i.Sound Twin Charger

These days, the multiple-iPhone/iPod household may be more often the rule than the exception. It’s not uncommon for an individual to have both an iPhone and an iPod, or two different sized iPods, to say nothing of a couple who each have their own iPhone, and that’s before you consider how many iPods the kids might have. And with the relatively short battery life on these devices, keeping them all charged can quickly become a hassle, especially considering that Apple no longer bundles wall chargers and expects users to charge each device via USB – not necessarily practical if multiple iPhone and iPod users share the same computer.


i.Sound’s Twin Charger is not a new concept. In fact Griffin Technology’s PowerDock was one of our Best of Show winners at the 2008 Macworld Expo more than a year ago. But we’re pleased to see more companies offering such products, as the idea of tying up multiple USB ports (or even if you purchase separate charging bricks from Apple, multiple wall sockets) is only going to grow less palatable as more and more members of each household are becoming iPhone and iPod users. The three primary differentiators between the Twin Charger and the PowerDock are pretty straightforward: capacity, styling, and price.


While the PowerDock comes in a choice of two docks ($49) or four ($69), the Twin Charger only comes in the dual-dock configuration at $39, which makes it the better-priced option by ten bucks. Beyond that, it comes down to styling. The Twin Charger features black acrylic with white trim, which lights up in neon blue when one or more devices is docked (which looks cool and provides immediate confirmation that your device is being charged). If neon lighting on your nightstand isn’t your idea of fun, there’s a switch on the back that kills the lights. While we wish i.Sound would bring out a Quad charger, the Twin Charger is easily recommendable to those users who like its styling and particularly those who like the blue lighting effects.