Discount Ultra Compact High 2.1A Output Dual USB Car Charger - Ideal

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $12.99
Sale Price: $7.99
Today's Bonus: 38% Off

This product suffers from the same problem many USB chargers do: It's designed for Apple products, not for other products like Android. I find the description quite deceptive because it will NOT deliver the current one expects for most Android devices (or the HP Touchpad as well).

A little background on USB charging for those who don't know:

The USB power spec is for 0.5 Amps at 5 Volts... or 2.5 Watts. This was great up until the last couple years when devices have gotten really power hungry, particularly smartphones and tablets and to a lesser extent dedicated GPS's. Some of these devices use over 2 Amps, particularly the tablets like the iPad (or in my case the HP Touchpad).

Manufacturers of these devices therefore had a dilemma. If they had their devices pull more than 0.5 Amps, they risked damaging the power source, which could be a computer, that was only prepared to source 0.5 Amps. Thus the manufacturers have used tricks to determine whether their device is connected to an unknown source, at which point they purposely only draw 0.5 Amps, or to the dedicated charger that was provided with the device, where they can draw all the power they need.

There seem to be two common tricks used. The first is to short the two data-wires together in the charger. This is what most non-Apple devices do. Since a computer or older device wouldn't have done this, the device can assume it is safe to draw all the power it needs.

Apple seems to have taken a different approach, one that I don't fully understand but know can be seen by the fact that the data lines are neither open nor shorted when the charger is plugged in, and is more sophisticated and probably superior, because I suspect it allows the device to know exactly how much power it can use.

While Apple taking a better approach might be nice in concept, it's created chaos in the USB charger product category. What is the non-specific charger to do? They can't support both.

This device chose to go the Apple route for both ports. While the PowerGen unit I purchased (see below for links to the others I've purchasd) had the 1 Amp port setup for Android (data lines shorted) and the 2 Amp port for Apple, this device, like the others, has both setup for Apple. I don't own any high-power Apple devices, so I can't say for sure, but I suspect this unit performs well with Apple devices. Using electronic equipment I was able to draw 3 Amps when putting a fixed load on either of the USB charging ports. However, when I connect any of the 3 high-power devices I have (HP Touchpad (2 Amps), Motorola Triumph Android phone (0.85 Amps) and the LG Optimus Slider (0.7 Amps)), none of them drew all the current they could have, because they were expecting a shorted set of data-lines.

To be fair, I tested the device using power resistors to see how much power it could source. It performed beautifully. It performed better than any of the 4 I purchased (see below) sourcing well over 3 Amps without significant voltage droop. It could source it no matter which port it was from, whether it was all 3 Amps from one port or the other, or a combination that added up to 3 Amps (2 Amps from the top port and 1 Amp from the bottom as the labels claims). From that standpoint, if you have Apple products, I think you will be quite satisfied with this charger and would likely be the best choice for you (either this or the more expensive Kensington who's specs are better than this one, but in practice the deliver about the same current).

Thus this device gets 3 stars because it claims to support a number of Android devices that, while I don't have the specific ones mentioned, I firmly believe they will not work as expected. While I suspect it will work well with Apple devices including the iPad (I don't own any) I ended up returning it because it doesn't meet my needs as a non-Apple user.

For those who don't have Apple devices, I ordered three additional devices:

"Bracketron Universal Dual USB Car Adapter (UGC-298-BL)" (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0056VNVV8/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details)

"PowerGen Dual USB 2A Heavy Duty Ouput Car Charger" (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00622AG6S/ref=oh_o06_s00_i00_details)

"Kensington K33497US PowerBolt Duo Car Charger" (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PU01M4/ref=oh_o03_s00_i00_details)

I have written a review on each of them with more details.

I returned both this one and the Kensington and kept the PowerGen in unmodified form and the Bracketron after I broke it apart and shorted the data lines to have it work.

Neither this product, nor the Kensington were easily to open without damaging them, so they got returned, even though they had better power output (potential, not in practice) than the two I kept. Such a shame.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I've had better built car USB chargers and I really like those chargers that are nearly flush with your console, but this one still gets by. It doesn't protrude nearly as much as a 'standard' charger so points there. The blue LED is cool too, and not distracting or annoying by any stretch.

