CES 2013: Griffin’s new PowerDock charges five devices simultaneously

Griffin PowerDock 5

Griffin Technology is on a roll at CES 2013. Among the product announcements they made at the show is this ultimate charging station that I’d definitely make good use of, the PowerDock 5. As the name implies, the main advantage is its  design which makes possible charging of up to five iPhones, iPods or iPads at once, an indispensable feature for families that mostly use Apple’s mobile products (I know, filthy rich people).

Each of its five charging bays conveniently has a 10-watt, 2.1-amp power supply so you can store and charge, say, five power-hungry, full-size third and fourth generation iPads simultaneously. As if that weren’t enough, the badass accessory even accommodates your iPads in their cases. What more could you ask from a charging station?

Not only does the new PowerDock charge up to five devices at once, it also saves space for your countertop due to its small footprint. To give you a sense of this, it takes up only about as much room on your countertop as a single iPad.

Here’s what the back looks like.

Griffin PowerDock 5 empty

The PowerDock 5 works with the iPhone 3G and later, all iPads including the iPad mini, all iPod touches except for the original model, fourth-gen iPod nano and up, the iPod with video and both 2007 iPod classic models.

But how do they take into account the differences in charging profiles?

Here’s from Griffin:

All mobile devices have specific charging profiles that dictate how much, and how quickly, they can charge. Most chargers are designed with a one-size-fits-all approach which typically does not support the requirements of each individual device.

Griffin’s new ChargeSensor technology senses the requirements of any device plugged into it, providing optimal charging for all USB-chargeable devices.

Conveniently enough, Griffin has also launched two new power solutions for Apple, Samsung, Android and Kindle devices, complete with Charge Sensor technology: the $29.99 PowerBlock Universal 10-watt charger and $24.99 PowerJolt Universal car charger. Both include SmartFuse technology to protect your devices against power fluctuations.

Griffin PowerBlock Universal and PowerJolt Universal
The PowerBlock Universal (left) and PowerJolt Universal (right).

The PowerDock 5 also has an illuminated power status light on the front and, when not in use, it keeps all the cables tucked away and organized.

They had me at cable management.

You could say I’m pretty obsessed with hiding any and all cables out of plain sight whenever possible so I think I’m ready to consider this accessory.

The only deal breaker could be its $100 price point, but if you’re ready to take the plunge, check out Griffin’s web store. The PowerDock 5 ships in Spring 2013.

Bear in mind you’ll have to supply your own cables.

Of course, Griffin will happily sell you its official Lightning cables – that is, unless you’re keen on to explore unofficial and far cheaper alternatives.