I think some people do not understand this product:
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power for your MacBook + 10W USB using one power outlet...
That picture makes way more sense than the one in the article. Thanks!
I think some people do not understand this product:
Image
power for your MacBook + 10W USB using one power outlet...
I believe he means that two of the prongs are slanted, compared, to say, US plugs, which are straight. In the US, if you don't have the third prong (for the ground), you could flip your plug upside down, and still be able to plug in.
When I was living in Australia, I couldn't do that. Try flipping your plug upside down, and plug into the socket in the wall. the prongs will be at right angles to the connectors in the socket.
BL.
Yes, I understand what "only goes in one way" means
I just mean that I'm hard-pressed to think of any reason (other than the poor design mentioned above) that you'd actually *want* to plug it in upside down.
I think what he's saying is this plug adapter has the two slanted pins mirror to the Apple plug adapter*. So with the Apple Adapter the inserted in to the wall the power brick hangs below the point. With this one it would stand up above the power point.
Given our plug isn't reversible but it's seems the Apple plug adapter and plugbug plug adapter are interchangeable then buying a plugbug here might be useful where you wish our plug was reversible. Like the US/EU one is.
*by plug adapter I mean the lump of plastic with the pins, not the lump that has the transformer in it.
Or, let's say that you have a power strip plugged into that bottom socket, and it can't be unplugged for some reason (assume all of the plugs on the strip are full). You have a battery charger for a camera you need to plug in, and normally, the charger faces down. plugging it into the top won't work, because it runs into the bottom plug. Flip it upside down, and you're golden.
Personally I find our 3-pin plug a PITA. Aside from them always falling prongs up so you stand on them (probably the most painful thing you'll ever stand on) the earth pin is largely redundant nowadays as nearly everything is double-insulated so its only function is to open the gates on the line and neutral sockets.
I like the European design where the earth connector, if required, is on the edge of the plug.
As for PlugBug, it's a great idea but why can't you buy the individual plug separately? I don't reckon I'd ever need any more than the UK and EU ones so the other three would be a waste of money.
You may have something plugged into one of the plugs in a 2-plug socket that is big enough that it impedes one way of plugging something into the second socket, but if you were to turn it upside down, it would still plug in.
Why in the world does the UK adapter need to be so BIG! The Apple one is a fraction of the size and does the exact same job.
The PlugBug World is available at TwelveSouth.com for $44.99 / £39.99 / 44,99 EUR.
+$25, or even $30 to ship this bite sized gadget. http://twelvesouth.com/shipping-returns/
#fail
Why not just carry a converter? At least that will work with all your devices?
A convert is only a $1.00 or so.
I have to say I do like the solidity and design of our (British) 3 prong plug compared to others...even if it does stick out a bit