- CHARGING KIT W/4FT CABLE BLACK FOR IPOD
WHAT I LIKE:
The charging cable seems heavy-duty, much thicker (better insulated?) than the charging cable that came with my iPhone. Good for those who aren't gentle with their charging cords.
The same charging cable has a larger plug that fits into my iPhone (the plug is maybe 1/4" longer than the plug on Apple's iPhone charging cable). This is a nice feature if you're using an Otterbox or similar case protector because it's much easier to grasp this cable's longer plug. Now I don't have a hard time pinching the plug to remove it from my Otterbox-protected iPhone.
This set is complete. Need a cable to charge from your computer? Got it. From a wall outlet? Got it. From a vehicle 12V outlet? Got it, and the vehicle adapter can be used to power any USB device (with the right USB cable), not just to charge an iPOD/iPhone.
WHAT COULD BE BETTER:
The wall adapter is rather big, but doesn't come with any kind of surge protection. If you're going to have a bulky wall adapter, you might as well add surge protection, too.
The wall adapter's prongs are foldable so they don't stick out (good for transporting in a bag), but the prong tips still stick out a bit from the adapter itself (so you can later unfold the prongs), and that creates a risk the prong tips could scratch something if you're storing it in a bag. A better design would have had a niche that keeps the prongs folded and completely recessed so the prong tips couldn't scratch that new iPod Touch you also threw into your computer bag.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE:
The wall adapter has a BRIGHT, BLUE LED light that is so bright you can easily read a book from the light it casts. I dislike BRIGHT, BLUE LED lights that are ridiculously bright. I prefer dimly lit, small, little green or amber LED lights that tell you, "Yes, the device is working," without screaming, "YES, THE DEVICE IS WORKING!". Tip: put black electric tape over the LED light. Hint: If you've plugged in the wall adapter, it's working, and if it's unplugged from an electric outlet, it's not working.
CONCLUSION: This isn't a bad choice. It could be better, though.
Buy Belkin USB Charging Kit with Wall Charger and Car Charger for Apple iPod (Black) Now
THE QUICK TAKE: The Belkin iPod Charging Kit is well built, but the chargers are bulky by modern standards. If you prefer these larger chargers, because you find them easier to handle, this set will be a good choice.GOOD BUILD QUALITY: I've been happy with the Belkin chargers and cables I've owned, the build quality is solid. I've found that the cheap iPod cables come apart, often leaving parts stuck into the plug on the iPod or iPhone.
This cable just plugs in and pulls out no need to press tabs on the side. The plug seems compact, and fits fine in my iPhone despite the case on the phone.
And I've never thought that the cheap knockoff chargers made sense it's going to be plugged in almost all the time, in my house, where my family sleeps. And powering an expensive piece of electronics. I'm not going to give up quality just to save a few bucks.
1 AMP WILL CHARGE PHONES: The wall charger is rated at 1 amp, which is enough to charge an iPhone or an iPod, but won't effectively charge an iPad get a 2 amp charger for that. The car charger is rated at only 0.5 amp, which surprises me. That's enough, but just barely.
LARGER SIZE: Both the car and wall charger are much larger than most chargers these days. When plugged in, the wall charger is 2-7/8 high by 1-3/4 inches wide by by 7/8" deep (not counting the foldable prongs). The car charger is about 3-1/2 inches long by 1-5/8" across.
INTERNATIONAL VOLTAGE: The wall charger can accept 100 240 V, so it offers flexibility.
FOLDING PRONGS: The outlet prongs fold into the charger, which is a nice feature if you pack it in a briefcase or your luggage.
SMALLER ALTERNATIVES: Most people would likely prefer the smaller alternatives, such as Belkin MicroCharge + ChargeSync Kit for iPod & iPhone. It's also less expensive, and has a 1 amp car charger.The cord that comes with this set is four feet long. That's longer than you likely want for use in your car and shorter than I want for use at home where my wall electrical outlets are pretty low (near the baseboards) and I want the cord to reach to the top of a piece of furniture where I will place the phone to charge.
