Customer Reviews

Mobility PS0055-11 iGo Juice Combination AC and Auto/Air Power Adapter

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

If you're a frequent business traveler, you will probably benefit greatly from the Juice power adapter.

The Juice provides power for your laptop for both AC and DC power. You can plug it into the wall, a car outlet, or either style of airplane outlet. And, what's more, is that with the optional Peripheral Power System, you can SIMULTANEOUSLY charge your cell phone or PDA.

The Juice is like having 4 (or 6) chargers in one. Imagine, instead of bringing two power bricks (your AC Laptop Adapter, your DC/Airplane power adapter), an AC Cell Phone Charger, and a Car Cell Phone Charger, you can now do it with just ONE brick.

I recently purchased my Juice, and it truly is everything it claims to be.

Another great feature about the Juice is that it comes with a wide variety of "tips" - you just change the tip and you can plug into a different type of laptop. This is handy when you upgrade to a new laptop, the juice will still work with it. Or, if you have two laptops from different manufacturers, just switch easily between two tips.

One small concern I have about the tips, however, is that they slip on/off very easily, and do not lock in place on the cord. When unplugging it from my Laptop, for example, the plug came out of the tip, leaving the tip still attached to my computer. Not a big deal, though, but something to be aware of. If you lose the tip, your whole trip will be ruined!

(If, for some reason the Juice does not come with a tip that is compatible with your laptop, they will send you one free of charge).

As for the carrying pouch, it's nice that they include the pouch to help hold everything together. Additionally, all of the cables come with velcro ties - a nice touch. The pouch is a little overstuffed, especially when you add the extra cell phone charging cord...that's a total of four cables and a brick in one little pouch. And if you add more than one tip, it's pretty tight. It does all fit, but does not seem like the most efficient organization. I opted to store my cables in a RoadWired Deluxe Cable Stable instead.

Specifications:
AC Input: 100-230 V ~2A 50/60 Hz
DC Input: 11.75-16 VDC ~8A MAX
Continuous power output: up to 70 watts
Safety features: over voltage protection, current limit, over temperature protection, short circuit protection
Unit dimensions: 5.40"L x 2.15"W x 0.85"H
Unit weight: 7.5 oz.
Cord lengths:
AC Input: 3.0'
DC Input: 3.0'
DC Output: 6.0'
Peripheral Powering System power output: 7.5 watts DC max
Peripheral Powering System cord length: 3.0'
Warranty: 2 years

Mobility Electronic's Product Info Page:
http://www.igo.com/mapfiles/juice.asp

While the iGo Juice is a great idea and potentially useful for travellers, after 4 uses the end that connects to the PC adapter snapped right off. The design of the tip is far too flimsy especially for travel. (Two of the four uses were at home, two on the road)

Calling technical support didn't help either - no return call after two attempts.

Good idea - poor design, not great customer service. If Mobility improve their design, I'd certainly consider trying again. But until then - back to one plug per gadget!

I have the iGo Juice^70 model PS0055. This is a three-in-one adapter -- AC, vehicle, airplane -- that can power and charge your notebook computer. With an optional accessory, you can also charge another mobile electronics device, such as an MP3 player, a cell phone, or a PDA. In other words, the Juice can charge at most two devices: a notebook, plus one other small gadget. Unlike what some other reviews have said, the Juice cannot power/charge more than two things at a time.

The Juice comes with 10 tips for a variety of notebook computer brands, from Compaq and HP to Fujitsu to Panasonic. Unfortunately and unforgiveably, no tips is included for the popular Sony and Toshiba notebooks. You can call iGo to request a free Sony- or Toshiba-compatible tip; whether they'll actually mail it to you is something I can't verify. (There doesn't seem to be a way to make the request on their website.)

In addition to the heavy brick-style power converter/transformer ("adapter"), you get an AC cord, a vehicle/airplane combination cord, and a notebook input cord. Let me explain. The AC cord and the auto/air cord bring source power to the Juice brick; i.e., you plug one of them into the approriate power outlet and also into the Juice brick. The notebook input cord then goes from the Juice to your notebook, with the correct power tip attached. Be sure to use the correct tip! Not only is it a question of size and fit, but also polarity and probably also voltage control. Unfortunately, iGo's tips are poorly made and there are many reports of poor fits. (Everything in the package is made in China.)

(Tip: even though the Juice comes with an insert of notebook compatibility charts, be sure to go to the iGo website for updated and correct compatibility check! The charts have a number of mistakes. For example, it says my Fujitsu C2210 notebook should use Tip 11, whereas in reality it's Tip 3 that will work, something that's correctly stated on the iGo website.)

On the notebook input cord is a connection point for an optional secondary powering system. You can buy one of these on iGo's website for about $30. With this and an appropriate tip (another $10, not included in the secondary system), you get a secondary adapter, i.e., an adapter for the Juice adapter! This secondary adapter then allows you to charge/power your cell phone or PDA or MP3, one at a time, each with its own corresponding tip. For example, if I were to get a tip for my Sanyo SCP-8100 cell phone, I'd have to buy an A02 tip, in addition to the secondary system (which is called "DualPower Accessory for Mobile Electronic Devices" on iGo's website).

