It’s difficult to keep up with Griffin Technology's constant stream of new products. I just received two chargers for review. One is the PowerJolt Universal Car Charger with ChargeSensor ($24.99), which plugs into a power outlet in your car and will accommodate a USB cable for charging smartphones and tablets—a must have for road trips.
The nice thing about this charger is that it automatically senses the power requirements for the device you are charging, which can vary. It delivers 10 watts of power to iPads for instance and will deliver less to some smaller devices. It requires iOS 3 or higher. It does not come with a USB cable however, which is no biggie, though a little surprising.
Remember when power outlets were for cigarette lighters? I don’t know why we've repurposed these gaping holes for charging digital gadgets. Why not just have a panel of USB ports instead? Come on car manufacturers, it’s not cool to smoke in your car anymore. Come to think of it, my car doesn’t even have an ashtray, thank goodness.
The other charger is the PowerBlock Universal with ChargeSensor ($29.99), an AC wall charger for smartphones and tablets with a USB cable port. It handles 110 and 220 v AC. It too will sense your power needs and put out 5 to 10 watts when needed. The prongs fold out for smoother portability. Again, you must provide your own cable.