Multiple USB charging station?
OR, can you put a powered hub on the Apple AC/USB charger and connect devices through the hub?
G5/g4/g3/MacBook G4/MacbookPro,iPad, Mac OS X (10.5.5)
G5/g4/g3/MacBook G4/MacbookPro,iPad, Mac OS X (10.5.5)
OR, can you put a powered hub on the Apple AC/USB charger and connect devices through the hub?
I have found that a product from Digital Innovations called the "Connect + Charge 7-Port Hub" works great for everything BUT the iPad:
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0345302
Or
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Innovations-Connect-Charge-7-Port/dp/B0041A3NG8
I have been thinking of what could be done to charge a whole bank of iPads - and my latest idea is a power strip with a LOT of outlets, an iPad charging brick for each one, and a paper tray stack to hold the devices.
Something like this power strip:
Paired with this to get access to all four of the top outlets:
http://www.amazon.com/Ziotek-ZT1212542-Liberator-14-Inch-Extension/dp/B000EWVSZK
That gets me 12 iPad charging station plugs for around $25 USD
John, et. al.,
I bought Digital Innovations "Connect + Charge 7-Port Hub" (4 of them actually) to give to family members to use as charging stations for multiple devices. Contrary to John's "works great," we found it didn't work at all unless the USB plug was connected to a computer. I bought these so we wouldn't need computers, or individual power bricks. Unfortunately, the Digital Innovations "solution" was NOT a solution for my needs. I'm still in search of a 6, 7, or larger USB "hub" that I can connect to an a/c outlet and charge as many items as it has ports. If it has one or more "super" SUB slots that would charge an iPad so much the better.
Why do I write at length to "take on" Digital Innovations? Frankly, because there was NOTHING in any of their packaging, user materials, or web site to indicate you MUST connect the hub to a computer in order to use it to "Connect + Charge." I think their package markings are very, very misleading. Not only do I think that but I specifically asked that question of the sales rep from whom I bought the hubs. He erroneously told me that it would certainly work to chage USB devices solely with an A/C connection... no computer was required. So I was fooled but so was a guy whose job it is to know these things. Digital Innovations fooled him too.
cheers,
Jim
Hi Jim,
I certainly understand your frustration! I would be royally angry if I was in your situation.
All I can tell you is that I bought two of the "Connect + Charge 7-Port Hubs" and have been using one of them for about 6 months without connection to a computer - charging Android devices and iPhones and iPods.
I have only had one disturbing incident with these hubs. Two days ago when I went to use a backup phone I had charging (and Android device) - only to find that the Android device's battery had completely worn down and the device would not turn on or even start to charge. Now, that could just be the handset device that decided it was charged, but kept itself going in a high-power state b/c the USB was connected. Or it could be something with the hub.
But that same hub had two other handsets charging that worked just fine when I swapped out SIM cards.
So, I am not sure why your devices are not charging on your hub and my devices are charging on my hub.
Sincerely,
John
Mmmm... I wonder why the difference?
As indicated, I bought 4 of these devices. When the first one didn't work I had two of my children (son age 31 and a software engineer and a long resume of extraordinary Geek capabilities and daughter age 24 who runs software and mobile hardware programs for a major federal research... she often has 5 to 15 mobile phones, pads/tablets, etc., that she is testing... both kids "know their stuff") try with exactly the same results I noted above. Sure wish mine worked as your appears to do.
If you are looking to do large scale charging (and syncing), I'd check out Datamation Systems 49 device USB charger - it works with iphones, ipads, ipods, you name it. There's more info about it over at www.ipadcarts.com.
Have a look at the onefruit Chargebus units. They can charge multiple iPads, iPhones and iPods at their maximum charge rates. http://onefru.it/ipad-syncing-chargebus-1600
Multiple USB charging station?