Regular readers of Technoodling will know that I have an unhealthy obsession with chargers. Our Editor-in-Chief Jason de Villa may have the biggest USB hub fetish within the editorial group, but I really get my kicks from looking at and trying out different charging solutions. In the past, I have reviewed both the Joy Factory Zip Touch-N-Go Charger, as well as the AViiQ Portable Charging Station, both of which I still use on a regular basis. But I still yearn to find that perfect charging solution and I immediately jumped at the chance to review the Quirky Converge Rest and Recharge station.
Inside the box: Quirky Converge, AC Power Adaptor and user manual
If there was ever a sofa made for gadgets, this would be it. The Quirky Converge is fashioned similarly to a living room couch and it looks so inviting that I can’t help but prop my gadgets on it. The Quirky Converge is wide enough that it can fit 4 smartphones when place vertically side-by-side. The entirety of the Converge is made up of plastic with a few strips of rubber thrown in. It is heavy and balanced enough to prevent it from tipping over when placed with, say a couple of New iPads. The bottom of the Quirky Converge station has strips of rubber which prevents it from sliding, making it very steady and stable as a whole.
At the back of the Quirky Converge: 4 USB ports and a power plug for the AC Adaptor
Located at the back of the unit is a power plug and four USB ports. The power adaptor that comes with the Quirky Converge is of the US two-pronged variety and can be plugged to any power outlet (the adaptor is 110 – 220 auto volts). Also at the back of the unit is a space wherein the the cords of the USB cable plugged into it can be stashed and organized. Being technically an Apple household, I plugged in three iPod Dock connectors and a micro USB cable into the Quirky Converge. I opted against using 4 iPod Dock connectors as I needed a micro USB cable to charge my Mili Power Shine and BoostCase Hybrid. A simple application of a zip tie and I was able to neatly stow all four cables neatly at the back of the Quirky Converge.
Charging my iPhone 4S using the Quirky Converge Rest and Recharge
Each of the four cables were able to pass through to the front via the slits on the sitting cradle. The slits are lined with rubber, used for the purpose of holding onto the tip of the charging cable. Squeezing the charging tip of the cable in between the rubber lining makes for an impromptu dock-like charging port.
The cable passes through the slits and into your phone
A combination of iPhones, iPod Touch and iPads are constantly plugged into the Quirky Converge at any one time. Apple’s iPad tablet has been notoriously known for needing a 10w USB power output in order for it to charge properly. And since the Quirky Converge gets its power from only one source, I was afraid that it would only be able to charge one iPad at a time, but it proved me wrong by charging two New iPads simultaneously.
I used a zip tie to organize the cables
Bottomline:
It’s easy to set-up, sturdy and looks good on any table. The Quirky Converge Rest and Recharge has found a permanent spot on my bedside table. I really love how functionally flexible it is, I can change the configuration of USB cables on the fly and it works with all of my existing cables unlike other all-in-one charging solutions. Priced at Php 2,650, the Quirky Converge Rest and Recharge is an expense that’s worth splurging on.
Price:
Php 2,650
Availability:
All Digital Walker, Digital Hub, Beyond the Box and Power Mac outlets
