Twelve South

Doing a home energy audit? Sometimes “efficiency” can be gained by just reducing the number of outlets you’re using.

In USA Today‘s piece “Save Money With An Energy Audit,” writer Alice Truong mentions PlugBug in this week’s Surf Report. Here’s what she wrote:

“When the PlugBug from Twelve South first came on the market in November, everybody and his mom wanted one. How could you not want a product backed by Guy Kawasaki, an Apple Fellow who, back in the 1980s, marketed the Macintosh? On its surface, the PlugBug looks like a USB wall charger, but it also connects to the power brick of MacBooks, allowing simultaneous charging from one accessory.

If you’re a frequent business traveler, this means a decluttered hotel workspace. The 10-watt PlugBug is designed to provide the fastest possible charge for the iPad. (Fun fact: Did you know USB ports on most MacBooks don’t charge at full speed?) When you’re going from plane to meeting, you don’t want to wait on your devices to juice up. That’s where the PlugBug comes into play.”

Reduce your outlet usage today by adding PlugBug to your own energy lineup.

Just out today from the writers of PadVance is a great review from a true road warrior! During a mere 10 days of travel, PlugBug got a workout in five airports, at a major trade show (CES?), and spent several days at the hospital (the PlugBug was feeling fine but the reviewer needed to go).

Here’s the 411 from 10 days of rigorous use (though you probably know how this ends from the headline):

“If you use your MacBook exclusively at home or at work then the PlugBug might not seem that useful to you. If you spend any time on the road with your MacBook or bring it to coffeehouses then you have an idea of how useful it can be. Over the last 10 days I’ve been to the airport five times, attended a major trade show, and hung around a hospital for several days. In many instances, I only had access to one power outlet, either because other writers were competing for them or there was only one available. The PlugBug allowed me to keep my MacBook and phone/iPad charged.”

And:

“…the PlugBug is a small device. It’s also very light, which is important for road warriors. When it’s not in use, you can keep it capped and slip it into your bag. When you need to charge your MacBook and an additional device, it takes seconds to uncap the PlugBug and slip it on top of the MacBook power adapter.

I can’t image traveling without the PlugBug. There’s not much else to say about it other than that it’s the perfect accessory for mobile MacBook owners. It’s small and immensely useful. What’s not to like?!? I suppose people that detest the color red or dislike accessories that sound too close to “butt plug” might have an issue with this product, but everyone else (i.e. normal people)? No way. If you bring your MacBook on the road and also bring your iPad, iPhone, or any device that’s charged via USB then I strongly recommend the PlugBug.”

So don’t be one of those under-equipped road warriors who struggles to sweep his or her hotel room for leftover chargers before each departure. No, spend that time tipping housekeeping. You’ll be the person who grabs his or her red PlugBug and hits the road with time to spare. Get your PlugBug now…ships free. (Hospital stays sold separately.)

GearCulture covers the things guys want most, from “cool rides” to “great fashion” and everything in between. So when we spotted our PlugBug mentioned among high-design water bottles, the Rockwell Trans4mer, and a first-class messenger bag, we had to be sure that you knew about it.

Here’s the skinny:

Make yourself that much cooler with a PlugBug today, and lust no longer.

In today’s Ask Andru column, GeekWire ran a run-down of Andru’s choices for great, last-minute gifts. Among them? Santa’s favorite PlugBug!

“PlugBug Charger:  This power accessory attaches to MacBook power adapters, adding a built-in USB port and 10-watt charger for another device, such as an iPad, from the same outlet. It’s priced at $34.99. So even if you can only grab one plug at the airport, you can charge two devices at once.”

Fill your stockings with PlugBugs, available now!

Looking for a last-minute stocking stuffer? March on down to your local Apple Store and pick up a PlugBug. It’s red (and white, when paired with your recipient’s Mac power adapter), goes perfectly with Santa’s outfit, fits into a stocking, and won’t be left behind in an airport. And…it doesn’t hurt that your recipient will love it. MacWorld does.

In their words:

“The PlugBug is ideal for MacBook-toting travelers who frequently find themselves in hotel rooms with limited power outlets. This clever accessory melds with your MacBook’s power adapter—taking the place of the adapter’s own cable or wall plug—to let you charge your MacBook and an iOS device from a single outlet. The PlugBug’s USB port provides enough power to fast-charge an iPad; you just supply the USB-to-dock-connector cable. (Why not just plug your iPad or iPhone into your MacBook’s USB port? It won’t charge as fast as the PlugBug, and some MacBook models don’t supply USB power when you put them to sleep. The PlugBug also lets you charge your iPad or iPhone without unpacking your MacBook.) You can also use the PlugBug as a standalone USB charger.”

So make it a PlugBug Christmas, and delight the Apple-toting traveler in your life.

