Product review – iGo everywhere85 notebook power adapter

Regular readers will know that an iGo charger has been part of my travel kit for several years. So when I got the chance to test their most recent power adapter I couldn’t resist. And boy was I impressed.

For those that are not familiar with the iGo everywhere chargers I’ll let iGo explain what they do:

The iGo everywhere85 and the included iGo dualpower accessory provide an all-in-one power solution for your mobile gear from any power source – auto, air or standard wall outlets.

Puts simply; the iGo charger replaces your current power adapters and can charge your laptop and other devices using AC, auto or air power outlets.

The connection between the iGo unit and your device is of course different for every device, so iGo produce "tips". These "tips" are interchangeable power plugs that make the correct connection and instruct the charger to provide the correct voltage. There are 2 kinds of tips; Power Tips and Notebook Tips.

Each iGo charger comes with a selection of Notebook tips for most major notebook brands. Power Tips are sold separately and cost between $9.99 and $12.99. These power tips are available for almost every mobile device you can think of. Tips are made for phones, PDA’s, GPS units, MP3/video players, Bluetooth headsets and even portable gaming devices.

The everywhere85 power kit.  From left to right; assorted notebook power tips, retractable notebook power cable, everywhere85 power adapter, dualpower plug, dc/air power cord, ac power cord.

To power your notebook, you plug the AC or car/air cord into the iGo unit, then plug the retractable notebook power cord into it. If you want to power your notebook and another mobile device (like a phone or PDA) at the same time, you simply plug the dualpower cable into the back of the notebook plug as seen in the photo above. It may look complicated, but it’s all quite simple, and connectors are made in a way that you really can’t do anything wrong.

The DC (car cigarette lighter adapter) plug can be removed to reveal an Empower connector. Having access to AC, DC and Empower means you’ll be able to power the device on any in-flight power system you may come across.

The entire kit fits nicely in the supplied carrying bag. Plenty of space for the charger, all cables and a large collection of tips.

If you just need some power for a mobile device (phone, PDA etc.) then you can plug the dualpower cord directly into the car/air plug. This is great if you just want a quick power cable to charge you phone in a car or an airplane power outlet.

The AC plug is removable from the power cord, and is angled so it fits directly into the power brick. Another smart innovation.  

I took the iGo everywhere85 for a trip (and left my regular iGo and other chargers at home). It didn’t let me down! The iGo had my Dell laptop at 100% just as fast as the stock charger, and I was able to power my mobile phone at the same time.

Weight

On the left; the everywhere85 charger with AC cord, DC/air cord, bag with 10 tips and dualpower adapter. On the right; my old Juice70 with the same parts.

Conclusions…

Compared to the older versions of their chargers (I use an iGo juice70) the everywhere85 is a massive improvement. The retractable laptop power cord makes carrying the kit  much easier, since there is one less cord you have to untangle. The angled plug for the brick is another great idea.

My only "complaint" is that dualpower cord has a fairly large "block" at the end, that houses the electronics, so using your phone or PDA while it charges can be a little inconvenient. Also, the notebook tips have a new design, so any investment in tips from previous generations will be lost.

Users of the recent generation Apple Macbook and Macbook Pro machines are sadly out of luck when it comes to the iGo charger. Apple has not licensed their Magsafe technology to other companies. Hopefully Apple will realize that Mac users would really appreciate being able to use a universal charger and allow others to produce cables and tips for their Magsafe connector.

Despite these very minor issues I can highly recommend the iGo everywhere85. If we are to talk "ratings", I wouldn’t hesitate to give it a 5 out of 5. It’s the kind of gadget that just works.

The evereywhere85 costs $129.99 and is available from the iGo website.