Why I use a universal power supply

Over the weekend, I took a mini family vacation. I took my convertible tablet/laptop, but I also took my ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) to entertain kids in the car. Since I use a universal power supply, I only needed one power charger with two different power tips. One tip for the Lenovo Thinkpad X200 tablet and one tip for the Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC. Why carry two power adapters if you can get away with one?

Also, my power adapter allows me to use the charger in the car. It comes with a cigarette charging adapter so I can keep the UMPC powered during long car rides. The airplane adapter used to be very handy during long flights, but now that many airlines have turned the power off, those are practically useless.

So who makes these types of universal power adapters?

• Kensington
• Targus
• iGo

You may also notice that some of these power adapters overlap manufacturers. By that, I mean that both iGo and Kensington may use the same charger and tips (branded as each respective company). Or, Kensington and Targus may use the same charger and tips for a particular charger.