Car charger for your favourite gadgets

With a number of companies (mostly the so-called "Chinese" models) hitting the market with car chargers, you will have a scratch your head a bit to make the right choice. Here's a few of them....

1) New Genesis multi-pack Charger : This one is a cellphone charger, and can charge any cellphone, be it Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung etc. It comes with a number of different nibs to match the different kind of chargers for different models. it also has a LED to indicate the charging status and protects the battery from being over-charged.

2) 4-in-1 Cigarette Lighter Splitter : This one splits the power from the cigarette lighter of the car into 4 , thus allowing to use 4 different things at the same time.

3) Belkin AC Anywhere (in picture) : This one uses the 12-volt DC cigarette lighter socket and converts it into 230V AC, i.e., the common household current. It can power any USB-charged device, be it a laptop, camera, phone etc. The AC Anywhere has got safety features like an alarm system whenever the car battery drops to danger level, and an automatic power off if over-loaded.

Podio - Music While Riding

A MP3 player for your bicycle!!! You need to check this out! The Podio Portable Music Player, made in Taiwan by Taiwan Mini Speaker Company is the product I am talking about.

The Podio comes with a harness to attach it to the bike's handlebars, and it boasts of a rechargable lithium-ion battery that gets somewhere between nine and twenty hours of use per charge. It also boasts of 2 GB onboard storage and a 1.5 watt speaker to get the (portable) party started. So rock on....but yeah, ride safe!!!

Multi Tasking Wonder

Don't we all love multi-function gadgets?? Well, then the folks at Brando have launched a pendant-style headset with built-in speaker and microphone, crammed into a pen shaped stylus.

So when you are not poking your PDA with it, you can hang it around your neck or hold it to your ear and yack to kingdom come (or when the batteried run out!!). It's got a Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, a 30 ft range and USB charging Li-polymer battery that's good for 3 hours of talktime and 90 hours standby time.

And no, despite the shape, there's no pen in there!!!

(Image Source: http://mobile.brando.com.hk)

Klipsch - Rock The Party

The term "Rock The Party" will assume far more realistic proportion when you pick up Klipsch's latest outdoor speaker.

Shaped to look like a rock in order to blend in with the rest of your garden, the AWR-650-SM cranks out big sound with its 6.5 inch dual-voice subwoofer. And it's fit for the outdoors as well, with a weather resistant and UV proof cladding.

In addition to sandstone texture, you can also choose from granite and red rock finishes.

Nio - Smart Search

Do you forget stuff everywhere you go ?? Do your things slip behind something and you waste your valuable time to locate it ??? Well, quit blaming yourself and try the Nio. It’s a Bluetooth security tag that links up your mobile and practically anything else you would like ----- may be your briefcase, a set of keys , or another mobile phone even!!!!

With the Nio, you then have the ability to be buzzed if your tracked belongings move out of the range with your cellphone. The software is pretty smart ---- you can set up specific times of the day you want to enable the alarm, say if you want protection during a long metro commute….

In addition, the software can keep track of multiple tags, and can activate a “find me” function on the tag , to help you locate the said item when it conveniently slips behind somewhere…(say , the sofa-cushion)!!!!

Music on the Call

You’ve jammed your mobile phone’s memory with your favourite tracks to rock the party, but got disappointed with the tiny speakers playing party poopers!!!! Here’s a solution for that….

Just get some goofy speakers, and that’s it.


Sony Ericsson MPS100

Come on!!!Don’t think about the cost, it’s pretty cheap. You can get portable speakers for as low as Indian Rs. 500 (US $10).These are charged by the phone’s battery (yeah, your phone’s battery will drain faster). If you want more expensive ones, then go for the Sony Ericsson MPS100 for about Rs. 2500 (US $50) or the Altec Lansing T515 for about Rs. 2350 (US $47) which works via Bluetooth. Sound quality is pretty decent on these two, at least better than the phone’s speakers.


Altec Lansing T515

If you want FM Radio, then go for the Nokia MD-4 for about Rs. 3300 (US $66).

Nokia MD-4

And ya, if you are thinking that you will miss the call while listening to music, then you are wrong. These can easily switch to the phone mode. So, rock your party.

Disclaimer : The prices listed are the prices on offer in my Uncle’s shop in West Bengal, India. Prices will vary.