I finally received my “U-Socket,” an electrical socket that includes two USB power plugs. (I’d ordered it back in December, so it was a long wait.)
Overall, I’m very pleased with it. We’re using it to charge an iPhone and a Kindle, and it works great — both devices charge fine, and the design leaves both AC outlets available for other uses. I haven’t used the U-Socket to charge an iPad yet but I’ve been told that it has enough power for that use as well.
Installation was straightforward after one snag. I initially tried to install the outlet in a part of our apartment that has original plaster walls. Unfortunately, the electrical box behind the faceplate there was too small to accommodate the new outlet. (The U-Socket is substantially larger than a traditional AC outlet.) I resorted to installing it instead in our bedroom, which has one wall of new construction that includes a new electrical box in a Sheetrock wall. Once I switched to that location, the installation was a breeze. (And, yes, I turned off the power at the circuit-breaker before starting!)
All in all, it’s a simple and very elegant solution, one that looks much better than the power strip and power bricks that it replaced. It’s well worth the $23. If it weren’t too large to fit in old NYC apartment walls, I’d buy a few more.
(via FastMac)
