Charge Six Devices With One Charger
I love gadgets that solve everyday problems. As I look over my desk, I have what seems like dozens of devices that need charging. Okay, I exaggerate, but at last count, there are six: my visiting niece's iPod, a Sprint Pocket PC, Moto Razor, LG 3280, and a pair of Samsung cell phones.
I'm now charging all my devices at once using Callpod's Chargepod, a charger that gets rid of six AC adapters -- and the tangled cords.
The Chargepod is a round, hub-like device about three inches in diameter. It has six ports for manufacturer-specific adapters for an almost endless array of devices, including most cell phones, gaming devices, PDAs, and MP3 players.
The Chargepod's able to safely handle the assorted voltages of your devices, and a blue light shows which devices are charging. It comes with an AC adapter; you can optionally buy a $20 DC adapter, so you can use it in your auto.
The Chargepod is lightweight and small enough so you can toss it into your notebook's traveling case. And it definitely works as advertised.
How Much Did You Say It Costs?
What might stop you from buying one is the price.
The base unit is $50, which includes the Chargepod, AC adapter and cable, carrying pouch, and one device adapter. Individual adapters, if purchased separately, cost between $8 and $10, and I couldn't find any discounts.
CallPod sells an assortment of kits -- the cheapest is $80 that includes the charger and adapters for ten devices, but there’s a good chance you’ll get adapters you don't need. Other kits costing $100 have different adapter combinations.
So the question for you: Is the convenience of having one charger for six devices worth almost $100? Not for me, it isn't. Even though I liked the Chargepod a lot, it’s just too expensive for my taste and budget.
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Unless you need to charge all of your devices at the same time, go with an iGo car charger with tips for each device (available online or at Radio Shack for $20 plus about $10 per tip), and then I use a Belkin 110v to 12v converter ($20) if I want to use it indoors. For a road warrior who is sometimes in a rental car, and sometimes carless for days at at time, this solution is flexible, inexpensive and accommodates every situation in which I find myself.
Great idea, but you're right, it's expensive and it takes up too much desktop space. A more squid-like design would be better IMHO.
I used iGo before but now switched to ionhub travel charger so I can charge 6 electronics at the same time with only one wall plug. The advantage of ionhub is the multiple output voltages that allow me to charge my camera and camcorder (12V and 8.4V), as well as my DVD player that I occasionally bring on my trips. Another neat thing is all charging tips are locked in the output ports so I do not lose any charging tips like I did with iGo anymore. I put it stand up in between bookstands so it takes very little space. The short yet flexible charging cords let me lay down my devices around it so there is no mess any more.