Review: iDAPT i3 Universal Desktop Charger
The iDAPT i3 is the perfect solution for someone whose desk and power outlets are both cluttered and filled with various cables to charge our beloved phones, cameras, tablets, media players, etc. The i3 allows you to charge up to 3 gadgets while only using a single power outlet. It uses a removable tip system, which allows you to charge any and every gadget in your house by buying extra tips form iDAPTweb.com.
The charging dock comes with 6 tips, including mini and micro USB, the Apple 30-pin, one for Sony Ericson, one for Nokia, and one for Samsung devices. The dock comes in 4 different colors (pink, white, black, silver), and looks pretty nice sitting on a desk. The i3 retails for $60 but the functionality and convenience make up for the price in my opinion.
In the box you will receive the i3 unit, the power cord, the 6 interchangeable tips, and the manuals and warranty information. The i3 has a good weight to it and will definitely not slip around your desk. The material used on the unit is a matte plastic material and does not feel cheap. On the top portion of the i3, you will find the 3 docks where you can put in the tips of your choice. On the back, you will find an input for the power cord as well as a power switch, so you can conserve power when not charging anything. The rest of the device is clean of any switches or ports.
The device itself feels solid, but the tips on the other hand feel very cheap and fragile. Though you can replace them on iDAPT’s website, they are not cheap ($20 per tip). The other con about the tips are that they are locked facing one way. If you have one device that has a mini-USB port facing the opposite way as the tip on the i3, then your phone will be facing backwards when docked in the i3 and will not really be usable while charging. The Droid X, for example faces the same way as the i3 and is useable when it is docked, whereas the USB port on the Droid Eris faces the opposite way and the phone is facing the wrong way. Even if the device faces the opposite way as intended, they will still charge and will work perfectly fine with the charging station, but they will be hard to use while charging.
The pros of this device outweigh the cons, as the i3 serves one purpose which is to charge 3 devices while only taking up 1 power socket. It charges devices very well while keeping your desk clutter-free. The i3 looks great and I found no lag in charging time compared to other chargers. Everything performs well on the i3 and with exception tot he minor problems concerning the tips, has been problem-free for me. The direction issue is slightly annoying, but it does not take away from the performance of the charging station. The individual tips are quite fragile, but with care they should last a long while. iDAPT offers a variety of extra tips, including AA and AAA battery charging tips, on their website and they offer a couple other models like the i3. The other models include the i1-eco (charges 1 device), the i2 (charges 2 devices) and the i4 (chargers 3 devices via dock and 1 via powered USB port).
Overall, the product has been very good to me and in my opinion is a great buy if you have a lot of clutter around your power strip. The i3 looks great, works great, and saves power as well as power sockets. My overall rating for this product would be a solid 4.5/5, the minor dent in the score would be because of the risk of breaking the tips. Check out iDAPT’s other products on their website. Oh, and all their products are environmentally friendly as well.