3 Comments

1. urufish

   October 11, 2012

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   11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

   
   Difference between the two ports, July 19, 2012

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   urufish –

   Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: PowerGen Dual Port USB 2.1A 10W AC Travel Wall Charger for Apple iPad 2, New iPad 3, iPhone 5 4 4s 3Gs 3G, iPod Touch, And More Devices (USB Cable not included) – Black (Wireless Phone Accessory)

   Bought it a month ago for use with 3 Blackberries (rotation). Ports are marked NA and A. Assume NA means non-Apple. Blackberry charged on NA. Didn’t charge on A. Why? The data pair (2 pins) are shorted in the NA port. Many phones (many Blackberries) want to see this configuration from a wall charge unit. So what do you if you want to charge 2 Blackberries at once? You buy USB charging cables. What’s a USB charging cable? It’s a USB cable with the 2 data pins shorted out.
   Whether we’re talking 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0, there are still two kinds of cables. The ones that ship with phones are called Data cables. For wall chargers, you’re better off with an honest to goodness charging cable. All the cables I’ve collected over the years came with phones. So they’re all data cables. Data cables don’t have the data pair shorted out. Charging cables do.
   After figuring this out, I dragged out a bunch of old wall chargers that I couldn’t get to work with my Blackberries over the years. With the charging cables they all work.
   Looking around the internet reviews, it looks like an awful lot of people don’t understand this distinction. As far as I can tell, any wall charger will work with any phone or tablet as long as the Amp (wattage) requirement is met. No mystery. You’d think all the folks that make USB wall chargers would short out the data pair to avoid all those negative comments on the internet about their charger not working with this or that. Since the Apple port (A) isn’t shorted, assume that Apple doesn’t like to see the data pair shorted. Why? It’s a wall charger. No data ever.

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2. C. MacPhail

   October 11, 2012

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   217 of 221 people found the following review helpful

   
   Fast iPhone Charging, Good Value, Port Labels Missing, April 5, 2012

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   C. MacPhail (Solana Beach, CA USA) –
   
     
   
     
   
     

   This review is from: PowerGen Dual Port USB 2.1A 10W AC Travel Wall Charger for Apple iPad 2, New iPad 3, iPhone 5 4 4s 3Gs 3G, iPod Touch, And More Devices (USB Cable not included) – Black (Wireless Phone Accessory)

   .
   ** Update July, 2012 – There is a newer version of this with the ports clearly marked: PowerGen Dual Port USB Wall Charger – White

   – – – Speed Matters- – –

   Sometimes you need to charge in a hurry. Even if a charger “works with your device” it may be painfully slow. Get one that will charge your devices at full speed (like the one that came with your device). This is not so simple. Product info is often unclear. Reviewers are often unclear.

   For starters, the “Amps” need to be high enough. That’s usually 1 Amp for smartphones, about 2 Amps for tablets. (A higher amp charger is always OK.)

   The messy part is, Apple devices use their own rules to decide charging speed. A designed-for-Apple charger may be slow to charge non-Apple devices, and vice versa, even if its Amp rating is high enough.

   – – – About this PowerGen Wall Charger – – –

   PowerGen gets it right by optimizing one port for Apple products (including iPad) and the second port for non-apple products. The two ports make it versatile, even if you never charge two devices at once.

   Oddly, the ports are not marked on the charger, and there is no mention in the user manual of which port is which, or even any differences between the ports. (The amazon listing explains it, or see Tip below.)

   If you plug your Apple device into the wrong port, you’ll get slow charging (or none at all for iPad).

   I hope other reviewers will test charging speed for non-Apple tablets. The manufacturer’s info is sketchy on this.

   If you’re willing to understand and label the ports yourself, this high capacity, do-it-all charger is a good deal.

   – – – Similar PowerGen Models – – –

   I was confused about the 4 different flavors of this charger offered on amazon, so I emailed PowerGen. The 4 flavors are actually identical. The detailed product descriptions on amazon are also identical. They are listed with different titles to so that people looking for a device-specific charger will find the PowerGen.

   – – – Disclosure – – –

   The manufacturer gave me this product for review. I believe my review is impartial.

   – – – Pricing – – –

   In April 2012, the price of this PowerGen dropped from 13 to 10. Nice.

   PROs:

   * Fast charging for Apple and non-Apple devices (see Note 1)
   * Nice Price
   * Doesn’t block other outlets (see Note 2)
   – LED power-on indicator (dim blue, not obnoxious)

   OKs:

   – Compact enough, could be better
   – 6-month warranty (per manual). Or is it 12 months (per listing)?
   – Branded product. Amazon reviews apply to this exact item.
   – Energy efficient (see Note 3)
   – Feel, fit and finish are OK
   – No cable included

   CONs:

   * Ports not marked
   – Glossy black finish shows off scratches, dust, and fingerprints
   – No UL or certification (it is marked ROHS = no excessive hazardous substances)

   – – – Alternatives – – –

   Many alternatives on amazon, but most have vague or contradictory info. I hope to update this over time.

   – AmazonBasics Wall Charger – USB 2.1 Amp (1-port charger for iPad, iPhone…)
   – Travel Charger U250 for HTC Thunderbolt (designed for non-Apple products up to 1 amp. Charges iPhone at 85% of full speed)

   – – – Tips – – –

   The port closest to the blue status light is the non-Apple port.

   – – – Notes – – –

   Note 1: Charging speed – I tested using a 3-month old iPhone 4S while on/locked. These results do not apply to other devices. I did not test tablets or other phones.

   30-50%. . . 50-70%. . . 70-90%. . . Avg . . . Charger
   ——— . . . ——— . . . ——— . . . —— . . . ———
   18min . . . . 18min . . . . 23min . . . . 1.02 . . . Apple
   18min . . . . 18min . . . . 23min . . . . 1.02 . . . PowerGen (Apple port)
   34min . . . . 35min . . . . 41min . . . . 0.55 . . . PowerGen (Non-Apple port)
   20min . . . . 22min . . . . 26min . . . . 0.88 . . . HTC U250
   35min . . . . 35min . . . . 39min . . . . 0.55 . . . Computer USB port (.5 amp)

   Avg is “percent per minute” overall — from 30% charged to 90% charged.

   Note 2: Blocking other outlets. Seems like small thing, but it can be a hassle. Unplugging lamps, alarm clocks, etc to charge your phone? Just say no (or carry an extension cord).

   Note…

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3. Angela H. Walker

   October 11, 2012

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   16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

   
   Excellent case, perfect size – love it!, September 9, 2011

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   Angela H. Walker –
   
     

   Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Extra Large Hard Shell Case For Garmin Nuvi, TomTom, Magellan and other GPS with 5-Inch 6-Inch Large Screen (Electronics)

   I bought this case for my Garmin Nuvi 1450 LMT with the 5″ screen. I love it. The GPS fits perfectly with the little extra included cushion in place. Then I close the divider section and have room for the cable. I put my Sirius Satellite radio in the little mesh pouch and then I can pop the case in my purse and go. I haven’t tried putting the mount in the case, I just pop it in the storage compartment under my armrest.

   I like that this case is sturdy enough to keep my stuff from getting banged up in my purse, small enough to fit in my purse, and large enough to hold all the stuff that I don’t want some punk to steal. Great investment, no complaints.

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