Twelve South continues to churn out accessories that Apple enthusiasts will love. Earlier this summer it was the AirFly, a $40 Bluetooth receiver that lets you use your AirPods with an airplane’s entertainment center (or any other device that doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth). And now it’s the PlugBug Duo ($50), an accessory that adds two USB ports to your MacBook or MacBook Pro’s power adapter. Essentially, from one outlet, you’re able to charge three devices, such as your MacBook Pro, iPhone and iPad — in other words, it’s efficient.
The PlugBug Duo is the next evolution of Twelve South’s PlugBug World ($30), which only adds one USB-A port to your MacBook’s power adapter. Both devices are also designed for global travelers and come with five snap-on international plugs, so you can charge your devices most places you go, including the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Continental Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.
As far as power, the two USB-A ports split 12 watts. That means that if you’re charging both devices at the simultaneously, they won’t quick charge to their fastest potential. But if you’re just charging one device between the two USB-A ports, it will rapid charge your iPhone or iPad. It will also rapid charge your iPhone or iPad if the second device charging doesn’t require as much power to charge, such as a pair of wireless earbuds or wireless headphones.
The PlugBug Duo will work with new MacBook and MacBook Pro’s USB-C charger, and it’ll also work if you have a laptop with an older MagSafe charger. True, $50 isn’t a small chunk of change for such an accessory, but for anyone who travels a lot and doesn’t want to juggle several power adapters, the PlugBug Duo is pretty much perfect.
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