NOTE that if you're charging an iPhone, iPod or iPad (I have all three) the bottom slot won't charge iPad or iPod Touch 4th gen. The top slot will however charge all devices.

This means that if you have an iPhone (up to 4) or 3rd gen iPod, you can charge using either slot. But your iPad must go into the top slot. If I had two iPads this would be a problem, but I don't so it's not :) Just consider that before you buy. I have 3rd and 4th gen iPods for my kids so I just have to remember that one has to charge in the top slot if I want to charge both simultaniously. Or if I'm charging my iPad, it owns the top slot. Whatever. You'll figure it out. Just don't buy if you're charging 2 iPads or 2 iPod Touch 4th gens. That's it. Charges fast, I'm happy I bought.

UPDATE (7/11/2011)

Finally broke. Truth be told, I abused the heck out of it. Surprised it lasted as long as it did. So I figured I'd order another. From the looks of the picture though, it looks like they've made some improvements. It looks sturdier, looks like they ditched the blue LED, and no longer suggests that the iPad needs to be charged in the top slot. Looks like they figured out how to simply split the charge. Not sure if this is better or worse, but I'll find out. Not changing my rating. Gonna give it a shot. For the record, the one I previously reviewed looks more like the RND Power Solutions Dual Black USB car charger for Tablets, Smart Phones, MP3 Players and Gaming Devices including Apple (iPad, iPhone, iPod, iTouch), Blackberry (Torch), HTC (Evo 4G), Motorola (Droid Series), Samsung (Galaxy Series, Tab) & many more

Best Deals for Ultra Compact High 2.1A Output Dual USB Car Charger - Ideal

Several reviewers have said only one of the two slots will charge an iPad. It seems that the newer shipments will charge an iPad 2 in either port. I ordered one of these on April 12, 2011 (with RND Power Solutions lable), and as others have reported, only one port would charge the iPad2. Still, I liked it so much I decided to order a bunch more to give as gifts. The RND Power Solutions version is "No Longer Available" on the Amazon site. But Amazon is still fulfilling this one by XTG technology which looks identical, was available and I ordered a bunch. I tested them so I could tell my friends which slot to use with their iPads and to my surprise, the iPad2 charges on either port on the ones I've just received... so it must be a new version. I've been very satisified with it.

Honest reviews on Ultra Compact High 2.1A Output Dual USB Car Charger - Ideal

both ports charge my ipad 2. I kinda wish one of the ports was NOT 3.1 amps as when I charged my blackberry, it charged REALLY fast and got kinda hot. Not sure if that's the best thing for it since the BB and most phones only expect to charge on a 0.5 1.0 amps.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Ultra Compact High 2.1A Output Dual USB Car Charger - Ideal

I'm sure this charger would be great... if I had an iPhone or iPad. I have a Galaxy Nexus phone. And it charges very slowly. It will charge non Apple products, but at a max current of only 500mA. Apple chargers, such as this one, have a specific voltage on each data pin (D+ and D-) that tells your iDevice how much current is available, and to charge at high currents. For Android phones, and other non Apple devices these voltages mean nothing, your phone will see it and think it's connected to a USB port and charge slowly. The way Android phones look to see if higher currents are available (i.e. AC wall charger), is by looking to see if the data pins are shorted together (I can't say for all devices, but I know that for my Nexus and my wife's HTC Thunderbolt this is true).

If you are handy with a soldering iron you can take this charger apart and make it charge faster for your Android device. I don't recommend it, however, for just anyone. It will slightly damage the plastic body taking it apart, and you could permanently damage it. Once open find the 4 resistor that are connected to the data lines, with a continuity checker, and remove them. Then short the two center USB port pins together on the PCB, for just one of the connectors. The 2 connectors are in parallel so data pins are connected between them. Then put it back together. You'll have to use super glue to keep the plastic body closed tight. Now it will charge your phone at 1000mA.

Amazon should really change the headline for this product, as it is very misleading. It CANNOT charge just any "USB powered device" with 2.1A (tablets), or even half that (phones).

I will change to 5 stars if Amazon will fix the description to be more accurate.