An e-mail from usually-decent accessories manufacturer Proporta landed in my Inbox this morning. It was for a Universal iPod Dock that’s supposed to fit the iPhone, iPod, etc. and charge it via USB. OK. Fantastic, right?

Not really. Problem is, according to the pictures on the product page, it looks like they took a goddamned iPod cable directly from Apple (the logo is still there on the cable!) and shoved it inside a plastic housing that was mass produced in Taiwan, China or Switzerland. I mean, Apple’s official iPod Dock has an audio-out port so you can hook it up to your stereo system. Proporta’s doesn’t it looks like.

So tell me, Proporta: Why should we buy your dock for $22? I see iPod USB cables for $4 online. Buy some Play-Doh for $2 and you have yourself a Universal iPod Dock. I’m not disowning Proporta or writing them off as a company. I just want to know who thought this was a good idea.

Link

Everyone has one of those times where they desperately need one of their devices charged, whether it is a phone to talk to a girlfriend or an iPod to drown out the screaming of your little cousin at the family reunion. The new mobile charger from Proporta allows you to recharge anything that can be charged via a USB cable. The battery itself must be charged either through a USB port or a wall socket with a 12v converter that converts to a USB plug; if you have a lot of devices, this mobile battery could save you the trouble of carrying around 5 or 6 separate chargers. Don’t worry about storing the Proporta mobile charger because it is very sleek, allowing for easy transportation. It is said to have enough juice to charge up 3 or 4 devices, which, when you’re away from any source of power, could be a real lifesaver (iPod dies on camping trip…). The only minor problem with this device is that you need to bring along each of the device’s cables, which could technically be a hassle, but it’s better than having to bring the chargers as well. At $45, the Proporta USB Mobile Device Charger is probably something everyone should get, because you never know if your iPod will die right when a baby starts crying on that 8 hour flight-of-hell. — Nick Rice

Proporta USB Mobile Device Charger [via Daily Gadget]