USB Powered through Sucket

I got this link via Facebook from one of my friends. Thanks for the contribution, Jane.

Using this socket, any USB powered device can be connected and charged without a dedicated adapter

From FastMac:

U-Socket is a duplex AC receptacle with built-in USB ports that can power any device that is capable of being charged via a 5V power adapter, but without the need for the power adapter! When a U-Socket replaces a traditional 3-prong AC wall socket, you can eliminate the clutter of AC Adapters that stick out & take up space in your home or office. Everything stays neat & organized. In addition, U-Socket’s energy efficient design only outputs power through the USB port if something is connected to it. This can save you up to $25 per year in reduced energy costs. Good for you, good for the environment and with our great prices, good for your wallet too!

U36JC Laptop by ASUS

ASUS has been trying to differentiate itself for a long time in the laptop market and to this end they’ve created the ASUS U36JC. It’s a 13.3 inch machine that’s only .76 inches thick at its widest point. And how much would you expect something so thin to weigh? How about just under 4 pounds? So what do you get inside this little chassis?

The U36JC comes equipped with a Core i5-460M processor and 4 GB of RAM. In addition, it’s packaged with a NVIDIA’s GeForce 310M graphics card and a 500 GB hard drive.

Sounds good so far but does all that outweigh the fact that it doesn’t have an optical drive built-in? Maybe not for some users. Add in the $969 price tag and the novelty of having such a thin case may be a little too late to overcome that sticker shock.

However, the plethora of connectivity may just tip the scale. Instead of being extremely limited as to what you can connect this portable PC to (such as with some newer Mac laptops) this ASUS model has two USB 2.0 ports, a single USB 3.0 port, and VGA outs in addition to the obligatory HDMI out and Ethernet socket. The 3-in-1 card reader is almost like gravy on top of all that.

There are other laptops out there that do it better (MacBook Airs are thinner and lighter) but ASUS’s new offering will keep you extremely mobile.

If you want the full spec sheet, head on over to the official ASUS website for more info.