Incase rolls out 2-in-1 Wall & Car Charger for iPod, iPhone

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Incase rolls out 2-in-1 Wall & Car Charger for iPod, iPhone

Incase has introduced its new 2-in-1 Wall & Car Charger for iPod and iPhone. According to Incase, it is the first 2-in-1 iPod and iPhone charger that is both AV and DC compatible. Designed for both wall and car sockets, the charger has a main body with a car adapter on one end, and hideaway wall socket prongs on the side. A 5ft. iPod Dock-connecting cable comes out the back, next to the LED power indicator. In addition, the 2-in-1 is also AC compatible with worldwide voltage capacities, and DC compatible with 12V and 24V power supplies. The Incase 2-in-1 Wall & Car Charger for iPod and iPhone sells for $40 and will be available at Apple retail stores and from the Apple Store online later this month.

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Comments

1

“According to Incase, it is the first 2-in-1 iPod and iPhone charger that is both AV and DC compatible. “

Uh, no, as a little research would show. BoxWave’s VersaCharger Pro has been able to charge iPods for quite some time. See:

http://www.boxwave.com/products/categories/versacharger.htm

Boxwave also sells an “iPhone Charging Adapter” which allows iPhone owners to use older USB chargers. I believe that is required for the VersaCharger Pro, as well.

The Incase device looks like it may block the other outlet when plugged in. The VersaCharger Pro does not.

Posted by gslusher in Eugene, OR on February 8, 2008 at 11:28 PM (PDT)

2

Actually, Incase’s claim is based on the difference between an Apple-certified, guaranteed compliant iPhone charger, and the uncertified, unguaranteed product that Boxwave is offering.

Producing an iPod charger is relatively simple, and Incase has actually been selling 2-in-1s for years (we’ve reviewed them). We also reviewed (and you previously commented on) the VersaCharger Pro, noting the performance ambiguities between chargers that are “iPod-compatible” and ones that are fully “iPhone-compatible.” A ton of small companies rushed to sell their old USB chargers as iPhone-ready back in June of last year, but it turned out that a bunch of them had unexpected issues. We still get sent “iPhone battery packs” that don’t charge the iPhone properly.

So, though anyone can claim that an old, potentially underpowered iPod or USB charger works with an iPhone, whether a given device provides sufficient power under _all_ antenna operating conditions is unclear. Certified ones do; uncertified ones like the VersaCharger Pro may or may not. This practically/probably would make more of a difference in your home, where you might actually be using the iPhone’s GSM, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi at the same time, versus in a car when the Wi-Fi is most likely not being used.

Posted by Jeremy Horwitz in East Amherst, NY, USA on February 9, 2008 at 9:38 AM (PDT)

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