Kensington Portable Power Outlet a Great Accessory for the Road Warrior
Charles Moore - 2008.07.22 - Tip Jar
Popularity: 
Bookmark in del.icio.usLow End Mac Reader Specials
Memory To Go Special: New 2008 iMac 2GB $42 / iMac Intel Core2 DUO & MacBook Pro 2GB $36 - 1GB $20. MacPro 8 Core Memory 8GB kit $286 / 4GB kit $143 / 2GB kit $93 -- Free shipping available. LIfetime warranty.
Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com
LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, iMac's, Apple Batteries and Apple A/C Adapters. Also Great prices on Used Apple Computers. Call 1-800-941-7654 Click Here.
OWC: OWC Mercury On-The-Go FW400/800/USB2/eSATA Portables High Performance A/V Rated, **Bus Powered** **Up to 500GB in the Palm of your Hand** Macworld Editor's Choice, CNET 'Very Good' - from $75.99!
Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.
Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.
Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.
Power bars have been a virtual necessity and a ubiquitous presence at computer workstations for two decades now, but a new wrinkle on the power bar concept is the Kensington Portable Power Outlet, which packs not only three wall current outlets into a single compact unit, but also adds the convenience of being able to power or charge USB devices directly as well.
Utilizing both sides of the unit for plug outlets maximizes utility while keeping physical dimensions small.
The Portable Power Outlet includes 2 USB power ports in addition to 3 standard AC outlets, allowing you to charge devices like your iPhone, iPod, PDA, or digital camera simultaneously with your laptop without being obliged to pack each device's own power adapter.
The Portable Power Outlet also features built-in surge
protection with a status LED to protect your hardware against power
spikes and a short, flat-wrap extension cord that stores neatly around
the body of the device when not in use, keeping it compact and more
convenient to carry in a computer briefcase or backpack.
This is such a good an logical idea, I'm surprised it didn't
catch on a long time ago, but I guess it took the proliferation of USB
bus-powered and/or charged devices to create a viable market. There is
only one other similar device on the market that I'm aware of and it
has just one USB port and sells for five dollars more than the
Kensington unit.
In summary, I can't think of anything to criticize negatively about this product. It's inexpensive, innovative, convenient, and useful, and appears to be well-made. I suppose that a USB hub function would make it even more desirable, but perhaps that's a bit greedy for $25. Low End Mac rating, 4 out of 4.
Kensington Portable Power Outlet Features:
- Low profile, compact shape travels easily to conference rooms, hotels, airports, anywhere you need to work
- Fits conveniently in a travel bag or notebook carrying case
- Three wall (AC) outlets power your notebook and more
- Two USB power ports charge all of your USB compatible mobile devices (USB Power Tips sold separately)
- Built-in cord management
- Surge protection with status LED defends against power spikes
Specifications
- Weight: 200g (7.1 oz.)
- Unit Dimensions: 112mm x 79mm x 31mm (4.4" x 3.1" x 1.2")
Cable: Wrap Around Grounded Plug w/ 430mm (16.9") Cable- Outlets: 3 Grounded Wall Outlets and 2 USB Power Ports
- Input: 125 VAC, 60 Hz Output: Wall Outlets - 125 VAC, 60 Hz,
- USB Power Ports - 5 VDC, 0.5A Max
Warranty
- The Portable Power Outlet is backed by the Kensington 2-Year warranty.
Price: $28.99 (currently $25.13 with free SuperSaver shipping at Amazon.com, $10 rebate available through 8/21/08)
Recent Columns by Charles Moore
- 3 Reasons to Use a Mac, and Pismo Troubleshooting, 10.15. Why one Windows user is also a Mac user, a Pismo that can't see its AirPort card, and sources of kernel panics.
- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Apple Design, 10.15. Apple has produced some beautiful computers and iPods over the years, but also a few of the ugliest and most ungainly computers ever seen.
- Will Apple's Rumored $800 Notebook Be a Netbook?, 10.13. Netbooks are hot, and with the economy in turmoil, Apple needs to offer a netbook for the OS X crowd.
- The Power of Older Macs, Why Vista Only Sees 3 GB of RAM, Wangwriter Supplies, and More, 10.08. Also the end of an era as MIT HyperArchive shuts down and another suggestion for profiling Windows computers.
- More in the 'Book Value index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: Macintosh LC, Oct. 1990 - only 3" tall, the LC was the least expensive color Mac in 1990.
- List of the Day: The iPhone List Low End Mac's forum for discussing and supporting Apple's iPhone.
