Product Review: Mini Mobile Surge Protector and World Power Travel Adapter by Targus

by Michael Fulks

As I mentioned in a previous review, I had a chance to go to Germany in June. Since I have gone completely digital  in my photography, I have the need to plug in equipment for recharging batteries and general usage. As I was leading a tour of college students, I also decided to take my laptop, in order for us to easily view everyone's photographs. It also allowed us  to download images onto CDs when our digital cameras' storage cards filled up. This allowed us to take more pictures and provided a safe backup of images.

Before my trip, I received two items from Targus to review that were best tested on the road. These were the Mini Mobile Surge Protector and the World Power Travel Adapters.

Mini Mobile Surge Protector (Model #APS02US)

Whenever I travel, I am concerned about protecting my equipment from electrical surges. Until now, I haven't been able to find a device that is compact, easy to put in use, and that would fit a variety of outlet types as I traveled from country to country. The Targus Mini Mobile Surge  Protector is the perfect solution for me, and will be for most people whose laptops have a two-piece power cord with the transformer in the middle of the system. (See illustration above.) This device plugs in between the wall cord and the transformer. Each package comes from Targus with two protectors: one for laptops with two conductors and an additional one for power cords with three conductors. I don't quite understand the thinking behind this, as it seems to me to be a waste. However, if your computer has one system, you can always find a friend with the opposite conductor configuration and go in together for the purchase.

The Mini Mobile Surge Protectors protect notebooks, PDAs or other electronic equipment from damaging electrical shocks and surges.  The surge protectors reduce the risk of electric shock or fire during sustained over voltage, and feature an automatic reset after the transient has passed.  Each surge protector has a voltage rating of 230 VAC and a maximum current rating of 2.5 amps.

It is always difficult to report how well something like this works, because if it works correctly, you will forget you even have it attached. These worked great for me in that respect. I'll give you the specs for these devices to help you make a decision, if you know what you are looking for.

Specifications:

Mini Mobile Surge Protector (Model #APS02US)

World Power Travel Adapter (Model #APK01US)

If you have traveled outside of North America, you quickly discovered that not only do voltages and power cycles vary from country to country, but the configuration of the plug that goes into the outlet in the wall is different from place to place. In order to have the most flexibility, it is good to have a kit that contains a variety of adapters that will allow you to use a plug from one country into an outlet of another. A variety of manufacturers make kits of this sort, but I really liked the way Targus put theirs together. As you can see from the illustration (left), the three interchangeable plug adapters fit together inside a storage tube making a very compact package that is easy to put into your luggage or equipment bag.

The World Power Travel Adapters offer the ideal solution for connecting to any standard wall outlet in over 160 countries including the Americas, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East.  Simply attach one of three interchangeable plug adapters to the AC power cord of a device for use.  Red safety shutters, made of high impact, durable, polycarbonate plastic, give added protection against accidental contact with electrical current.  The adapters have a voltage rating of 250 VAC and a maximum current rating of 10 amps.

Please note, and this is very important: These are NOT voltage adapters. Many other countries do not use 110VAC/60hz power generation systems that we have in the US.  In fact it is quite common to find that the country you are in has 220VAC/50hz coming out of the wall. You may severely damage your equipment if you try to plug something in not compatible with a particular voltage. Before using one of these World Power Travel Adapters, you must make sure that your equipment is capable of handling both 110-120VAC and 220-240VAC. If your transformer or laptop does not,  DO NOT USE these adapters. You will damage your stuff. Fortunately, many manufacturers are now shipping their goods capable of using voltages from 100 to 240V. You must look for the label printed on your equipment that states what voltage it accepts. If it says something like 100-240V, then you are good to go. If there is only mention of a single voltage, you are out of luck. In that case, you will also need to purchase a voltage converter. (Also note, if your piece of equipment has a motor in it, like a shaver or hair dryer, you must also pay attention to the AC cycles, i.e., either 50hz or 60hz. Many items accept both, while others can be damaged if you use the wrong one.)

Luckily all of my camera equipment and computer equipment are capable of both (multiple voltages and cycles). The only problem that arises is what happens if you have more than one item you must plug in!

MSRP for the World Power Travel Adapter (Model #APK01US) is US$19.99 and comes with a limited one year warranty.

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