Ask Gadling – how can I reduce the number of chargers I carry on a trip?

by Scott Carmichael on

This week’s “Ask Gadling” question comes from Tim, who reached out on Twitter for some help on how to reduce the number of chargers he carries when he travels. Thankfully, I’m a bit of a charger nut, so I’ve been on a similar quest for many years.

Of course, the increase in the number of chargers we carry is related to the number of gadgets we travel with. Ten years ago, most people probably carried a mobile phone and a portable CD player. Nowadays, it isn’t unthinkable to travel with a mobile phone, game console, Bluetooth headset, portable DVD player, MP3 player, digital camera and more. And thanks to the efforts of consumer electronics producers, almost every gadget comes with its own specific charger plug.

Thankfully, there are products out there that can lighten your load and turn you into a single charger traveler.Step 1 – Identify your needs

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

Check all your chargers for duplicates – as more gadgets switch to similar connectors, you may be able to reduce the number you carry just by sharing between products. In some cases, your mobile phone may use the same charger as your headset.

When you go over your chargers, pay close attention to more than just the plug – the voltage settings are also important, and some devices may have special requirements, so be sure your replacement charger matches the requirements of both devices.

Make the move to USB

Most gadgets are relatively lower power devices – making them perfect for charging using USB cables. Everything from your Nintendo DS to your mobile phone can be charged using a simple (and lightweight) USB cable. When searching for a USB cable, find one as short as possible – just keep in mind that your gadget may have to hang from a charger in the wall.

Your final objective is to have a USB charging cable for each of your gadgets – and be able to leave dedicated chargers at home. Every charger that can only charge one product is something you don’t want to carry.

A good example of a simple short cable set is the Griffin kit pictured above, and mentioned here on Gadling earlier this month.

Replace your laptop charger with a lighter version that offers USB charging

When identifying your chargers, don’t forget to find a better alternative for your laptop charger. Many of these chargers are bulky, and can be replaced by much smaller versions. Best of all, some of these new lighter laptop chargers also offer USB charger ports – with this, you can turn two chargers into just one. In addition to be being much lighter, these chargers also work with interchangeable tips – so if you switch laptop brand in a few years, you just swap out the tip and it’ll be good to go on your new machine.

Some reliable smaller laptop chargers come from Innergie, Targus, Kensington and Igo. Another important feature of these chargers is that some come delivered with car/air plugs as well as AC/wall.

Find a 4-in-1 USB charger

OK – so not everyone travels with four mobile phones, but a 4-in-1 USB charger can of course charge more than just phones. When I travel, I carry a Kensington 4-port USB charger. Each port is capable of charging up to 500mAh, so my devices charge in about the same speed as their original. If I need a speedier charge, I’ll plug two devices in at the same time, instead of four.

When four ports is not enough…

Alright, so you already know you are a bit of a freak – you need to charge six devices at the same time, and would prefer to do so without carrying six different chargers? For you my friend, there is the Chargepod by Callpod.

The Chargepod is a single charge capable of charging six devices at the same time. Best of all, the Chargepod offers charging tips for almost every mobile gadget every designed – and it starts at just $39.95 for a kit.

To make the kit even better, the power tips that fit the Chargepod also fit the Callpod Fueltank battery packs – which means you only need to invest in power adapters once to get yourself a power system that works with or without outlets.

If you already know that your power needs will continue to grow, the investment in a Chargepod and Fueltank won’t cost more than $100, and will have you set for years to come.

Callpod announces the Fueltank Uno emergency device charger

by Scott Carmichael on

This morning, Callpod announced the newest addition to their product lineup. If you haven’t been paying attention to my product reviews, you’ll have missed that Callpod make some of the best portable charging gear on the market.

Their Chargepod can charge six of your devices at the same time. The Chargepod V2 takes that to the next level by adding laptop charging. And back in November of last year, they announced the Fueltank, a portable battery pack that can charge 2 devices simultaneously.

Today, they are adding the Fueltank Uno to that lineup. The Uno is an emergency device charger with more than 4 times the battery capacity of your mobile phone battery. The device supports the power adapter tips used on the other Callpod products, which means it supports over 3,000 different phones, game consoles, PDA’s and more.

It’ll be on shelves starting this Sunday at Best Buy stores nationwide and retails for $39.95. Included with your purchase is a voucher for a free device tip, which can be ordered on the Callpod site. Click here to learn more about this handy product.

