charging. Is a 12-port model too much to ask for? Not in these digital times!
Our testing unit came in bright red, with a solid fit and cheerful finish. It included a USB port on the side so a fourth device can be charged, although we found with all three top slots filled, it didn’t quite have the current to charge our Blackberry, but it worked with other devices just fine. We liked the flexibility of design and the selection of modules. It was a pleasure to rid ourselves of the need for four separate chargers and the spaghetti tangle of wires that would go along with them! For organizing and charging your digital devices with style, we think the IDAPT i4 Universal Charger is a smart and eye-pleasing choice.
For more information on the IDAPT i4 Universal Charger visit: www.idaptweb.com
Harris Fogel & Nancy Burlan, Posted 3/1/2012
