Powermat
No, not Power Matt Damon, foolio. Gadget alert! We’re talkin’ about one of my fave Christmas presents this year, the Powermat Portable Charging Mat. This lil’ number is awesome. Yes, I am geeking out right now, so if you’re only here for tips on where to get fat or drunk, feel free to mosey along to a different area of VdV. But see, I recognize that you drunk slobs probably have a mobile phone or three, maybe an iPod Touch, maybe an HD Flip Video Cam (my #1 fave Christmas present this year), or maybe you’re not so cool and have a Blackberry or something. Or maybe you’re uber-col and have a Google Nexus. Who cares. We love you all.
And, even drunken slobs like you sometimes have the tendency to feel like getting a little organization in your life. And as one of those aforementioned drunken slobs, I know I do. And y’know what chaps my hide? Well do ya, punk?! Cords. Actually cord management is something I dig. Something I covet, you could almost say.
You know the scene, behind your entertainment center ya got yer TV cord, PVR cord, Wii cord, this cord, that cord all dangling around? Or, more to today’s subject, all the cords on your counter where you charge your phones, cameras and other electronic 
do-dads. It just makes a mess outta things, all those cords, plugged in all the time (green plug: wasting energy) and looking quite unkempt overall.
OK, enough of the problem situation set-up. I think I’ve pounded that into the ground like whack-a-mole. Onto the solution. Yes, that’s it. The answer to all your electronic charging woes. Once again, introducing the Powermat Portable Charging Mat. Yeah that’s it in action. Charging both J’s iPhones and my new HD Flip, with room to spare.
One cord, one mat, one universal place to charge your junk. Bingo. Ya just throw your phone or whatever down on the mat, and it kinda magnetically grabs it and starts revving up the batts. And we all know how good that feels. Effectively and instantly ending your temper tantrums about those messy cords for good.
Plus I think it might save energy to boot, since you’re only plugged in to one outlet. Woo Hoo! OK, it’s not that exciting…
And for us travelers, this model folds up into a nice little case. Which is cool for us, since now we only have to pack this vs. all sorts of random cords for each thing we pack.
This bad boy goes for $99, and you can get this model or a non-travel one that is basically the same except it doesn’t fold. Whatever. You do need to accessorize to make this puppy work though – anything with a USB can just plug in, like the Flip above. But mobile phones and cameras need their own accessory. In the pic above, my phone, the one laying down, is in a special case that transmits the charge. The other J’s phone is in a stand-up ‘cube’. They both work great but will set you back $30 bones or so.
Hey, I’m no Walter Mossberg (but a boy can dream,right?!) but this gadget gets the coveted VdV Thumbs Up. Get one!