OK, the Juice works as advertised. It can get hot during operation. My gripe regarding its design is it's rather bulky, like a brick, and a bit heavy at 7 oz. without the cords. The traveling weight -- the brick plus the three cords -- weigh at least a whole pound. iGo does give you a cheaply made pouch to store them. Now, if you get the secondary power system in order to charge/power another gadget, the secondary adapter will weigh at least 4 or 5 oz., excluding its own power cord!

Again: out of box the Juice cannot power any cell phones, PDAs or MP3 players. You must purchase an additional secondary adapter and the right power tips. I simply cannot how some reviewers lied about or omitted this important hard fact about the Juice.

My biggest gripe is how expensive this whole thing is. I paid over $100 for the Juice and the special tip for my Sharp Actius MM20 ultralight notebook. Then I found out in order to power my Sanyo cell phone or my HP iPaq Pocket PC PDA, I'd have to buy a secondary adapter plus one tip for each! The additional costs, and weights, can add up quickly. Not to mention the headaches of managing all the power tips.

Let me say this: I regret my purchase of the iGo Juice. The small AC adapter that came with my Sharp Actius MM20 weighs a mere 2 oz. The AC adapter for my Sanyo phone is a mere 1 oz. Together they take up far less space and weigh far less than the Juice brick alone, not to mention I don't even have a secondary iGo adapter yet. Nor do I plan to buy one. (So right now I can only charge one notebook at a time. I still need to carry the Sanyo and iPaq adapters.)

My advice: don't waste your money, seriously. If you need a vehicle adapter, get a cheap one from Radio Shack or direct from your otebook manufacturer. The airplane plug in the Juice package is useless as most modern airplanes accommodate regular power plugs. The Juice package, for its high price, doesn't even include world outlet adapters, so you can only use the AC cord in the U.S.

A very poor value IMHO.

I picked up a Juice at Radio Shack in Nehsaminy Mall, PA. The salesguy assured me it'd fit my Inspiron 5150..since the 5000 is listed. It seems well designed, elegant and I like the idea of getting juice no matter where I am.. the whole bag with cords isn't much bigger than the brick from Dell.

Wish I'd tried it before leaving the store..it doesn't fit.

The preceeding review says "If, for some reason the Juice does not come with a tip that is compatible with your laptop, they will send you one free of charge" -- this is WRONG.. they can't support every wacky laptop.

If if they don't have tip you're -out of luck-. Tech support got back to me quickly to confirm this. So..do your homework, and don't believe everything salespeople tell you!

I travel a lot, especially to Europe, and hate taking lots of cables with me for the Vonage, router, laptop, cellphone and crackberry. The iJuice unit looked like a good idea.

HOWEVER, the unit just failed during my trip, leaving me stranded and badly caught out with no back-up. BAD IDEA

A friend switched me on to charging everything via USB. I just bought a cheap $5.00 USB charger for the Nokia, the crackberry charges via USB anyway, so I just needed to buy an ordinary laptop 110/240v adaptor and I was all set. Laptop and nokia phone all charging away at the same time.

Single point of failure is the laptop. However, Apple does a great universal adaptor (you can get UK./US etc plugs) with USB for charging Ipods for $20, all in one neat unit. You can just stick the USB for the Nokia in the back.

Seriously, don't waste your money, unless you use more than one laptop or really need a particular tip you can't charge via USB. Using USB is far lighter, far more reliable, you don't loose the tips.

So I like gadgets, and I believe they make my life easier... whenever I travel, I almost always take all of the following with me:

* PalmOne Treo 600 world phone - this is an unlocked GSM world phone... swap out SIM cards and you get a localized mobile phone anywhere in the world...
* Sony Playstation Portable - perfect for long flights and settling down before going to sleep in the hotel... beatiful video games in the palms of your hand (also plays music and video if you want). Thanks to Ken for the reco - I love this thing!
* Dell Jukebox - 4000 songs in one little package
* HP/Compaq laptop - normally my corporate issue NC4000, but sometimes our personal zt3000 as well.
* Digital camera - currently a Minolta DiMAGE xT - tiny and takes nice pictures


The problem with carrying all of these gadgets around is that everyone has a rechargable battery built in - and all requires their own power supply. The solution I use is the iGo power system. Let me tell you a bit about it...

iGo is distributed by a fairly small company called Mobility Electronics (sometimes products sold under "xtend micro products"). They have focused on the niche market of portable power supplies - and they do this with excellence. There products allow you to power your devices via AC (both 110v & 220v), via airplane in seat power, and in your car / cigarrette power adaptor.

The iGo product offering consists of a power brick with wall-to-brick to cord, and a wall-to-device cord. To make the device work, you connect a "power tip" at the end of the wall-to-device cord. Each notebook computer has a speciallized tip, and sometimes a notebook manufactur will have 2 or 3 different tips... so be sure you have the right one.

