Twelve South

TwelveSouth PlugBug World lightning review

We’ve just hold of one of the first PlugBug Worlds to come out of TwelveSouth HQ, and we thought we’d put it through its paces for you in a lightning review. The PlugBug is a small adapter that plug directly into the wall and allows you to attach your Mac’s charger block directly into it. The PlugBug charges your laptop, but also offers a USB output that is perfect for charging your iPad or iPhone at the same time.

The red plug looks lovely; the ruby-like finish offsets the white of your Mac’s plug beautifully. In the box you’ll get a whole range of adapters for every country you can imagine, so no matter where you’re going you’ll be able to pull power from the walls to keep your Mac and iPad charged. The charge offered through the USB is 10W, the same as most of Apple’s own chargers, so you won’t be getting any faster or slower speeds than you’re used to.

This Gadget Can Charge a MacBook and iPad Anywhere on the Planet

Traveling is tough, especially when you can't find enough outlets to charge your MacBook and iPad at the same time. PlugBug World comes to the rescue, incorporating itself into the top of the MacBook Pro charger, and letting you plug into up to five different types of electrical outlets around the world.

The $44.99 PlugBug World from Twelve South can handle any device that charges using a USB port, not just those from Apple. You can configure the PlugBug as a stand-alone USB charger with enough power to charge up your iPad.

Or you can connect it to your MacBook charger and use one outlet to charge both MacBook and any other device that uses USB to charge. This is especially important for those who have older MacBooks, which can't pump out enough power from its USB ports to charge an iPad very quickly, or at all.

Besides giving you one less thing to lug around on your globetrotting adventures, it frees up one of those scarce ports on your MacBook Pro, MacBook or MacBook Air. It even fits on other Apple devices, replacing that "duck head" on Apple's iPad charger, AirPort Express, the Apple Battery Charger and older Apple USB chargers.

The build quality of the PlugBug World is excellent. It does take a bit of effort to separate its various pieces, but the tight fit and perfect sizing of these various adapters matches up with Apple equipment quite well. The only difference is that bright red color, which the company says can help you differentiate your charger from others if you find yourself in one of those crowded airport-outlet situations. Its bright color might also remind you not to leave it in the hotel room as you pack up for home, too.

When I plugged PlugBug into various wall outlets and then connected my MacBook Pro and a USB cable to my iPad, some outlets I tried made for a slightly loose fit, allowing the PlugBug to fall out of the outlet. Other outlets allowed it to stay secure. Either way, I could get it to stay put with an additional firm push into the outlet.

Even if you're not a world traveler, it's great to have that extra USB port when plugging in a MacBook Pro. Its 10 watts of power is a gracious plenty for any iPad, iPod or iPhone — twice as much power as the 5-Watt charger for the iPad mini, for example. This extra power results in a faster charge.

If you're not planning to span the globe anytime soon, I'd recommend saving yourself 10 bucks and going with the original PlugBug for $34.99. That gives you the same ability to charge two devices at the same time, but doesn't include the five interchangeable international plugs — the standard North America/Japan plug is permanently fixed.

I'm always looking for a way to lighten my burden on long trips, and this handy accessory would be a welcome sight in my overstuffed carry-on.