Twelve South

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

And then this:

As we’ve mentioned, we love love love Gift Guides. Some bring our attention to cool new products we might otherwise never discover…and others feature things we design right here at Twelve South.

But when two of our products are listed in the same guide, well…that’s like thinking you’ve already done well as far as Santa is concerned, then finding a little something else at the bottom of that stocking!

The Daily Blam! featured both our BookBook for iPhone AND our Compass. Here’s how.

Get a set for yourself here…shipping is on the house.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — from the lights up down the street, to the radio stations that are playing Christmas music 24/7 (and started a wee bit too early with that, if you ask me). But the best part may well be reading all the Gift Guides…and finding that some of our favorites feature products from Twelve South!

As you might have guessed from the exploding box above, Engadget featured our BookBook for iPhone in their guide, and here’s what they had to say:

“For the Ron Burgundy types who prefer to fill their living rooms with rich mahogany and many leather bound books, there’s Twelve South’s BookBook iPhone 4 cases. Protecting your smartphone and doubling as a wallet, the vintage fixture gives theillusion that you’re reading a book, even if you’re really playing Angry Birds.”

Get your own rich leather bound BookBook for iPhone today. Ships free for a limited time.

Our addiction to Gizmodo runs deep, especially now that we can play Santa Claw (note to new visitors of Santa Claw: Do not skip the MacGruder-esque video!). Since there are still oh, a mere 800 people in line before us waiting for Santa Claw — and we should be working anyway — we’re happy to bring you this post.

But first, a quiz: What do all the following products have in common (other than great photography)?

If you guessed, “they’re each smashingly brilliant gifts for the anglophile gadgeteer,” you’re right! They are indeed! Yes, there’s our BookBook for iPhone as the #5 item for the man who “likes things the good old fashioned way” and “wishes everything were just a little more…civilized.”

“There is no decent smart phone that comes with a classy wooden case as standard, but iPhones look too damn sleek and modern for your loved one. Why not cover it up and make it look like an intellectual periodical instead? The BookBook cossets an iPhone in leather, in the least sexy way imaginable. There, that’s better.”

Love it. But we must add that we know several (thousand) freakishly sexy non-Anglophiles who also carry one. You are in good company, Anglophiles! Get your own BookBook for iPhone here, and excite Anglophiles everywhere you go.

And if you really want to give Santa Claws a try, you can check it out here:

Headlines & Heroes, which prides itself on being your “curator of cool for culture, gadgets, living, style, rides and entertainment,” makes us laugh. Their assessment on the Compass is spot-on, if we do say so ourselves. Get your stocking-stuffer-ready Compass here — and satisfy your own Rolling Stone desires. Have a peek:

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.

World traveler Bruce Kirkby probably travels a little lighter than most of us. Having just returned from two weeks in Asia, he’s truly road-tested the things he needs most…and determined what really makes the cut when he’s on the road.

His piece in Canada’s The Globe and Mail, “Take Just the Basics When You Travel (Especially When They’re This Cool)” reveals how this seasoned traveler thinks about packing:

“While I’m a “basics” traveller, there are fundamental differences between what I pack for a business trip, a budget backpacking venture, a resort holiday and a major wilderness expedition. Anything that eases the rigours of business travel is good. The more “home-like” each day is, the better.

But too many treats from home can weigh a traveller down, creating a cocoon that limits the opportunity for spontaneous and unexpected interaction. I see people who bring everything to their tent or their room in a resort – their favourite pillow, music, movies, books – and then never venture beyond the front zipper or door. Why did they bother to go to Kathmandu? Suck it up and get outside!”

We couldn’t agree more. So we’ve taken good notes on the things he considers necessities (though we’re going to have to look into this “Blundstones” thing). Among them are:

1) ROLLER BAG

2) MACBOOK AIR (Bruce carries an 11″)

3) BOOKBOOK

4) BLUNDSTONES

5) EAR PLUGS

Here’s why he chose BookBook for his MacBook Air:

“If you are going to carry the Mac Air abroad, consider protecting it in the uber-stylish BookBook, a hardback case disguised as a leather-bound vintage book. I appreciate the fact my laptop remains incognito, and I know the BookBook must be cool because every single security agent comments on it.”

Check out Bruce’s photo below — can you spot the BookBook? Get your own MacBook Air-hugging BookBook right away, available in 11″ and 13″ with free shipping in the US.

TUAW, sister site of Engadget, just released their Holiday Gift Guide, and they’re recommending a little something red under the tree. In their words:

“Perhaps the hottest Mac-cessory this year, the PlugBug turned all kinds of heads when TwelveSouth finally released it earlier this month. Yes, it’s just a charger, but no, it’s not just a charger — it’s a super useful and well-designed accessory that already works with those cords you got in the Apple box. You can charge both a MacBook (or Air or Pro) and a USB device like an iPhone or iPad from just one outlet, and all you need to pack in your bag is the usual cords and this little red adapter. It’s a great, smart device that adds just a little bit of color to an already very Apple way of thinking.”

Get your own “Mac-cessory of the year” now for all those Apple-loving stockings that need stuffing. Act fast — ships free in the US for a limited time. (And be sure to remind the Santa in your life that PlugBug also matches his outfit.)

It’s a given that Apple users like to get out there. You like to “create” in small coffee shops, wide open spaces, fast-moving trains, crowded airports. And for all that creating on the go, you need gear. Not just any gear — great gear.

For that reason, MacWorld brings you its latest Gear Guide for the Mobile Mac User. And this time they’ve featured not one but TWO Twelve South products.

Here’s what they said about PlugBug:

“To avoid schlepping multiple device chargers with you when you travel, check out the PlugBug by Twelve South. The $35 PlugBug snaps onto your MacBook’s power brick and provides its own USB port so you can simultaneously charge your laptop and a USB device (like an iPad, which won’t charge from lower-powered USB ports). In addition to providing a loaded power supply (10W, 2.1A), the PlugBug inadvertently serves as a plug adapter for MacBook users traveling to North America.”

We’re actually hearing that a lot — and selling a lot of them to people traveling to the US. One less adapter to remember to pack!

And then for the music lover who likes to get around…our newest way to rock the house, or hotel room, or even sleigh, the BassJump 2:

“Although we love our MacBooks, sometimes the sound quality of their built-in speakers just won’t cut it. For an extra sound boost, check out the BassJump 2 Subwoofer by Twelve South. This compact device connects to your MacBook with a USB cord and adds extra bass and midrange frequencies to your laptop’s built-in speakers. It’s compatible with third-party USB speakers as well as Apple’s Thunderbolt Display speakers, but make sure you have Mac OS 10.5 or later.”

So whether you’re kicking back to “Jingle Bells” or even something a little, well, louder and somehow dare-we-say-less-annoying?…BassJump 2 is the way to go. Get one for the music lover in your life (ahem, and also for yourself, since shipping is free).