New Energy-Saving USB Outlet: U-Socket
July 2nd, 2012 by Zachary Shahan
A new energy-efficient outlet from FastMac may look like nothing new, but it’s actually something very new and slick.
“U-Socket is an AC receptacle with the added benefit of two built-in USB ports that can power any device that is charged via USB,” the company writes. “Whether it’s an iPhone, gaming device, digital camera, Kindle or an iPad, U-Socket can handle it all. Designed to replace an existing 3-prong wall outlet, U-Socket eliminates the clutter of AC adapters that stick out and take up space.”
In other words, with these babies, we could ditch all those annoying and wasteful USB chords and AC adapters.
That’s not the only great thing about this new outlet, though.
“U-Socket’s built-in smart sensor automatically detects required wattage and only outputs power when it’s needed and shuts off when it’s fully charged.”
Ever forget to unplug a charging electronic device? Ever leave a device charging for longer than needed? Of course you have. With the U-Socket, apparently, you don’t have to worry about that or feel guilty when you lose track of the time. Pretty sweet, in my opinion.
And for those of you who care about whether or not a product is made in the US: yep, this one is.
The price of these outlets? $24.95.
The website says that these are do-it-yourself ready and come with a step-by-step installation manual. I haven’t looked at it in detail and don’t know much about outlet installation, so I’m not going to endorse that. But it seems like another nice benefit if true.
For more, check out the U-Socket page on the FastMac website.
Image Credit: FastMac
Keep up to date with all the hottest cleantech news by subscribing to our (free) cleantech newsletter, or keep an eye on sector-specific news by getting our (also free) solar energy newsletter, electric vehicle newsletter, or wind energy newsletter.
Google+
About the Author
Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.
-
Ollie
-
wattleberry
