23 Jul 2003 | kev said...

unless you try it on a laptop!

23 Jul 2003 | Benjy said...

I am a little stumped by this product's usefulness, because I assume that it would drain a laptop's battery right quick, and render the laptop that much less useful.

Thus, if one has access to a computer with a USB port, then one would assume that one also has a electrical outlet near by. An additional wall jack charger is cheaper than the $29.95 they are charging for the USB charger.

Am I missing something?

23 Jul 2003 | Darrel said...

The idea is to plug it into the laptop that the guy sleeping next to you on the plane left on his tray.

23 Jul 2003 | Brendan said...

Heat your drink over USB. Brush your teeth over USB.

23 Jul 2003 | Darrel said...

Cool yourself over USB. (I actually own this)

23 Jul 2003 | Nick said...

Personally, I think it's a pretty good idea. My cellphone has one of those power cables with the 10lb brick at the end, so I don't really ever want to drag that around. Yet I've pretty much always got my laptop and power cord with me. So while I'm working (with my laptop plugged in — not too challenging even at a crowded cafe), my cell could charge... makes sense to me.

23 Jul 2003 | scottmt said...

i'd be a lot more impressed with firewire.

24 Jul 2003 | Mark Bell said...

Just ordered one; more people have computers than Siemens phone chargers, and this way, when I'm visiting friends or family I don't have to take my mains brick with me.

Mine cost 4, which is what, under $3? Bargain.

24 Jul 2003 | Steve said...

Interesting product. How useful it is? Don't know. I keep my charger in the same bag I keep my laptop, and others have pointed out the battery drain issues.

By the way Mark, you're being overly generous on the exchange rate, although since I'll be in the UK in two weeks, I wish it were that nice. These days, 4 is around $7.

24 Jul 2003 | Mark Bell said...

Oops... I seem to have gotten a little confused and divided instead of multiplied :P

Yeah, I'd say it would run a laptop battery down fairly swiftly, but for my purposes it's ideal.

24 Jul 2003 | Inspector Sidney Wang said...

Interesting idea. Only one problem.

Is stupid! Is most stupid idea I ever heard!

17 Jan 2004 | Court said...

For example, if you see an AIM window peeking out from behind your browser and you click on it, that window will come to the front, but the main application window will not. The Mail.app/Activity Viewer is another example. The Aqua system of layers works well in many instances, but not in all. Thank goodness that the Dock is always there to come to the rescue. I know that clicking on an application icon in the Dock will always result in not only the application coming to the front, but also any non-minimized windows associated with it. And if the application is active but no windows are open, clicking on the Dock icon should create a new window in that application.

31 Jan 2005 | compatelius said...

bocigalingus must be something funny.

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