Customer Reviews

Griffin PowerBlock/AC Charger for USB Devices (White)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Another accessory in the line of products for the iPod from Griffin Technology. I am the owner of a few of their previous products and like them for the usefulness, quality and value for the dollar. The PowerBlock is no different. This products purpose is to provide AC power to your iPod. This is useful for me when I am at work and my battery dies. The PowerBlock also comes with a usb to dock connector cable so you can leave the one that comes with the iPod at home connected either to the dock or the computer. Nice bonus because I always seem to leave it at the place I don't need it. I am kind of an iPod junkie by owning a 30G 3G, 512MB shuffle and my newest edition the 60 gb iPod with video. So needless to say I can use a charger at some point. I think it was with the 4G that Apple decided to stop including an AC adapter cause I have the one that came with my 3G. It has a Firewire connector on it. Apple now sells the USB AC Adapter as an accessory to chagrin of many iPod owners myself included. The size of the AC adapter is nice and compact and is similar to Apple's product with the foldable AC plug. This makes it nice for transporting to and from home.

So with those words we move on to the testing of the Powerblock.

Test #1 - iPod Shuffle

You don't need the cable (included) to charge the shuffle. You just plug the Shuffle into the PowerBlock and the PowerBlock into the receptacle and away you go. The fit of the Shuffle is tight and this test worked just as one could expect.

Test #2 - iPod 3G

As I noted above , my 3G came with a Firewire cable and AC charger. The 3G normally resides in my truck via a Kenwood adapter. Occasionally I will use this at work as well. Well the 3G needed charging and I thought I'd give the PowerBock a whirl. Using the included cable I crawled under my desk (not an easy feat) and plugged it it. The Apple icon appeared on the iPod but it would not charge. I thought I might have something wrong but how could I, it was so easy with shuffle. I did not have the packaging instructions with me at work but a quick trip to the company website put me in touch with reality ... the 3G is not compatible. So I was a bit disappointed but it was clearly documented on their website. This was confirmed by an email to tech support. It could have been more timely as it took nine days to receive an answer from Technical support. I do have to give a kudos to Griffin Technology. They have a compatibility chart on their website that references the various iPod models with their products so you can be sure the product you buy will be compatible. And I might add if you are in doubt, please feel free to email them. I think it is in the iPod's firmware but am not completely sure of that so don't quote me on it. There are reviews on the Apple website stating a Firewire cable will not charge a 4G iPod. A dock connector is not a always a dock connector I guess !!

Test #3 -- iPod 5G

My pristine 5G iPod was the final test for the PowerBlock. Still new enough to be cycling the battery it was at work where it finally ran out of juice. I plugged the PowerBlock into the powerbar and using the included cable connected my iPod. No surprises here, the adapter worked as planned. During charging the adapter ran warm to the touch but not hot.

Value:

If you have a need for an AC adapter and your iPod is compatible, I highly recommend the PowerBlock. Compared to the Apple product you get the Adapter and dock connector cable for $29.99, the two separate products from Apple total $48.

Requirements:

* 5th Generation iPod with Video
* iPod nano
* iPod shuffle
* iPod mini
* iPod Photo
* 4th Generation iPod with Click Wheel

Griffin Technology iPod Compatibility Chart for reference

http://griffintechnology.com/ipod/

Ipods are power-hungry electronic devices and sometimes it's just unconvenient to charge your Ipod through your PC when you aren't even going to use your computer while it is charging. Thankfully, Griffin made this USB power adaptor for your Ipod that you can just take with you anywhere there isn't a computer to be found. Just plug it into any wall outlet and you're set.

At about $30, it is a bit expensive once you realize that it's such a simple device, but that will pay off once you see how convenient it is. It is also small enough to fit in your pocket and the plug folds for easy storage.

To charge my Ipod through my computer it took nearly 4 hours, and for me thats a bit too long especially when I'm not even going to use my computer. With this it only took about 2 and a half hours and it seems the Ipod battery lasts alot longer when it is charged using this rather than the USB port on my computer. I don't know much about electricity and battery power but I believe it charges faster probably because it is directly in an outlet rather than the electricity having to travel all the way to the USB port of your computer and then to your Ipod.

The Griffin Power Block also comes with a USB cable. This is such a nice bonus considering the Apple USB power adaptor doesn't include one and their's costs about $10 more. I believe the Apple power adaptor is also larger.