CoolMomTech, created by the founders of influential (and not to mention highly addictive) shopping and design site Cool Mom Picks, picked up a PlugBug recently and took it on a long-haul trip overseas.

“Okay, raise your hand if you’ve ever had to choose between charging your iPad and charging your MacBook? Or uh…fighting with the sigOth in the hotel room about who gets to charge their device in the one outlet available?

The PlugBug dual charger from Twelve South solves both those problems, and it is absolutely genius in its simplicity.”

In short:

“$34.99, mamas. Killer stocking stuffer for that Mac user in your life.”

It’s also worth noting that Cool Mom Tech just published their Gift Guide. We love their categories — something for everyone, from “For Dress-Up Bins that Don’t Need Another Licensed Character,” to “For The Kid Who’s Ready to Graduate from Glitter Glue” to Tattly Tattoos “For Your Mini Mister Roboto.” Our favorite App-tastic gifty? Beyond our own products (of course), we’d have to say it’s this ThinkGeek “there’s a nap for that” onesie.

Get your own killer stocking stuffer here, mamas (and dads) — PlugBug goes great with Santa.

Happy happy joy joy! The Lifehacker Gift Guide is officially out, and among all the products they’ve reviewed for all companies in our space this year…both our BookBook for iPhone AND our newest addition, the “Kawasaki Red” PlugBug, made the cut! Writer Jason Chen shares the reasons why:

And about PlugBug:

Quick question for our fans in Japan: Did GQ Japan like PlugBug? (We suspect so.) In their words:

And then this:

The guy behind Restless Tech just so happens to be named Jeff Mac. Oh, OK, not really…but he’s got a name that starts with a Scottish Mac and ends with something else and was previously just long enough to be confusing…so he blogs as Jeff Mac. Which means he’s our kind of reviewer — Mac-centric like we are.

Here’s why he thought he needed PlugBug in the first place (doesn’t everyone?):

“I am the kind of person that has multiple chargers for almost all the electronics I own. Sometimes it was intentional but often it has come about because I got to my destination and my power supply didn’t.

There are numerous reasons for this, not the least of which comes from having three daughters that know where I stow my gear. These same sweet, precious girls are better at borrowing than returning.

My general solution for this is to have a charger for all my important electronics stored in my briefcase. I don’t use these chargers on a daily basis , but they are my power sources on the road.

The downside of this is too much crap in my case, too much weight on my shoulder and a constant interest in paring things down.”

Exactly why we came up with PlugBug. We had the same problem ourselves, minus the three daughters.

“For me the PlugBug was an immediate “aha!” moment as I pictured pulling another power supply out of my bag of tricks for good.

As with most great ideas, the PlugBug is that kind of slap your forehead obvious that is so elegant it is amazing no one thought of it before. The PlugBug slots into the same place that the AC prongs or AC extension cord fit into on your Mac power supply. It then adds a USB port that supplies 10 watts of USB power to drive your devices.

My first test of the PlugBug was using it compared to the Apple charger. Two original iPads were charged from completely dead to 100% using each charger. The time for both was practically identical at 4 hours each, so the PlugBug is perfectly in line with the Apple charger.

Comparing the PlugBug to the USB port on a 2011 MacBook Pro yielded a bit different results. The same completely dead iPad took right at 5 hours. Of course the previous 15″ MacBook Pro I owned would not charge my iPad at all, so the PlugBug is better than a current MacBook and LOTS better than previous generations.”

Executive Summary?

“To me, the PlugBug is a winner. I love the build quality of it and the operational functionality is exactly as advertised. Two thumbs up.”

Get your own road-warrior-approved PlugBug now. But you’ll want to act fast — these babies are H-O-T for Christmas!

This just in from those global navigators over at Discovery Channel:

“Frequent flyers, rejoice. An accessory you didn’t even know about will soon become a staple in your travel bag.”

“Twelve South’s PlugBug is a wall charger that attaches to the MacBook power adapter. But its genius lies in a very simple concept: include a USB port to charge your iPhone, iPad or other peripherals. You can simultaneously power up multiple devices, or use the PlugBug as a standalone charger.

At 10 watts, the PlugBug provides the fastest possible charge for the iPad, which requires twice the power of a typical USB charger, the company says. This is especially handy given the fact USB ports on most MacBooks don’t charge at full speed. At home, you can leave your iPad charging all night, but between flights or meetings, you probably don’t have that luxury.”

The writer, Silicon Valley-based Alice Truong, goes on to say that essentially, the MacBook is her most expensive charging device. She’s right — many of us have used computers as battery packs for charging other devices. With PlugBug, you don’t have to.

Read more at Discovery Channel. And get your own far-less-expensive-and-so-much-faster PlugBug today.