Review: Griffin PowerDuo Universal

If you are a regular reader of this site, chances are you are both a Windows Mobile power user and a gadget fiend. If you fall under either of those categories, the conundrum of keeping your devices charged while still having the convenience of a portable device can be a hassle. More often than not, our device comes with a single charging solution for use at work or home.

Enter Griffin’s PowerDuo Universal charging solution. Griffin gives you the best of both worlds, offering a single solution that gives you a generic power source (through a USB port) in both a 12v car charger (AKA PowerJolt) and 15 amp charger for home or office use (dubbed PowerBlock). Both the PowerJolt and PowerBlock come in this single package for $31.95.

(This will even work with non-Windows Mobile devices, like Phil and Mal’s favorite, the ZuneHD; hence the use of the word “Universal”.)

For more pictures, and the full review, hit the break.

Features

As the name suggests, the PowerDuo comes in two parts. First you have the 15 amp charger that provides you two powered USB ports. Secondly Griffin provides a car charger that features a single USB port. This is a simple, convenient solution in a world where many phones feature a standard miniUSB or microUSB port. The car charger features a removable fuse to protect your device from power spikes, while the home charger offers a foldable plug to enhance portability. All USB ports offer 5.2v out, which is within the standards for USB 2.0. Both the PowerBlock and PowerJolt feature LED indicators that change color to indicate charging status.

Quality

Griffin has been making iPod accessories for a while, so I was expecting decent build quality out of this product. I wasn’t disappointed. Both elements are made with quite a bit of plastic, but they have a good enough feel to them that I wasn’t concerned about breaking anything. Bottom line; I wouldn’t want to step on them, but they should be plenty strong enough for daily use.

Conclusion

Griffin designed the PowerDuo Universal to be mostly no-frills, but that’s part of the draw. A simple, effective, portable charging solution is one of the keys to effective use of any mobile device. This product fulfills every need. Griffin provides you a home and car charger, featuring USB ports in order to support a wide variety of devices, all for $31.95 from the WMExperts store. Head on over to the store to get one (or two) of your own.