Hasta La Gadget!

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.

Continue reading PlugBug adds an iPad / iPod / iPhone USB charging port to your MacBook power adapter

PlugBug adds an iPad / iPod / iPhone USB charging port to your MacBook power adapter originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As an Engadget reader, you’ll gain extra street cred if you’re using an iPhone and, well, a non-iPhone at the same time; or maybe you’ve got all your media content on an iPod instead of having everything on your non-Apple smartphone. Either way, this means that you’d need to carry at least two types of cables for emergency charging on the go. To save the hassle, PANS Ltd. from Japan has come up with a neat solution: Umiushi Smapho 2800, which is apparently the industry’s first external battery with a built-in iPod dock connector and a micro-USB plug, both of which can be used simultaneously to sip on the 2,800mAh reservoir with 5V 1A output. Sure, you could alternatively just get hold of Apple’s micro-USB adapter and keep one micro-USB cable with you, but if you’re also looking for an external battery anyway then the option’s there, too. Expect to see the Smapho 2800 in various markets in two months’ time.

Umiushi Smapho 2800 portable charger hands-on: one plug for iPhone, another one for micro-USB originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do we really need another wireless charging system that’s incompatible with industry standards? Murata seems to think that we do. The company’s prototype uses neither conductive nor inductive transmission, instead bringing its new capacitive coupling technology to the cordless charging mix. Capacitive coupling uses square transmitter and receiver electrodes, instead of the coils used with Qi devices. It also doesn’t require a physical connection like near-obsolete conductive tech, which dictates that both the charging pad and receiving device use metal connectors that must be joined to transfer current. The Murata system is far from being production-ready, with only 70 percent efficiency (30 percent of electricity is lost during transmission). The sample the company had on hand can support 16 watts of output with a maximum of 2.1 amps, making each pad capable of charging several small gadgets, or one larger device, like a laptop.

Murata seemed more interested in demonstrating the concept behind capacitive coupling than actually proving that it works — the laptop we saw “charging” was a plastic mockup, though the base did glow red when the laptop’s charging pad came into contact (though it also glowed blue at times, as you can see in the image above). We did take a close look at an iPhone case, however, which appeared to be remarkably thin — much thinner than models from Powermat, for example, though the case does extend below the dock connector. Another advantage of the square electrodes is that you don’t need to place devices in a certain position on the mat in order for them to charge — they simply need to be positioned within the general charging area. We take a closer look in the video after the break.

Continue reading Murata Wireless Power Transmission System supports laptops, we go hands-on (video)

Murata Wireless Power Transmission System supports laptops, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 07:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been just over a week since Mophie quietly intro’d updated Juice Packs at IFA, and now — as we’ve reacquainted with our offices — the company’s given us a sneak peek at its Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition. Aside from a special olive drab and orange colorway, the charging case itself is your standard $100 iPhone 4 Juice Pack Plus. So what’s the big deal, you ask? This Pack’s bundled with Mophie’s Outdoor Navigation app (a collaboration with NeoTrecks) positioning itself as an alternative to pricier handheld GPS units. Purchased separately, said app’s slated to sell for $30 along with optional desktop access priced at $20 annually, while you’ll get the software and that first year included out of box with the OE.

The app works using your iPhone’s GPS to provide highly detailed maps and a robust suite of options to get you where you’re going, even if you’re offline for most of the US — sorry, Alaska. We checked out an early build of the software showcasing its three modes for tracking, downloading new maps, and a library you can check back on. The maps feature hand-shaded topography for extra clarity and a unique “grid-mode” for downloading new sections, although it appears you’ll be stuck there while you wait for it to finish. The software also pulls up points of interests and you’ll be able to track your trips, allowing you to then view your statistics or even share the details over the web. Mophie’s expecting to have these available sometime in October with full details forthcoming, but in the meantime, there’s a brief demo on how it’ll help you navigate your local trail past the break.

Continue reading Mophie intros Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition for adventure loving iPhone owners (video)

Mophie intros Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition for adventure loving iPhone owners (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Like a zombie hungry for brains, all LaunchPort can think about is your moneyyyyyy

Nickel and dime, nickel and dime. Ching, ching! If you could hear design and marketing strategies as sounds, then that’s the sound you’d hear coming from LaunchPort, makers of inductive iPad chargers and mounts.

The product itself is appealing. You put your iPad into the PowerShuttle case, which adds the necessary charging circuitry, as well as a widening the bezel and adding a chin. This will cost you $150.

Next, you buy the WallStation, a giant magnet that screws to the wall and charges the iPad by induction when it is stuck up there inside its PowerShuttle case. This will cost you another $150. Subtotal: $300.

And if you want to use the system at your desk? You go for the BaseStation, a triangle of brushed aluminum with a magnet and the same charging functions. The cost? $200.

If you’re keeping score, you’ll realize that we’re up to $500, or the cost of a new iPad, just to get an oversized case, a desk dock and a wall dock. And that’s not all. Because these are not yet ready to ship, they’re available for pre-order only. And here’s the kicker: in order to do this, you have to pay a $10 “Exclusive Reservation Fee.” Ker-ching!

Apple’s $30 iPad dock looks pretty cheap now, huh?

LaunchPort product page [LaunchPort via Da Giz]

See Also:

• WildCharger Promises Wire-Free Charging of Any Phone
• Palm's Touchstone: Not Just a Wireless Charger, But a Whole Line …
• IPhone Wireless Charger Takes Swipe At Pre Touchstone
• Powermat Puts a Price Tag On Its Wireless Charging Mat