Charge Your Portable Device While Waiting on Mass Transit

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.tuaw.com/2011/07/15/iphones-and-other-gadgets-get-a-charge-from-bus-shelter-ads/' target='_blank'>http://www.tuaw.com/2011/07/15/ipho...us-shelter-ads/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"The next time you're waiting for that bus that is really, really late, there's no need to worry about your iPhone or iPad battery dying. Thanks to a creative ad company and the Vitaminwater brand, bus shelters in several American cities are being equipped with a USB port for charging."</em></p><p><img height="288" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1310786328.usr105634.jpg" style="margin-left: 80px; margin-right: 80px;" width="440" /></p><p>Not too bad of an option if you use mass transit, as I imagine the wait can get pretty boring if you have to conserve your battery power. Currently they are only placing these in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, and no word on if it will be expanded. Nice ad gimmick that would make Don Draper proud.</p>

[Brad Adrian]

Like a lot of people who have traveled for their jobs, over the years I've made it a point to memorize where the power outlets are in America's major airports (Because there is a huge disparity among the airports when it comes to power availability).

A few years back I was SO happy to see that the new Terminal C at the Raleigh-Durham airport (RDU) nearly EVERY seat in the waiting areas has at least one 110-volt outlet AND a USB charging port. I couldn't believe it! The point is that providing charging ports might not sound like a big deal to some people, but to others -- especially those who rely upon their devices for things like corporate e-mail -- it can spell the difference between a productive day and a disastrous waste of time.