Freestyle iPod Mains Charger
First I looked at the Freestyle iPod Mains Charger from Porta-Charge.co.uk. This is said to run on 100-240V AC - partly explaining why box and product call it a travel charger. However, no socket-adaptors are supplied for use abroad.
The Freestyle takes the form of a jumbo-size 13A mains plug to which is fixed a cable carrying a docking connector at the other end.
It has a blue neon light to indicate when it's charging and is reckoned to have a power output of 11V/300mA. That compares with 5V/500mA max for the output of a computer's USB port.
Porta-Charge says that the Freestyle is compatible with all iPod's fitted with dock connectors
It cost just £7.99, so it's cheap and cheerful, but it does do the job.
And, right now, the company is selling the Freestyle at knock-down price - £5.99 - though the UK delivery charge of £2.49 starts to look seriously excessive at that price point.
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Fact is, the Freestyle is just the sort of thing that Apple should be including with its iPods - though doubtless Porta-Charge wouldn't agree.
A lot more versatile, but somewhat more expensive, is the Griffin-branded PowerBlock Travel - and you can find out more on the next page...