The Bluelounge Refresh is a personal or shared charging station for up to four devices at one time. It is compact in size and available in 3 colors (White, Black and Pink). It comes with two iPod connectors, a USB micro, USB mini and also has two USB sockets that you can use to add your own device cables. You can purchase special device cables at $5.95 each. The Refresh is available now for $89.95. Although it looks nice and tidy, it seems really expensive to me. I think I could make something similar for a lot less moola. Anyone else out there come up with a homebrew version of this product?
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So this is pretty close to some of the stuff that digitalinnovations.com is working on now, so I’m eager to hear folks input on this.
What is the right price? What else is important about a device like this?
@JoeBorn Hmmmm… good question. I guess a nice plastic box with an AC adapter, a USB hub and the capability to charge 4 devices at one time would be an attractive purchase if the price were under $30. Is that crazy talk?
Agreed. $40 would be tops, and that would be for a nice wooden box around the electronics.
As far as interest in the marketplace, I think it’s there. I’ve been keeping one on my desk for a few months since reviewing it here, and it’s in use 2-3 days a week from someone who forgot to charge, left a cable at home, etc.
I think max I’ll pay would be $50. $90 is just too expensive for a charging accessory. And for $90, they could make it look much better than that.
Correct me if I’m mistaken, but this just looks like a plexi body with a generic powerstrip hidden in the back, and you add the plugs you want, at $5.95 a pop? Mmmmm, nah.
I’ve been lusting after The Perfect Charging Station for far too long now, and have yet to find one. I guess I need to make a list of Wants and head over to instructables.com or Ikeahacker and see if I can manage to just build my own. The retail models always leave something to be desired.
Sure $29.99 should be doable (is that what you mean by “under $30”). Smythe, I think your comments about the “power stations” are dead on, very well stated. Digital Innovations had one for a while and it was a total dud. I think exactly for the reasons you stated, at least the big and expensive part. I’m not sure what to do for identifying which one goes where though.
does it need physical space to hold 4 devices side by side? That might get kind of big.
So what is the “perfect charging station” FubarGuy? I work with Joe and anything can happen if it’s the right thing to do. Thanks
I have a charging station I got from Walgreens a year or so ago. It is a box with a lid on it. Inside the box is a power strip. There are holes in the box that allow charging tips to come out. These products are pretty common nowadays; I see them at Marshalls, Ross, etc often.
It cost $20.
Let’s assume USB as the vehicle for charging – like a hub. I already have a zillion cables for every possible kind of device, the the idea that I need special tips or cables for a charging station doesn’t work – I want to use the ones I already have! It’s easier to keep small if you don’t have to worry about where to plug in a power brick or something.
As for space, I would love to see a combination of vertical and side by side configuration and/or the ability to kind of switch the spaces around. That’s one of my biggest pet peeves – one thing works great for whatever device combo I have at the time I buy it, but when I switch around what I carry with me, it doesn’t work out as well.
As long as we are shooting for the moon here, I’d like a “hidden” AC plug as well – something that pulls out when needed (like using the laptop in bed) and then pushes back in when it’s removed.
Just my .02
here is my setup:
1 APC surge suppressor and multiple squid lines 1 table or basket
@Tony: Gah, I knew I’d get called out on that! I’ll work on a descriptive concept, I see your website so I’ll poke around for an email if I get anything close to useful. Cool products you guys have, I think somebody at work might be interested in the Neuros LINK – I’ll point him over there too.
Hey Fubarguy,
You can reach me here if you come up with an idea you’d like to see happen. thanks