Ipad Charging While Traveling????

[Frank II]

I have a feelling there are quite a few Ipad owners here so I thought I'd ask this question:

I think I'm going to stop holding out as the only non-owner of an Ipad and get one. My question is about charging it while traveling.

I pack light. Very light. I don't travel with a laptop. I've been traveling with my Ipod Touch and a folding Bluetooth keyboard to handle everything internet related. I charge the Touch as well as my smart phone, Kindle, etc. with a USB wall charger. I also have a portable battery charger for those times I'm not near a socket.

The wall charger, which has 2 USB ports, has the following output information:

DC 5V, 2A max (1 USB port)
DC 5V, 1A max (2 USB ports using simultaneously)

The battery charger is: 5 volts/500mA.

Now for my question. Will I be able to use these chargers to charge my Ipad or will I have to get something separate?

TIA

[rabergnc]

You should be able to use your wall charger since the ipad draws 10W. The 5V, 2A port should be able to handle this. I use a similar type of wall charger when I travel and use it for my iphone, ipad, and other devices that are chargeable via USB - Kindle, Mophie juice pack and so on.

[MikeG]

The supplied iPad charger is 10 watts, which translates into 2 amps output (10 watts divided by 5 volts = 2 amps), so your charger should do the job. However, if you are charging another device at the same time, your iPad charging time will increase substantially. I have successfully charged my iPad with an iPhone charger - it just took longer.

[AVService]

You could also just use the charger that comes with the iPad as your bigger USB charger now instead.

[Badger]

You could also just use the charger that comes with the iPad as your bigger USB charger now instead.

I second this. Once you see how tiny the little iPad power "brick" is, and how little it weighs, I doubt you'll mind taking it along with you. I can get the charger, USB cord, and PPU clip into a size small OP.

[jannilee]

I third it! when i was in Iceland last year my other USB charger heated up to a scary level but my iPad charger stayed cool as a cucumber. Also, there is a travel kit for the ipad chargervthat has all the main international adapters. They slide on the charger in place of the north american one so they take up. O extra space and i don't have to carry a separate adapter.

[Frank II]

Thanks everyone. If I took the Ipad charger, it couldn't be the only one I take as I also have other devices to charge and I need to charge more than one at a time. That means not only the charger but a separate set of international adapters as well. (Whether they slide on or off doesn't matter as they still weigh more.)

It also sounds as if my portable battery charger won't work.

My thinking is to leave the Ipad at home for international trips as it would add at least 1 1/2 lbs to my carry-on. I am getting an iphone to replace the Ipod touch so it might be Apple overkill.

I wish apple would just come out with a 7" ipad and be done with it.

Next question, anyone have a decent 7" tablet, android preferably, that has bluetooth and wifi alone. I'm not interested in 3g/4g/any g coverage.

[Badger]

You said you had an iPod Touch, a Kindle, and a phone. Would you still be taking the Touch and the Kindle if you have the iPad? I only ask because it may be the case that you can stagger the times of when you charge certain devices and make do with one charger.

[Frank II]

If I took the Ipad, the kindle and touch would stay home but I would have to take the iphone which would replace the touch. I also have a digital camera that needs to be charged.

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking that an iphone and keyboard may be all I need for international trips. I'm not going to watch any videos nor am I big into games so I can't think as to why I would need to place the iiphone/ipod touch. I'm even getting used to reading on my Touch so the Kindle may stay home regardless of which apple device I take. Although I still prefer my Kindle. (I have the first generation and if I don't get an Ipad I may replace it with a newer, lighter model. If only the Kindle Fire had bluetooth. My problems would be over.)

[Lani]

I second this. Once you see how tiny the little iPad power "brick" is, and how little it weighs, I doubt you'll mind taking it along with you. I can get the charger, USB cord, and PPU clip into a size small OP.

The charger that comes with the iPad is really small and work just fine... *unless* Franks wants to charge everything else at the same time.

So the trick is to make sure whatever charger you use has folding prongs, so the prongs don't stick out when you pack them. That will save you a lot of space. You can also find relatively small ones that will support 2 or more USB attachments.

