INTRODUCTION
Summer is perhaps the only time of the year when pretty much everyone goes on vacations and if you are like me and have more than just one cell phone, MP3/4 player, Bluetooth headset that means taking along with you a large number of AC power chargers and chances are that you will probably forget at least one of those in the process (i know i have in more than just one occasion). Kensington is a well-known brand name mainly because of the countless number of devices out there (including notebooks, LCD screens, NAS devices, HDD enclosures etc.) that feature their security slot but their product line is actually very long and also includes several gadgets that can help make your life a lot easier. One of those gadgets is their Absolute Power Dual USB Wall Charger which we have here with us today.
Founded in 1981 and headquartered in the heart of San Francisco’s Silicon Valley, California, Kensington Computer Products Group, is the technology division of ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE: ABD), a world leader in branded office products with annual revenues of nearly $1.50 billion and products marketed in more than 120 countries around the globe. Kensington pioneered computer security since the invention of the Kensington's Security Slot which is built into 95% of the world’s laptops, LCD/LED Monitors, TV’s, Projectors, and Printers; and earlier on provided protection with our System Saver product line safeguarding the Apple II from power surges and overheating. Whether at the office, in the home, car, or on the move, Kensington computer accessories bring practicality, creativity and inspiration together in a comprehensive line of products that delight users and create lifelong customers. Kensington engineers to secure and protect all the devices that the world’s organizations and their employees rely upon and to protect and enhance their productivity.
Thanks to the 2.1 Amps provided per USB port the Absolute Power Dual USB Wall Charger allows you to charge simultaneously up to two mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth headsets, eReaders, MP3/4 players, digital cameras, camcorders and GPS units. Charging however is not the only thing you can do with a USB wall charger and so you can also use it to power several USB powered gadgets such as LED lamps, portable desktop fans and more. Personally I’d like to see more than just 2 USB ports on this USB wall charger but since i rarely happen to charge two devices at the same time i think i might just like to ask for more. Time however to get up close and personal with the Absolute Power Dual USB Wall Charger by Kensington.
SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES
PACKAGING AND CONTENTS
Kensington ships the Absolute Power Dual USB Wall Charger inside a small box the center of which is made out of clear plastic allowing you to see part of the unit.
The specifications of the unit along with the bundle contents and a list of supported devices is present at the right side.
At the left side we see which of the two included interface cables you need to you with the compatible tablet brands.
Over at the rear of the box we see several pictures of the included bundle along with the unit’s specifications written in 6 languages.
The box contains the Dual USB Wall Charger, two USB interface cables (for use with tablets), 3 different power tips (UK, EU, USA), warranty information paper and a quickstart guide (actually we found 2 of those inside the box).
THE ABSOLUTE POWER DUAL USB WALL CHARGER
The exterior of the Dual USB Wall Charger features a nice black glossy surface while the unit itself is quite small measuring just 55.5mm in length, 50.5mm in width and 31mm in height.
The Kensington logo is placed at the top end of the unit.
I still can't decide if i prefer the front of the unit as is or if it would be better had Kensington used the same glossy surface here as well.
Mounting the required power tip at the rear of the unit is very easy since you just need to slide it in as seen above.
The two 2.1A USB ports are placed at the bottom of the charger.
As mentioned already you will need to use the provided USB interface cables to charge the supported tablets (of course you can test it with others as well).
For every other portable device you can just use their bundled USB cables.
CONCLUSION
The Absolute Power Dual USB Wall Charger may not be what i'd call an impressive piece of technology but it's a convenient little device which can save you from lots of trouble since you can use it to charge and/or power pretty much any portable device with a USB port. What's really impressive however is that not only can you simultaneously charge/power up to two portable devices but you can even use it to charge a large number of tablets via the provided USB interface cables something which is simply impossible with every single USB wall charger I’ve used to date. Finally the three included power tips (UK, USA, EU) pretty much guarantee that you will be able to use the Absolute Power Dual USB Wall Charger regardless of where you may travel next.
If you choose not to purchase the Absolute Power Dual USB Wall Charger directly from the Kensington official website (prices are quite high) you can currently find it for USD24.99 inside the USA and 20.49Euros inside the EU (Amazon) a rather low price tag especially if you take into account that you need at least as much to purchase a single USB wall charger by one of the large smartphone manufacturers. So if you happen to own a large number of portable devices like smartphones, tablets and MP3/4 players and you don't like using their own chargers then the Absolute Power Dual USB Wall Charger by Kensington might just be the solution and that's why we give it our Golden Award.
PROS
- Build Quality
- Size
- Dual USB Port
- Simultaneous Charging Of Two Devices
- 5V, 2.1A
- USB Interface Cables For Tablet Charging
- 3 Power Tips For Universal Socket Compatibility
- Price
CONS
- None