If you want the best USB power adaptor for your Ipod 4th and 5th gen., Nano, or Shuffle then this is the one to go to.

The box states "AC charger for USB devices". I knew this was made specifically for Ipod, but I was hoping that it would charge other USB devices too (USB devices that I know can be charged through USB, that is). No luck, though, it only worked on the ipod. Worse, however, whenever I plugged a different USB device into this charger, the device would say "charging", but not actually BE charging. I had my phone plugged in all night thinking it was charging, but instead it wore down the battery more than just leaving the phone in standby mode.

So, if you're planning on getting this only for ipod, then yes, it works great. It is small, lightweight, and I love the way the plug folds in for easy travel. If you're hoping to be able to charge other usb devices, forget it... try something else.

I had some initial reservations before purchasing this product, since the description did not mention compatibility with the iPod touch 2G. However, Griffin Technology's site indicated that it was indeed compatible and I went with that.

Another concern was whether or not the cable would support syncing as well as charging, since other products I researched did not offer this capability.

I'm happy to report that this product meets my needs perfectly. I'm able to charge my iPod touch 2G via USB or with the adapter, and the detachable USB cable also works to sync my iPod. I'm very pleased with the product.

This is a really handy and very well designed. I have used it when traveling to recharge from a wall socket and also use the cord without the plug to charge my iPod on my office computer. I also like that the plug folds away to make this more compact when packing for travel.

I bought this device for my wife to use on her iPod nano (4g), and despite this particular iPod not being listed in the compatability statement, it works perfectly. I completely agree with the notion that one doesn't always want to run a computer all night simply to charge the iPod - and this device solves that problem with extreme convenience. I can now foresee situations where the iPod will get used beyond one battery charge that it previously would not, such as on any computerless getaway, car trip, camping, work, etc.

I highly recommend this product as a solid performer at a good price.

Although this product accomplishes its end goal of charging your Ipods, there are simpler an cheaper methods for accomplishing this. First let me review the product:

Strengths:
- It's Apple white (like anybody cares any more)
- The charger itself allows the prongs that insert into the outlet to be folded away for convenience, protection, etc.
- You get a spare communications cable that attaches to your Ipod and the computer; so you have a spare
- The connector for the charger unit is a basic USB connector so you can use this to charge other USB devices such as those that you connect with a mini-USB connection (cameras, Nintendo DS-Lite, etc.)

Weaknesses:
- The charger is only the basic USB 2.0 standard amperage. This is a shame because although this may be fine for the Ipod if you wanted to charge other USB devices, this may only represent a trickle amperage and you device will charge slowly.

Essentially, it works and its convenient but not perfect.

Recommendation:

Go to Walmart, go to the Electronics section, find one of the many multi-plug universal chargers with USB charging capability, get the one with the largest amperage capacity, save at least $10, and enjoy the fact that you came out ahead AND can charge / power multiple devices when needed.

I purchased this charger as a Christmas gift for my wife. She loves it and uses it nearly every week. Both she and I have a first generation iPod Nano (4GB), and the Griffin PowerBlock AC Charger has worked flawlessly for charging both of our Nanos. It charges the devices much faster than pluggin into the USB port on a computer. My wife doesn't often have her computer turned on more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time, so charging with a computer is not a good answer for her.

While it is true that Amazon does not really advertise this item properly, it is pretty obvious by the picture(s) and description that it is meant for iPods. If you wish to charge a Sansa or Creative MP3 player then you should look at purchasing a Griffin PowerBlock Universal. However, I haven't found it listed here on Amazon so you will likely have to purchase from another on-line merchant.

My wife and I are extremely happy with our Griffin PowerBlock and would highly recommend it to any iPod owner.

First off, The Griffen iPod Wall Charger arrived in 3 days with the standard (free) shipping! The actual device itself is very sleek, and has a small profile. When connecting a USB cord to it, the prongs inside the charger securely held the USB cord. The only complaint I had about it is that the fold in prongs were loose, however, they are securely held out at a 90 degree angle for a secure plug in.
To sum this up, I believe I got what I wanted for a great deal. I would recommend that anyone who needs a iPod wall charger should get this.
If anyone has questions, please comment and I'll respond as quickly as possible.

I really love this product. I needed a few chargers and didn't want to pay for the apple one. They work great. Never a problem. I have had them over a year now. I bought 1 more for my boyfriend. Works for my 80GB classic and his 4gb mini.