Motormonkey in-car battery charger February 2009
Mobile phone and iPod charger
The Motormonkey in-car universal charger may be just the solution to your charging needs when on the move. The Motormonkey comes with adaptors for most mobile phones from LG, Samsung, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and BlackBerry. It can also be used to charge portable Sony PlayStations (PSPs) and Apple iPhones and iPods.
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The Motormonkey is the latest in a range of travel charging devices from Powertraveller. It’s a charging device that can be plugged into a cigarette lighter and used to charge a range of portable devices such as iPods, mobile phones and portable PlayStations (PSPs).
Powertraveller reckons that it is ‘the most stylish in-car charger in the world’. While this silver bullet-shaped charger’s appearance didn't cause a ripple of excitement, it did live up to most of the other claims that Powertraveller makes, being small, compact and unobtrusive and compatible with most mobile phones.
Powertraveller Motormonkey in-car charger
The Motormonkey is easy to use: you simply plug it into your car’s cigarette lighter and choose the appropriate adaptor for charging your handset. The charger is supplied with seven adaptors (more can be purchased separately), but even the most ardent gadget-lover is only going to realistically ever need two or three of these.
The box they come in keeps things tidy, but the adaptors can be a little fiddly to remove as they are packed in tightly. The adaptors are quite small, so if they are dropped on the floor of the car it can be quite a job to find them again, particularly at night.
An extendable cable means that you can leave your charging device on the dashboard or passenger seat when charging, however the coiling and uncoiling of the spring-loaded extension cable can be awkward at times.
While it isn't an essential tool, there are times – such as camping trips or driving holidays – when the Motormonkey would be quite useful. It does away with the need to carry several chargers on each journey, and when driving in countries where plug sockets differ to those in the UK, mains plug adaptors won't be necessary.
Mobile phone chargers
The device has been designed so that it neither over-charges your handset nor drains the car’s battery when left plugged in.
Supplied attachments support most Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, LG, Motorola and BlackBerry mobile phones, as well as Sony’s PSP. The USB connector supplied with iPods and iPhones can be plugged straight into the charger, and a micro USB connection is also possible.
The kit costs £20, and can be bought from the Powertraveller website. Charging times vary.
Pros: Could be ideal for driving trips abroad as you won't need many chargers or a plug adaptor
Cons: Fiddly parts can easily get lost on the car floor