Sun, sand, surf and awesome beach gadgets!

by Scott Carmichael on

In the “old days”, a trip to the beach involved bringing a folding chair and plenty of sunscreen. Nowadays, that same trip means you’ll need even more sunscreen, but also ways to stay in touch with Twitter, Facebook, Email and the latest news in the Gadling RSS feed.

In this lineup, you’ll find 5 gadgets that can make your beach trip a little more fun, and help keep your gadgets safe from the elements.

Otterbox cases

Lets face it, even though the beach is one of the more relaxing places you’ll find yourself, there are plenty of us that insist on taking the Blackberry, iPhone or other email device along with us. And if there is one thing gadgets hate, it is sun, sand and water. Otterbox is here to protect those gadgets with a full lineup of awesome cases.

Their protection varies from basic, to full body armor with waterproof gaskets. Their mid-range lineup of cases will allow you to take your Blackberry or iPhone to the beach, without worrying about sand clogging your ports.

Price: from $19.95
Where: www.otterbox.com


TriSpecs Bluetooth stereo sunglasses

Look cool and listen to music – the TriSpecs do both. These high quality (Carl Zeiss optics) sunglasses house a pair of Bluetooth headphones, a microphone and music controls. Simply pair the headphones to a compatible Bluetooth device. For a full review of the TriSpecs, click here.

Price: From $199.95
Where: www.trispecs.com


Freestyle MP3 player

If you want music on the beach, but also want to be able to take your player for a dip in the ocean, then check out the Freestyle Audio MP3 player. We took a closer look at this fully submersible device last year.

Not only is the player itself waterproof, the headphones can come swimming with you as well! Included in the package is an arm strap, so you can attach the player to your arm and go our surfing while listening to your favorite tunes!

Price: $89.95
Where: www.freestyleaudio.com

Loksak element-proof transport bags

Last year, Tynan wrote about the Loksak product lineup. Their basic bag is called the aLOKSAK and provides a watertight barrier for your most cherished items.

These are not your household Ziplok bag style container – the aLOKSAK is waterproof up to 200 feet, and is perfect for protecting items like the Amazon Kindle or your iPhone when you enjoy the beach.

Price: from $6.39
Where: www.loksak.com

Callpod Fueltank

What’s a beach lover to do when halfway through the day, all your gadgets run out of power? The Callpod Fueltank may be able to help you out – its large internal battery and 2 charging ports can fully charge your gadget(s), and keep them running for the rest of the day. Power tips are available for almost every portable gadget out there, and the unit can be recharged using the included AC adapter or the awesome Chargepod.

Price: $69.95
Where: www.callpod.com

Gadling Gear Review – Callpod Drone Bluetooth adapter

by Scott Carmichael on

In this product review I’m going to introduce you to another product from the clever people at Callpod. Previously, I reviewed their excellent Chargepod charger and the Dragon V2 Bluetooth headset.

The Drone is a USB Bluetooth adapter. At $49.95 it is quite a bit pricier than most other Bluetooth adapters on the market, but the Drone is an adapter with a twist.

In fact, the Drone has several twists that make it well worth the price in my opinion. For starters – the Callpod Drone actually works as an audio adapter when first installed. This may not mean much to you, but if you just need a Bluetooth adapter to use for a (stereo) headset, then why bother installing a large package of software when you only need a tiny portion of it?
Another advantage of not having to deal with software is quite simple – not all computers allow it. Many work laptops are locked down against installations, and most public Internet terminals may have open USB ports, but also have software installs blocked. In many cases, the Drone can simply bypass this.

When you plug the Drone into your computer, it installs in seconds, and shows up in your device manager as a standard USB audio device. USB audio support has been built into all Windows versions since XP, so no drivers or other settings are required.

To use a Bluetooth headset with the Drone, you simply place it in “pairing mode” by pressing its only button, and you instantly have a Bluetooth audio connection with your PC. This is of course ideal for Skype or any other voice application, but it also works very well if you pair it with a stereo headset.

The Drone also offers a much larger range than most other Bluetooth adapters. In my not-so-scientific trials, I was able to reach twice as far in my house using the Drone than I normally can with the built in Bluetooth on my computer. The manufacturer rated range for the Drone is 100 meters, which I can confirm is accurate.

When you pair the Drone with the Callpod Dragon Bluetooth headset, you get to take advantage of the extended range in both devices. This combination let me walk out to the end of my back yard without a single crackle or drop in the Bluetooth connection.