If you buy the iGo 7500 (I bought the iGo Juice - but these are pretty much the same products), you get the brick, wall-to-brick cords (both AC and airplane in-seat and car cigarrete lighters), brick-to-device cord, tips for common laptop models.

Here was my overall shopping list:

* PS0055-11 - the base Juice system - includes main power brick, US-standard wall-to-brick cord, auto/air connector, brick to device cord, standard notebook tips (make sure your notebook uses one of those, or buy the necessary one).
* AC0103-10 - bag of handheld tips - includes one for the Sony Playstation Portable (uses tip B07), the Dell Axim (which I no longer use very often, but uses tip B07), the PalmOne Treoo 600 (uses tip A26), and the Dell Jukebox (generation 1) (uses tip B07)
* PS0229-10 - DualPower Accessory for Portable Electronics - this lets you charge two devices (laptop + MP3 player simultaneously). Comes with a car cigareete adaptor - so you use just this device + a tip to charge an MP3 player, cell phone, etc. in your car (without the power brick)
* 6620012 - European power cord for the Juice system - use this instead of the US-standard 110V cord.

I have also purchased a Targus Universal Power Travel Adapter (Model # PA033U) to help me convert plug sizes for the United Kingdom (220v but different pin-out, Switzerland (European standard round pins but smaller in size)... so I am set for anywhere in the world.

All the iGo parts + the Targus adaptor fit into one fairly durable bag that iGo provides to you... I leave this bag packed all the time, and when I depart for a trip, I grab my "iGo" bag... and I know I have all the parts that I need to meet my power needs for all my devices anywhere in the world.

My advice - don't buy individual tips... get the packs of tips / cables / etc. whenever they are available. Much better value. Be careful not to lose the tips... they can come off the ends of the cables...

Before I buy any new portable electronic device, I check to see if it is compatible with my iGo... if it isn't, I don't buy it (my digital camera is not compatible - it was purchased before the iGo - so the camera will probably get replaced soon). I highly recommend this product.

After going throught the igo site I thought that I could buy the igo juice to power my notebook, a cell phone and a personal organizer. I was wrong.

Firstly, although I used their configurator tool, it mistakenly told me that I could buy the juice and use it. E mailing technical support, I found out I need a lot more wattage than this product supplies. Nor would it power my other electronic products that should have been compatible.

My laptop needs about 120W, the best they have tops out at 90W.

Also some of the parts do not connect together.

Be warned that their web site is a horror to navigate around, technical support on the site is extremely limited and the FAQ are a rehash of other pages. If you want a list of the products available you cannot get there without navigating through the configurator again.

At eighteen months old, my iGo Juice adapter has developed the 'blinking diode' symptom that other iGo Juice owners report on the Internet. It will not power my laptop now, unless warmed up for about two hours, and unless I keep pressing the laptop's power switch. Eventually, it 'catches' and the laptop will come on.

For an adapter that is so costly and is advertised as an all-in-one solution to one's travel power needs, eighteen months does not feel like an acceptable lifespan. It is certainly not acceptable to have a two-hour warmup before the device will work. I'm disappointed, and I'm going back to a dedicated, 'factory' adapter for my laptop.

The iGo websitre is wrong, and these people do not have a compatible tip for the dell latitude series notebooks. Customer service was horrible. I pitty people that have to deal with this company. At least I got out early.

The Good: It has worked for me in AC wall outlets, with appropriate plug adaptors, in the Ireland and Italy (as well as in the USA and Mexico without plug adaptors) with my Sony R505 and my Apple PowerBook G4.

The Bad: It will not even light up when plugged into the cigarette lighter in my Toyota LandCruiser, nor would it light up when plugged into the laptop ports on Continental 767s and 777s or United 777s or Alitalia 767s or 777s with the same two laptops (Sony R505 and Apple PowerBook G4). Note that Continental and United 757s (and several airlines' 737s, 319s and 320s) that I have flown on do not have the power ports at all, so the Juice was useless on these planes anyway.

On one Continental 777 I asked the flight attendant how to get the Juice to work in the laptop port. She tried it on my laptop, and those of two other passengers on the plane who were using Juice with their laptops - and mine would not work with any of theirs. She tried switch parts out, and my Juice finally worked with THEIR cable. So when I got home I ordered a replacement to the cable section that she had switched it with - and it still has not worked on yet another Continental 767, or in my Toyota's cigarette lighter adapter.

Another passenger on the Alitalia 767 said that he had the same problem with the iGo Juice and instead uses the APC auto/air adapter, and has used it with no problem on various Alitalia and British Airways planes.

I even tried getting another iGo adapter - the iGo Everywhere - and it would light up in the cigarette lighter of another car, but would go out as soon as I attached either of the laptops. So I returned that iGo immediately and am looking now for a battery pad, or maybe to try the APC auto/air adapter.