Apple Is Working On A New Power Adapter That Syncs-And-Charges Macs And iOS Devices Simultaneously

A couple weeks ago, we posted about TwelveSix’s PlugBug, a cute little attachment that plugs into your standard MacBook MagSafe charger and gives it a 10W USB port, perfect for charging your MacBook and iPad simultaneously.

The PlugBug’s an ingenious little idea, and I’m reviewing one now. However, PlugBug’s days might be numbered: a new patent says that Apple is working on a universal power adapter that can charge MacBook Pros, iPhones and iPads, all at the same time.

That’s not all, though. Apple’s also been working on a way for devices plugged into the same power adapter to sync data between themselves.

Sounds great to me. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s dealing with multiple cords and cables. Cupertino must hate it too: it’s exactly the sort of frustrating duplication of partical functionality that Steve Jobs hated. If Apple can consolidate all of its power adapters and USB cables (maybe by using ThunderBolt) into one universal device that handles everything, so much the better.

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