Solving the problem of “insufficient outlets” in the smartphone and tablet era-Refreshing with a USB charging tap: Accompanied by a business tablet (1/2 page)

　When you purchase a smart device, it comes with a USB charging adapter. You can charge it by plugging it into a power outlet and connecting the USB cable to your smartphone.

However, as these rechargeable devices become more popular, the number of charging adapters continues to increase. No matter how light and compact your smartphone or tablet is, your home or office will end up cluttered with power adapters.

　In particular, tablets tend to have a large built-in battery capacity, and the charging adapter tends to be large due to the current supply capacity. Due to the uneven shape, depending on the combination of adapters, adjacent outlets may not be usable. Carrying a heavy, bulky power adapter can be a daunting task, even when traveling for business.

Charge multiple smartphones and tablets from a single power outlet!

　A charging adapter with multiple USB ports appeared to solve these problems. Unlike so-called USB hubs for PCs, it specializes in charging and power supply. The convenient point is that it can be used without problems even with tablets that require a large amount of current for charging.

　If you introduce a charging adapter, you won't need the adapter that comes with each device. All you need is a USB cable for connection, and I'm glad that the area around the outlet is clean. There are various opinions, but if you charge three or more USB devices at the same time, you can say that it is a must-have. This time, we will introduce how to choose this charging adapter and look at the features of the current product.

By the way, there is no fixed name for this USB charging adapter that supports multiple devices. Unlike "(just) USB charger", considering the purpose of supplying power from an outlet, it is "USB power supply" and "USB-AC adapter", but this does not convey the advantage of supporting multiple ports.

After thinking about various things, I decided to call it a "USB charging tap" for convenience in this article. It is an image of a USB version of a table tap. Thank you for your understanding.

What is the point of choosing a USB charging tap?

What points should I pay attention to when purchasing a USB charging tap? Let's look at them individually.

1.Power supply capacity (current) and number of ports for each USB port

　Even though they are USB rechargeable devices, their performance varies. Specifically, the amount of current required by the terminal is different, and can be roughly classified into three types: 500 milliamperes (0.5 amperes), 1 ampere, and 2 amperes or more (of course there are exceptions). The higher the value, the more current is required, and tablets that require more current generally require a larger charging adapter.

　The only way to guess how much current each device actually requires is by looking at the notation on the included adapter. For example, the Nexus 7 (2012 edition) is 2.0 amps. However, it will charge if connected to a lower 500mA output adapter (although it will take longer to charge).

　The most important thing is charging the iPad. According to Apple's support site, an iPad requires at least 1,100 milliamps (1.1 amps) of current to charge. The problem of "cannot charge iPad with PC's USB port" is caused by this. That's because the current in a PC's USB port is basically 500mA. The current iPad Air and iPad mini come with a power adapter with an output current of 2.4 amps (12W at 5.2V).

　The ports installed in the USB charging taps have different currents, and it is common to have 1-2 ports with 2 amperes or more and 3-4 ports with 1 ampere. Be careful if you want to charge two or more iPads at the same time.

2. Current upper limit for the entire charger

　Just like the table tap, the USB charging tap also has an upper limit for the output current. The product introduced this time is limited to 5.1 amperes or 4.2 amperes. The math doesn't allow you to charge two iPads (2.1 amps) and two other smartphones (1 amps) at the same time. Be careful not to overtighten, as this may cause an accident.

3. Body shape

There are so many variations, you just have to choose what you like. However, there is no doubt that the smaller one is more convenient to carry. Also, how to choose will change depending on where you place it, such as whether it is installed on the desk or on the floor.

4. Power cord specifications

A surprisingly important point. In addition to the length of the cord, whether the cord can be removed from the USB charging tap and whether the plug part rotates will affect the usability of the product, so I would like to check it.

5.Others

　The products featured in this article include the presence or absence of a pilot lamp, overseas compatibility (100-240V), and compatibility with some special tablets.