It has been some time since DigitalReviews visited our old friends at PowerTraveller.
While time has passed by, they have continued to innovate and launching new products onto the portable power market. The latest primate product to swing onto the reviewer’s bench is the Motormonkey.
With thanks to PowerTraveller, we take a drive through the virtual jungle with the Motormonkey.
First Impressions
What is the Motormonkey? It is an in-car charger and is marketed as the "world’s smallest in-car charger". It is absolutely tiny being about the same size as the cigarette lighter in a car. Well, at least the real cigarette lighter in the car as it seems a lot of them provide a dummy plug these days.
The package comes with 7 different adapters that fits onto the end of the supplied retracted USB cable. These adapters, or Monkeynuts, are universal across the PowerTraveller range.
Swinging into Action
Using the Motormonkey is a no-brainer. Pop out the in-car cigarette lighter, pop in the Motormonkey, USB cable and the correct adapter and away you go. The package is small enough to throw the entire kit into the glove box and have it available if someone else in the car needs a charge.
When a device is fully charged it automatically shuts off the current. When it is not required, the Motormonkey can be left in the socket where it will happily wait without draining your car battery. In my case, the ashtray closes and covers up that port so it can stay out of view until it is required.
Box Contents
1 x motormonkey
1 x Nokia adapter
1 x mini Nokia adapter
1 x LG Chocolate adapter
1 x mini USB adapter
1 x Samsung M300/G600 adapter
1 x Sony Ericsson K750i wide adaptor
1 x DC 4.0 adapter for Sony PSP and some digital cameras
1 x retractable USB cable
Gripes
You would think with such a simple device there is no way I could fault it. Well that is correct. However I was a little disappointed given the popularity of the Apple iPhone and its absolutely woeful battery life, that PowerTraveller would not bundle that particular adapter with the kit. To be fair though, I think the 3G and 3GS models have different pin requirements for charging.
Conclusions
Good things come in small packages is the old adage, and it is certainly not wrong with the Motormonkey. Simple and brilliant. Yes I have to carry my iPhone USB cable around (not like I don’t anyway) but that can be fixed for a pretty small price on the PowerTraveller website. It is the perfect item for people who are on the road often at a pretty reasonable price.
The Motormonkey is available from PowerTraveller Australia for AUD$39.99, or PowerTraveller HQ £20.00.
Yes, they still donate a small percentage of their sales to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.
