Keeping the Clutter to a Minimum
The Callpod works as a central seven-sided hub. From one of these ports, the only one that is a different size, you attach the AC wall adapter. The other six sides each have a port into which you can insert your chosen device adapter. These adapters only measure a few inches long, so you are able to keep the clutter down to a minimum. It also means that you won’t end up tangling all of power cords as you normally would.
The exception to this is when you use the adapter that provides a full-sized USB port. This is when you may have a less conventional device or one that Callpod does not support but you have the USB cable for the device. Even so, this is still reasonably tidy.
Look At the Pretty Lights
While the heptagonal Chargepod won’t be able to tell you when your iPhone 3G or Edge has finished charging (you’ll have to glance at the device itself to know that), it does tell if everything is working the way that it should. The single green light indicates a connection to a power source (the wall outlet) and then each of the blue lights shows if the corresponding adapter has been connected properly. For better or for worse, the blue LEDs light up whether there is an actual device attached or not. If there’s a device adapter in there, the light turns on.
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
The Chargepod by Callpod is designed to charge up to six of your portable devices from a single wall outlet, helping you to reduce the clutter and simplify your charging needs. The short device adapters and the heptagonal design keep everything pretty tidy.
While power strips can typically take up a lot of rom, the Chargepod is quite compact and packs enough of a punch to charge your iPhone, BlackBerry, and Zune (as well as three more devices) at the same time. It’s not able to charge larger devices, like a notebook or netbook, but the related Chargepod V2 can do that.
The biggest hurdle would have to be the price. The base unit is $40, each adapter is $10, and the bundle is $80. This is a little more expensive than getting replacement wall chargers, but you are paying for the convenience of having a central hub.
Pros
- Good build quality and design
- Keeps the clutter under control
- Versatile heptagonal configuration
- Handy carrying pouch is great for travel
Cons
- Need to buy each device adapter separately
- Slightly pricier than it should be
- Chargepod Base does not come with 12V car adapter
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
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