Charging iPad with USB in MacBook Pro Discouraged?

Question

Level 1

1 points

Charging iPad with USB in MacBook Pro Discouraged?

I travel internationally and so I have always charged my MacBook Pro using an international converter/adapter into an outlet. I leave for Kenya Saturday where electricity is 240 and this has worked well in the past and I simply charged my iPhone in a USB port on the MacBook!

So I intended to do the same with my iPad by way of the USB into the MacBook Pro, and the MacBook into the wall. And the Apple sales manager in the store in Huntsville, Alabama (Bridgestreet) discourages charging the iPad off a host lap top under any circumstances, international or otherwise.

Is the guy correct? And if so, what is wrong with charging my ipad that way?

And, if I'm going to go with an international converter / adapter for my iPad, should I get the 10w chord to go into the converter?

MacBook Pro 15" times 2 and one 13", Mac OS X (10.6.3), IPhone3G Dell 620

Posted on Apr 22, 2010 8:39 AM

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Answer 1

enderx

Level 1

85 points

Apr 22, 2010 8:43 AM in response to dwever

He probably only discourages it because it takes longer to charge through a USB port than from the power adapter.

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Answer 2

AndyO

Level 6

17,064 points

Apr 22, 2010 9:19 AM in response to dwever

I've used my MacBook 2.13 to charge my iPad several times with no hint of problems. Admittedly the current draw of an iPad is greater than that for an iPod or iPhone, but it remains within the specs of all recent MB and MBP models that I know of.

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Answer 3

dwever Author

Level 1

1 points

Apr 23, 2010 7:32 PM in response to dwever

Bought a dedicated wall charger

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Answer 4

Conal Ho

Level 3

503 points

Apr 23, 2010 8:05 PM in response to dwever

I don't know if I'm misunderstanding what you wrote but a few thoughts:

1. The wall chargers of all Apple laptops work from the 100V to 240V range so no need for a wall converter. You only need an socket adapter for your specific country which only costs several dollars.

2. I'm pretty sure the charger adapter that comes with the iPad is also rated to work from 100V to 240V so no need to buy a converter. All you need is get the right socket adapter which only costs several dollars.

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