The *New* Travel Charger

When I travel, I no longer take along the myriad power supplies for my Zen Micro MP3 player, Palm T|X, etc etc. Instead, I charge these battery operated devices through my notebook computer's USB ports. A couple of short USB cables take up far less room than the power transformers and their long cables. Plus I don't need to worry about voltage or having sufficient wall outlet converters internationally.

Last week I was thinking: how could I recharge these pocket-size devices if I didn't take along my notebook computer? (I had seen the new USB travel chargers in the xmas fliers, a transformer that plugs into the wall outlet and has a single USB port -- why not four USB ports?.)

Then I thought of the miniature powered USB hub that I never use. (They seem like useful devices and electronics stores sell all kinds of them; but I never use it.) I wondered I could use it to recharge my portable devices, because the USB hub is powered by a small power supply.

Sure 'nough: it worked. It recharged my Zen Micro like it was hooked up to the computer.

So now when I travel w/o notebook computer, I can take along this USB hub and its wall outlet, and it can recharge up to four devices overnight. In some ways, it's better than my notebook computer, because the computer has to stay on overnight to perform its recharging work.

Indeed, I'm now using it at home, because the one powered hub eliminates numerous transformer blocks clogging up the power outlets in my office.

Update

When charging through the USB port, the Palm T|X doesn't show its lightning bolt icon to indicate charging. But over time, the battery meter gets closer and closer to 100%.

My Sony Clie won't charge through USB. This means you may have to check which of your devices actually can be charged through USB, and which can't.

Comments

[Markos G]

After years of seaching for a solution, I finally found one that is what I want: ionhub multi charger, for charging my portables on travel. It does not require me to carry a laptop around anymore, and I only need to carry this one charger instead of many. It seems that the only thing it does not charge is laptop computers. But they told me they have come up with a concept to use my laptop computer's AC adapter to charge the laptop and at the same time power the ionhub charger. I'm waiting for that now.