A Charger That’s Hard to Lose
There is another pretty astute player in the game of tech accessories besides Otterbox, and that is Twelve South. Twelve South is known for providing rather clever, quirky solutions for the niche Apple user. The PlugBug with Find My is no different. Here, you get high-wattage USB-C charger practicality combined with the reassuring presence of Apple’s Find My technology. Heck, we all lose a charger or a cable or an adapter sometimes. But does this $70 accessory do justice to the hype? Let’s dig into what makes PlugBug such a uniquely utility-meets-innovation product.
Twelve South’s History of Whimsical, Useful Accessories
Twelve South is a sort of niche player, but they have developed a series of products that sit at the intersection of being useful and solving specific problems for subsets of Apple users. They have had some pretty interesting products in the past, like the AirFly.
The PlugBug is just another form of this innovation. It is not just a charger but a tool for those forgetful; it equips you with Apple’s Find My technology that enables one to trace it when it disappears.
What makes PlugBug Unique?
Adding a USB-C charger with Find My features, the PlugBug is available in two flavors: PlugBug 50, a two-port, 50-watt model at $70, and PlugBug 120, a four-port, 120-watt model for $120. International adapters can be added to each model for an extra $10, a great value for the frequent traveler.
Other chargers don’t have this Find My tech built into the plug. We’ve all, at one time or another, been stuck in an airport or hotel room wondering if we left a charger plugged into that wall somewhere. That’s a huge relief for lost chargers. This charger, like any AirTag-enabled device, can be found so it’s nice to feel not so worried when having this little guy by your side.
Buy PlugBug from Twelve South
Setup and Use: Intuitive Compatibility with Find My
The PlugBug is a piece of cake to set up with Find My. To get Find My rolling, you just have to pop open the small door on the back of the charger, pull out the battery tab, and press a button. When you’re done, it’ll appear automatically in your Find My app, right up there in line with your other AirTag-enabled devices.
Like other Find My products, you can also set alerts when leaving your PlugBug behind or trigger its onboard speaker to beep, making it easy to locate – even buried under clothes in your suitcase. This could come in handy for people who tend to misplace small accessories used along with their gadgets in crowded spaces like airports or conference centers.
How to Setup PlugBug:
-Open the battery door and take off the tab.
-Press the setup button to connect it to the Find My app.
-Track it just like any other AirTag-enabled device.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the PlugBug
Advantages:
- Find My Integration: Great feature is the kind of charger this has because it is built-in, ideal for those travelers who literally cannot put anything down or tend to misplace things.
- Multiple Ports: The PlugBug 50 and PlugBug 120 variant comes with two and four ports respectively, so that you charge more than one product simultaneously.
- International Versions Available: Travel versions of the charger are accompanied by international adapters, so it works well for travel enthusiasts.
- Smart Design: While it is thicker compared to some of the new variants available, the PlugBug is slimmer than its predecessors.
5. - Price: It’s an investment at $70 for the base model and $120 for the higher-wattage version. As an example, you can get chargers with similar wattage sold for lesser money, but they lack the Find My feature.
- Size: While it is billed as ultra-skinny, the addition of Find My makes it bigger than most modern minimalist chargers are. However, if you tend to lose your chargers, that bulk is worth it.
Is PlugBug Worth It?
It comes down to two things: how much you care to spend on a charger and how often you tend to lose them. If you are the type of person who loses chargers in hotels or in airports, the extra cost for Find My integration could be worth it. Finally, having that ability to track your charger, like any other Apple device, is something that less expensive ones will not give you peace of mind for.
It does include international adapters for an additional $10 if you travel internationally, which is a nice add-on. But if you are a little more haphazard about your charging habits and do not need the Find My feature, you may want to opt for something a little less expensive as a USB-C charger.
Final Thoughts: A Charger for the Forgetful
The PlugBug with Find My from Twelve South will be an innovative solution to those persons who always seem to misplace their tech accessories. While it is pricey, being able to locate the location of your charger through the use of Apple’s Find My app can be quite priceless—a bargain in the sense, especially to frequent travelers or ones who hate misplacing things.
If you find that your portable chargers seem to vanish at an alarming rate, or if you simply need a charging solution that can be easily shared among different devices and locations, then the PlugBug may be worth every penny.
To see more of the PlugBug or to purchase one, go to Twelve South’s website.
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