- October 15 in LEM history: 90: Mac IIsi, LC, and Classic - 97: Yale threatens to drop Mac support - 99: Decelerate your Mac - Time magazine on Jobs and Apple - 01: Is Microsoft the enemy? - 02: Confessions of a Mac to PC convert - The IT job market - 03: Microsoft's holding pattern - 04: October 1990: The first low-end Macs - Dual core 'Books - 07: When to pick Tux - SteelSeries 4D the best mousepad ever? - Irrational rantings of an Intel hater
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- The October 2008 MacBook Value Equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.15. Apple changed the entire MacBook lineup on Tuesday. How do close-out prices compare to the new ones?
- G3 and Low End G4 Mac Performance Comparison, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 10.15. Factors that impact performance are the version of CPU, the size and speed of the Level 2 cache, and how much RAM is installed.
- Best MacBook Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.15. Used 1.83 GHz, $649; 2.0 SD, $750; refurb 2.1 GHz, $849; 2.4, $1,049; black, $1,099; new 2.1, $869 after rebate; 2.4, $1,175 a/r; black, $1,194 a/r.
- Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.15. Used 2.0 GHz Core Duo, $1,000; 2.16, $1,100; refurb, 2.4, $1,349; new, $1,444 after rebate; refurb 2.5, $1,499; new, $1,644 a/r; refurb 2.6, $1,799; new, $2,594 a/r.
- Best MacBook Air Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.15. Used 1.6 80 HD, $1,200; refurb, $1,349; new, $1,549; 1.8 120, $1,999; 1.6 128 SSD, $2,299; used 1.8 64 SSD, $1,800; new, $2,100.
- MacBook (Unibody), 10.14. The MacBook gets the same aluminum treatment as the MacBook Pro - and dedicated GeForce 9400M graphics.
- 15" MacBook Pro (Unibody), 10.14. The new MacBook Pro's case is carved from a block of aluminum for increased strength.
- MacBook Air (GeForce), 10.14. More storage, a video port, and GeForce 9400M graphics improve the MacBook Air.
- MacBook White, 10.14. Entry-level white MacBook gets a SuperDrive, retail price reduced to US$999.
- Death of the iPod 'Way Off in the Future', Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 10.14. Someday Apple will decide that the iPod is no longer profitable and discontinue it, "but that day looks to be way off in the future."
- Best Intel iMac Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.14. Used 20" 1.83 GHz, $599; 2.0, $730; 2.16, $800; 24", $950; refurb 17" 1.83, $699; 20" 2.0, $949; 2.4, $999; 2.66, $1,299; 24" 2.4, $1,299; 2.8, $1,549; 3.06, $1,899; rebates on new.
- Best iBook G3 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.14. Used 300 MHz clamshell, $150; 366, $199; 500 CD, $149; 800, $190; 600 DVD, $200; CD-RW, $240; 700 Combo, $250; 900, $369; 14" 600, $230; 900, $449.
- Best Classic iPod Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.14. Used 60 GB color, $150; used 30 video, $140; 80, $170; refurb 80 classic, $169; new 120 GB, $240; refurb 160 GB, $249; new, $280. New & refurb include shipping.
- Best Titanium PowerBook G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.13. Used 667 MHz Combo, $480; 867 MHz, $530; 1 GHz, $590; SuperDrive, $900.
- Best Classic Mac OS Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.13. System 6, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5.1, $4; Mac OS 7.6, $13; 8.0, $13; 8.1, $48; 8.5, $25; 8.6, $20; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $20; more.
- Best Xserve Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.13. Used G4/1 GHz, $999; G5/2 GHz, $1,499; new 2.0 4-core Xeon, $1,900; refurb 3.0 4-core, $2,299; 2.8 GHz, $2,599; 3.0 8-core, $3,499; 3.2, $3,699.
- More links in our archive.
About LEM | Support | Usage | Privacy | Contacts
Have a question?
Ask an expert!
Navigation
Used Mac Dealers
Apple History
Best Used Macs
Video Cards
Email Lists
InfoMac's Low
End Mac Forum
Favorite Sites
MacSurfer
MacMinute
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
Macs Only!
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac
Museum
DealMac
DealsOnTheWeb
Mac2Sell
ramseeker
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System
6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End
Mac FAQ
Abandonware
Petition
Mac vs. PC Info
Affiliates
The Apple
Store
Mac
Connection
MacMall
TechRestore
MacResQ
ExperCom
Crucial
Memory
batteries.com
Advertise
