adapter for smartphone

Susan, Just for clarification, are you referring to Plug Adapters? If that's the case, the Plug Adapters are specific to the country or region rather than the type of appliance that is used. For example, in continental Europe, the Plug Adapter uses two round pins, while in the UK large rectangular pins are used. A MUCH more important concern is the use of a Smartphone in Europe. If you use cellular data there, you could return home to a phone bill of many thousands of dollars! You'll also need to ensure that the Charger for your phone is designed for "world operation". Could you provide a bit more information on the phone you're using and which countries you'll be visiting? Cheers!

I will be in Spain and Portugal and the phone is a Motorola Droid. I was hoping I could get one plug adapter and just plug in my charger as well as other small rechargables. (camera batteries, etc.) The phone service tells me I need a special charger that costs $40. Will it fry my phone?
thank you.

susan, First, regarding Plug Adapters. For travel in Spain and Portugal, the Adapters with two round pins are the correct type. I'd suggest taking at least two, as they're easy to misplace. Plug Adapters are cheap, so there's no reason you can't pack along at least two. THIS is the correct type to use for those two countries. Regarding your Motorola Droid - which Cell network are you with? Are you planning to roam with your home network? Are you only planning to use voice and text, or do you also want internet and E-mail on the phone (ie: data roaming)? Regarding your other small rechargeables, it's EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to check the specifications on EACH device you'll be taking along, to ensure that these are designed for operation from 100-240 VAC. Regarding the Charger for your phone, based on your description it sounds like the Charger for the phone is only designed for 115 VAC, and your phone company is suggesting that you buy a Travel Charger. Can you confirm what is listed on your present Charger for "Input Voltage"? If your phone company is recommending a special Charger, I doubt that it will "fry" your phone. However, it would help to have more information on exactly what they're recommending. If they're suggesting that you use a solid-state Voltage Converter to charge your phone, that could be a problem. Cheers!

Susan, you should be fine. The phone people you talked to are either a) just trying to sell you an unnecessary charger or, more likely, b) don't know what they are talking about.

The charger for my phone says 100-240volts input. I should have said "will it damage my droid global if I plug the current charger into a regular plug adapter?" I am not planning on using data except for on WIFI. I plan on getting a couple of adapters since as you say they are cheap. All my other devices say 100-240 volts.
Thank you very much for all your help. susan

susan, It would help to know which cell network you're with??? Also, are you planning to use the phone for voice and text in addition to Wi-Fi OR strictly for Wi-Fi??? As your phone charger is designed for operation from 100-240 VAC, you'll only need an inexpensive Plug Adapter to use it in Europe.

My carrier is Verizon. Yes, I will use it for texts and emergency phone calls. (I will turn off the data while I'm there.)
susan

susan, As your Droid is with Verizon, I'm not even sure the voice and text functions will work in Europe. AFAIK, that particular model is strictly a dual-band CDMA model, which is not compatible with the GSM used in Europe and much of the rest of the world. You could of course still use it for Wi-Fi, however I doubt that texting will be possible. You might check with Verizon to confirm that. Good luck!

I'm still a little bit unclear about charging my phone in Europe. I have an htc thunderbolt (droid) with Verizon, which I plan to use only for wifi. The charger that came with it says 100-240V. This might be a dumb question, but does that mean my phone itself can also use 100-240V? Here's why I ask... I'm only bringing a backpack so every inch of space really matters. My outlet adapter has a usb port so I'd rather just bring my phone's usb charger, not the bulkier part that plugs into the wall. Honestly I can just bring the charger but I'd love it if I didn't have to. I looked in the owners manual and on the Verizon and HTC websites but couldnt find an answer. If it makes a difference, I'll be in England, France, Italy, and Spain.

@Samantha, To begin with, you'll need two different styles of Plug Adapters on your trip - one for the U.K. and one for continental Europe. I'd suggest taking TWO of each type, as they're easy to misplace. Does your "outlet adapter" have the appropriate pins for both areas? To answer your question, NO your phone can NOT use 100-240 VAC! The purpose of all Chargers or Power supplies is to convert line voltage to a level that can be utilized by electronic devices, and that varies according to the design of each device. Many small electronic devices these days are designed to be powered by USB ports, which deliver a nominal 5 VDC. If your HTC Thunderbolt is designed to be charged by USB voltage levels, then your "outlet adapter" should suffice. However, BE SURE that your adapter contains the correct pins for both UK and Europe! I haven't checked, but I assume that since your phone is with Verizon, it won't be possible to make calls or text while in Europe. However it should work fine in Wi-Fi networks. Cheers!

This is an old post which has been reactivated.

@Jim, A few comments on your questions...... > Yes, USB ports to provide the same "level of electricity". All USB devices output a nominal voltage of ~5-Volts DC, with a maximum current of 1.5 Amps. Not all Chargers will be designed to supply full current, which would appear to be the case with your Phone Charger, which is rated at 700 milliamps. > Yes, you should be able to charge your iPod by connecting to your phone charger. Try it at home - it should work fine. > The RS "Universal European Adapter" is an overly expensive and "kludgy" solution to a simple problem (IMHO). If you already have a USB Charger, it won't be necessary to pack along another one. A $3 Plug Adapter will work fine with your phone charger. > Regarding the "power the USB port emits" on the RS Adapter, it will be a standard USB voltage level, regardless of where you are. If you plan on charging a number of devices at the same time, This Device is a far more functional and elegant solution to the problem (especially in European Hotels that may only have one outlet in the room). You would of course need a Plug Adapter to connect this. I've been using one for several years, and it works well for iPods, Cellphones, GPS units and numerous other devices. Happy travels!

One of the replies hit on something I've ben trying to get an answer to. So, just to clarify (without starting a new thread): do all USB ports provide the same level of electricity? I ask because of two combinations: Combination 1: 1) I normally charge my iPod through the back of my computer. 2) My phone charger came with a wall plug that is labeled "travel adapter" and is rated: input of 100-240 v and 50/60Hz -.2 A. The output is 5.1v . . . 0.7 A 3) could I charge my iPod by plugin its USB end into my phone's travel adapter/converter? And assuming, of course, I get the appropriate plug adapter (sans converter) for the european sockets? Combination 2: A) Rick Steves sells a "Universal Eurpoean Adapter" that is NOT a converter. B) However, it has on it a USB port. There's nothing in the online description indicating what power the USB port emits. So, again, do all USB ports provide the same level of electricity no matter where you are? Would both Rick Steves device and my cell phone charger work to charge our iPods and various cell phones (or any device with a USB plug charging wire) because ALL USB ports provide the same electrical power? Thanks!

Jim, yes, all USB ports should provide the same level of electricity, or a level so close that it doesn't matter. I have a number of cell phones and some of the chargers list different voltages and amperages, but they are small variations and all will charge through a USB port just fine.

What I did on my recent trip was plug my netbook into the outlet to charge (only a plug adapter needed), then plug my phone and iPod into the computer. Simple, and no additional cost for special hubs or charging stations.