It's nice that the prongs can be folded down into the wall charger so it take up less space (if you have vertical outlets,) but the prongs do NOT swivel. Swivel prongs that also fold down are far more useful. Swivel prongs make it much easier to plug in chargers without blocking an outlet. I have this Belkin wall plug that both swivels and has fold down prongs Belkin AC Charger with Swivel Plug & Charge Sync Cable for iPod and iPhone One positive about the wall plug is that it has a small blue light that lights up when it is charging. This is actually quite useful so that you don't inadvertantly plug it into an outlet that only works when a wall switch is turned on, then wake up in the morning to find your phone did not charge.
The car charging plug is much larger than necessary I purchased the Griffin micro car charger here on Amazon Griffin Technology PowerJolt Micro (Flat) 2A x 1 USB Power Charger for iPod/iPhone/iPad (Black ) (so small I can close the compartment in the car with the plug still in the outlet) I would never want such a big charging plug as this Belkin unit has. Well, on second thought the big one MIGHT be good to put in a travel kit. If you do so, make sure to take a bright color of electrical tape and put a loop of it around the car charger to make it more noticeable. That way you are less likely to leave it in a rental car or relatives car when packing to return from a trip.
I can't really recommend this set unless the blue light on the wall plug is important to you.
Want Belkin USB Charging Kit with Wall Charger and Car Charger for Apple iPod (Black) Discount?
I already had an excellent wall charger for my iPod, but I just had to have this one because of the car-charger. I enjoy reading and texting while on long drives with my daughter and have been disappointed many times because my battery died at the most inopportune times. I also enjoy having two chargers, so I can keep this one in my purse for those unexpected road trips.The four-foot cable is also convenient when connecting to my laptop computer.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Betty Dravis, March 15, 2012
Author of award-winning novel "1106 Grand Boulevard"
Save 26% Off
This is a straightforward, all-in-one solution to charge your iPod. The kit includes a standard wall wart, an auto adaptor plug and an Apple pin-type to USB cable that fits into both the car and wall ports. I tried it with our iPod Classic, iPod Nano and iPhones (4 and 4s) and it worked for all, BUT charging an iPhone using the car port brings up a compatibility message and though it DID charge a bit, it didn't do very much, and was quite slow. In addition, neither the car or wall adaptor will work with an iPad2.You can also plug the cable directly into a computer for charging and it works just like the original Apple cable. It's also worth noting that this thick plug, larger than Apple's own, may not work with your iPod or iPhone if it's in a case. Your mileage there may vary. (My husband's phone case accepted the cord, mine didn't. Both are cases that work fine with the Apple cable.) You can plug an Apple cable into these adaptors, but that would eliminate use of one of the three pieces you're paying for.
Though it is not advertised as such, it will also charge many other USB devices, as long as you have the cable, as the wall and car plugs simply have a USB slot. We tried charging our USB plug GPS and it did charge using the car adaptor. Though, be aware, as with the iPad 2, anything that requires more power, may not work with these low-watt chargers.
Another big downside is the size: the wall wart is large, even with the prongs folded inward. Apple's teeny, tiny plug only, which does the same thing, is much easier to carry with you for travel, which is what the Belkin system seems designed for. The car plug also seems larger than our other Griffin and Belkin car charging products. If you were trying to carry these with you in a travel bag, I see them quickly ending up in a big, jumbled ball of corded mess. For me, the size alone of the components, makes it not-so-useful.
Consider what Apple charges for replacement cables alone, this isn't a terrible buy, though it's still a little pricier than similar, no name solutions. If you need all three parts of this system (cable, car and wall), and only have an iPod, not an iPhone, this is a fairly good deal. But if, like me, you've got multiple Apple i-devices, I'm guessing you'll prefer something that works for ALL your products, and not this more limited system.
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