Travel alarm clock that also will charge a USB device

April 20, 2012 1:02 AM

DoesThisExistFilter: Is there such a thing as a small, loud travel alarm clock that also will charge a device/provide current through a USB port? The user needs a louder alarm than provided by his cell phone (he often sleeps with ear plugs), and it would be nice to charge the phone at the same time.

I managed to find this clock which has a USB port, but I think it may be for powering the clock, rather than providing power to another device.

This would be for international use, so accepting power from multiple countries' standard voltages would be a bonus.

Any suggestions?

posted by amtho to Travel & Transportation (6 answers total)

This seems very unlikely to exist as the two systems have very different goals:

1) I want my travel alarm clock to be light, loud, easy to set and something I can store close to my bed.

2) I want my usb device charger to plug into the wall.

Requiring a travel alarm clock to plug into the wall means that you need to carry a long power cord for it (not light) or hope that your hotel room has suitable plugs.

If you hope to charge your device from your travel alarm clock and it doesn't plug into the wall, you run the risk of draining the battery of your alarm clock overnight while it charges your device.

This is a tiny and light USB charger: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB352LL/C ($29)
There is a slightly larger version that will accept international plugs and also charge iPads (10W instead of the normal 5W).

There are an infinite assortment of travel alarms in the world.

good luck.
posted by ccoryell at 3:06 AM on April 20, 2012

If the cellphone happens to be an iPhone then there are numerous clock radios like this which could fit the bill. If it is some other kind of phone then you may be able to use a connection cable to do the charging.
posted by rongorongo at 3:43 AM on April 20, 2012

ccoryell's analysis is a good one. The problem here is that the batteries in portable devices tend to have quite large capacities. An iPad 2 battery, for example, has a capacity of around 90kJ of energy, while a good AA rechargeable cell holds around 10kJ. So, unless you're willing to lug around a big battery pack, and charge it frequently, you're going to need mains power for your clock.

Small travel alarms tend not to be mains-powered, so that limits your choices a bit. A lot of non-travel mains alarms are pretty small and light these days, though, so there may still be options.

It wouldn't be a major thing (and your posting history suggests an ability to do a spot of electronics) to retro-fit a port for USB charging to a suitable mains-powered alarm. The final circuit on this page indicates that, provided you can get an acceptable amount of current at 5V (with the help of a voltage regulator) from the clock's power supply, you should be able to add a USB charging capability relatively easily. Might be an interesting project.
posted by pipeski at 3:56 AM on April 20, 2012

Yes, of course the product exists and you probably even have it with you on your trip already. It's called a laptop computer. It plugs into the wall and charges your phone. There are a zillion alarm programs out there for PC or Mac, pick one you like.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 5:53 AM on April 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

It might be easier to find a set of speakers for the phone that can be plugged in as it charges. For the iPhone, there seem to be quite the variety of them. For other phones, you might need something with a standrad 1/8 headphone jack.
posted by advicepig at 7:06 AM on April 20, 2012

Check out the JBL On Stage series of travel dock/speakers. Pass-through charging with speakers, and they are kind of puck-shaped rather than folding (so broken hinges shouldn't be a concern).
posted by Lyn Never at 8:07 AM on April 20, 2012