It would certainly be more convenient if all the gadgets in our lives were able to use the same kind of charger. Unfortunately, your iPod does not use the same kind of connection as your Samsung cell phone or your Garmin GPS navigation system. This can be a real pain and it can result in a lot of clutter. That’s where the Callpod Chargepod comes in.

The Chargepod multi-port charger from Callpod is a lot more efficient, because it will only take up one of your wall outlets while being able to charge up to six devices at the same time. This saves space and saves you from a fair bit of headache.

Why Would You Want a Chargepod?

I think I know what you’re thinking, because it’s the same thought that popped in my mind when I first saw the Callpod Chargepod. Wouldn’t I be able to achieve fundamentally the same thing with any old generic power bar? Cheaper still, couldn’t I go to the dollar store and pick up one of those splitters that fits into a wall outlet?

That may be true, but taking that route would still result in a lot of power cords getting tangled in every which direction. By contrast, the Chargepod makes use of some very short adapters. All of your portable devices, whether they be MP3 players or smartphones, can be kept nice and tidy.

The Basic Configuration (and All the Adapters)

Unless you are absolutely geek to the extreme, you probably don’t have the need to invest in every power tip in the world. Unlike the Ecosol Powerstick, the Chargepod does not come with a huge abundance of power adapters. You buy these separately. The Chargepod Base carries a suggested retail price of $39.95 and this gets you the central hub and the adapter to plug the thing into the wall. From there, you can pick up the device adapters for $9.95 a piece. In this way, they don’t charge you (no pun intended) for a power adapter that you don’t need.

Naturally, there are both pros and cons to this approach. You can save some money by not “buying” the parts that you don’t need. This is good for the environment too, because it means that there are no wasted components. On the flip side, it can be frustrating when you start adding up all the additional cost for each tip. Also, this is bad for the environment due to all the extra packaging and shipping involved.

There is one major alternative offered by Callpod though. They have something called the Chargepod Bundle Pack for $79.95. This includes the base, a car charger, and six device adapters. The downside is that you don’t get to pick which tips you get, so you’ll probably end up with some you don’t need.

And despite its outward appearance, the Chargepod cannot double as an oil cap for your Civic.