I also "cheat" -- if I need an extra USB port for charging an extra gadget, I use Power Bandit by Power Strip Liberator is a USB Wallet Outlet Charger. Works pretty nicely. I assume it will work outside of the US as long as you attach it to the main charger and the charger has an adapter that then plugs into the wall socket.

I also NEVER EVER EVER use regular USB cables on my devices. I always get the retractable ones. The central spool takes up a bit of extra room, but it is SO much better than trying to keep the cables organized. You can find them really cheap on eBay (like this: 3x USB 2.0 Retractable SYNC DATA CABLE For iPod iPhone4 4s iPad 2 FAST SHIPPING | eBay) . I've never had a problem with them not charging iPads, but stick with the ones that look a little heftier; there is an even slimmer version that I tried, but the plastic coating on the cables started to disintegrate within a month or so of use.

I keep all that in a Small Organizer Pouch and it works great!

[Yonkdaddy]

I actually carry a fair number of USB-charged devices. If I'm travelling alone for more than a day or two, I've got my iPad, iPhone, Bluetooth headset, and FoxL speaker. And if I'm travelling with wifey, double that! I found a FANTASTIC charger... it's an iSound "4 USB Wall Charger Pro"... it's got 4 x 10 watt USB outlets, so you can pretty much charge ANYthing, all at the same time. It is rectangular, but not much larger than the stock iPad charger. If you travel with a lot of gadgets, this is the way to go.

[kmcg]

Frank - Based on my experience with the first gen iPad, once you have it you won't want to leave it home! I'm hoping the new iPad will replace my camera. Maybe for you too? (My big issue will be whether to also take the Kindle for outdoor reading, which I do a lot of on some trips.)

jannilee - do you have a brand name for the international adapter you recommended? I need something like that, I think, for when I go to Turkey in May.

[Lani]

I'm hoping the new iPad will replace my camera.

So I'm reading that the camera on the new iPads are much improved.

That said, I have to warn you--taking a picture with an iPad is probably one of the most dorkiest things I've ever seen other people do. It's just SO goofy-looking. That's just me. but I suspect if I were to get a new iPad, I probably won't take pictures with it.

-- Lani (still happy with her 1st gen iPad and holding out for a 7-inch "mini iPad" that's the size of a Kindle).

[Badger]

taking a picture with an iPad is probably one of the most dorkiest things I've ever seen other people do. It's just SO goofy-looking. That's just me.

The number of people I saw taking pictures with their iPads whilst being rowed across the Grand Canal in Venice = too many to count. They did look dorky. But also happy.

[Frank II]

I take the following to charge my devices:

Lenmar 2 port USB charger (with folding prongs) ACUSB2K (This is tiny and weighs practically nothing.)

Qmadix 3-in-1 rectractable cord: Amazon.com: Qmadix 3-in-1 USB Retractable Charging/Sync Cable - Black: Cell Phones & Accessories (An apple, micro usb and mini usb all in one. I'm replacing all my individual retractable cords with this one and one for 1st generation Ipad and generic USB by Gomadic.)

Lenmar PPUclip for camera battery: PPUCLIP

MyBlueBoost portable charger: Home (Great for long flights or train rides)

(All of these have been reviewed on my website)

So, you can see I travel very light with my chargers.

I agree with Lani, I also can't see replacing an Iphone camera or my tiny Canon point and shoot with an Ipad. I don't want to lug around that much weight all day as I do most of my work back in my hotel room. To take notes during the day, I'm old fashioned; I use pen and pocket size Moleskine notebook. I then transfer my notes in the evening to the 'cloud" via one of the devices mentioned.

There's no doubt I will love an Ipad. But I also love keeping the weight down when I'm out of town. And future trips will have me on airlines with ridiculously low carry on weight allowances. (I only check bags under extreme duress which means whoever is insisting better have an armed militia backing them up.)

So, I guess, the question remains: what can an Ipad do that an Iphone can't considering I don't care about watching movies while traveling or playing games. I need it to run my website, check my email, check news, stocks, travel arrangements and possibly read a book or two. While I'm sure the Ipad would make much of this easier, is it worth the extra weight?