Users who still want to use the adapter as a regular Bluetooth device, can switch it to “software mode” by holding down the button on the device. Of course, this also means you’ll need to install the 60MB software package, offered for free by Callpod on their site. Vista and Windows 7 users won’t need the software – Bluetooth support is built into their operating system.

All in all a very nice little device that finally makes Bluetooth hassle free. At $49.95 it may seem overpriced when compared to other Bluetooth adapters, but its additional features make it well worth the price if you often find yourself in need of no-fuss Bluetooth audio or an extended range Bluetooth signal.
The Callpod Drone is available directly from Callpod ($49.95) or from Amazon ($33.07).

The Gadling power anything anywhere kit

by Scott Carmichael on

It is no secret – I love my gadgets, and I love traveling with them. But even the most advanced gadget becomes useless when it runs out of power.

In the past, I’d occasionally arrive at my destination with a dead mobile phone or an iPod that only made it halfway through the flight.

It’s a pretty frustrating experience, so for the past years, I’ve been putting together the perfect kit for powering any of my gadgets on the road.
When it comes to powering gadgets, there are several things I am looking for:

  • Powering and charging my laptop and gadgets on the plane
  • Powering and charging my laptop and gadgets when I am abroad
  • Emergency power for my gadgets and laptop

Here is the kit I put together, with some of the reasoning behind each device:

Callpod Chargepod

The Callpod Chargepod passed through Gadling last year, and it has quickly become of the most important gadgets I carry with me. The device charges 6 things at the same time, which means I can charge 2 phones, my Bluetooth headset, a backup battery pack, a game console and an MP3 player off a single outlet.

The Chargepod itself can be powered off AC or DC (car) sources, and the company has power tips for almost every portable device on the market.

Price: $79.95 for a Chargepod bundle (AC and DC chargers and a selection of power tips)
From: www.callpod.com

APC External laptop battery pack



The APC universal notebook battery pack comes with a large selection of power plugs, for most brands of laptop computers. To charge the pack itself, you simply use your existing laptop charger. I’ve always preferred the APC battery packs over the “official” spare battery from laptop makers because I tend to change my laptop quite regularly, and by having a single battery that covers multiple brands, I don’t have to waste an investment in batteries every couple of months. The long cord on the battery means I can leave it in my bag and still have it hooked up to my laptop.

There is one annoying issue with the APC battery pack – APC stopped making them, and the only ones out there are the remaining inventory at local retailers. A good alternative would be a power pack from Tekkeon, who actually produce an external battery pack with more power than any of the APC units.

Price: From $70 (discontinued product)
From: www.apc.com


Proporta emergency battery pack

The Proporta emergency battery pack is a compact Lithium-Polymer power source that can be charged using your computer, an AC adapter or DC (car) charger. The battery pack houses a 2500mAh battery, which provides enough juice to fully recharge most gadgets at least two or three times.

The battery pack has a standard USB out plug for charging your device and a handy button for checking the remaining power.

Included with the charger is an assortment of power tips for most mobile phones and the iPod, as well as a retractable USB cord and an AC adapter. Since it has a regular USB port, you can also use any existing power cable with it.

Price: $56.95
From: www.proporta.com

Kensington ultra slim universal laptop adapter



As I mentioned in the description of the APC battery pack, I change my machine quite a bit, so this Kensington ultra slim universal laptop adapter is another wise investment – it comes with power tips for most brands of laptop computers. In addition to being able to charge/power my laptop off AC, it can also be plugged into the Empower power jacks on many airlines. The charger is smaller and lighter than most original laptop power supplies. One oversight with the product is that they did not include a DC (car) plug with the AIR cable, so I had to invest $10 to get one from a different vendor.

As an extra bonus, the charger features a USB charging power port on the side, plus it operates off 100-240V, making it perfect for taking abroad. Along with the slim charger, I also carry the Kensington travel plug adapter with USB so I can plug my stuff in when I am abroad.

Price: $140
From: www.Kensington.com

The total kit weighs just under 3 pounds, which is not too bad when you consider that it replaces every charger I used to carry, and that I can keep my laptop going for almost 8 hours (longer when I carry the 6 cell battery for my machine).

Every part of the kit fits inside 2 Tom Bihn packing organizers. The whole setup may seem quite extreme, but to someone who carries (too many) gadgets, it’s the perfect way to carry all that crap, and keep it all working. Total price for the kit is a bit over $300.

Do you have a favorite power product, or something you think is better than what I carry? Let me know in the comments!