Charge your phone and other battery devices with a multi-port car charger with an unusual feature. Not the USB power socket or the USB-C port, not even the QC3.0 output, but disco lights!
You may be wondering what disco lights have to do with a mobile phone charger for cars, but let’s put that feature aside for a moment and look at the regular features of the Technaxx Disco Mobile-Auto Charger.
This is a rather large charger that comes in two parts, there is the main body, which is a rectangular block just over 4 x 4 x 6 cm in size and there is a standard plug for the power outlet in a car. Snap them together, plug them into the car power socket and you can charge your phone, or other devices.
Three power outlets
On one side of the block is a modern USB Type-C socket for powering devices and charging phones. On the opposite side is an old-style, but widely supported, 5V 2.1A USB socket of the type found on most phone, tablet, watch and other power adapters. This offers maximum compatibility with anything you might want to charge.
Below is a QC3.0 socket and this is a Quick Charge 3.0 power outlet specifically designed for fast charging devices. Not all phones are capable of fast charging with QC3.0, but many are and it can cut the charge time in half. If your phone does not support it, it will simply charge at the standard speed. It won’t do any harm to plug your phone in and see if it is faster.
It is unusual to have three ports on a phone charger for cars and not all chargers have USB Type-C sockets, which makes this model one of the more unusual ones and it could make it more attractive. My only complaint is that it is quite big compared to other chargers.
No cables are provided with the Technaxx Disco Mobile-Auto Charger, which means you must either buy the cables you need or use the ones from your mains chargers at home. Many people are on their third or fourth phone and often have spare cables from old chargers, so it is not a problem.
Disco lights
So far, so normal, but here is where it gets a little strange. There is a clear multifaceted dome on the top of the charger and an on/off button on the side of it. Press the button and coloured lights are projected upwards and around you. The device has sound recognition and the colours shift and change according to the music and project a constantly changing coloured pattern around you.
You don’t need the whole thing and the charger is in two parts, the top block and the car plug. The idea is that you remove the top block with the dome and using its built-in rechargeable battery, you can have a light show lasting for up to four hours at a time anywhere you like. The idea is that you charge it up in the car and then use it at home, while camping, in your mobile home or caravan and so on.
Is it useful? It depends. Kids will love the great light show and if you can’t find your car charger, check the kids’ bedroom, they are probably having a fun time with it in the dark. It isn’t something I personally want or need in a charger, but it is easily ignored if it is not your thing.
Conclusion
Three power sockets mean you get one more than with most other phone chargers for your car and there is more variety of sockets than usual. It is a useful charger that does the job, but it is a bit bigger than I would like. The disco lights are great if you have children.
Where can you buy it? The charger is on Amazon. Go and check the prices on Amazon UK and Amazon US. They vary, but I have seen it as low as £21 here in the UK.
