Unfortunately, as our collection of consumer gadgetry increases, so does the number of different power charging cables piled up at the edge of the desk. Hong Kong's M&C Lighting t'Light desk lamps promise to help reduce the tangled mound by incorporating charging ports in the base. Each of the company's four models packs a USB charging port and comes supplied with multi-tip cables compatible with various brand mobile phones and notebooks. Two of them also have an integrated iPhone dock and a power outlet for notebooks, and there's one with built-in stereo speakers.
The original t'Light is itself powered from any 100–240V (50/60 Hz) outlet and has a standby draw of less than 1 W. The base has a built-in 30-pin charging dock for most iPhones, iPads and iPods, as well as an LED screen that displays output voltage, a button for selecting one of seven output voltages for the power outlet next to the USB charging port, and an on/off switch for the light. To avoid accidental voltage change, users are required to press the adjustment button for five seconds to unlock the feature.
The onboard charging technology benefits from short-circuit/thermal/over-voltage/current protection, and the t'Light is shipped with multi-tip connection cables for various brand mobile phones and notebooks. It's available from M&C Lighting's online store for US$119 (including shipping).
If you want to hear sounds from your docked iPod or iPhone then you'll need to opt for the t'Light S, which packs built-in stereo speakers into the angle-adjustable lamp casing. This model also features dimmable LED light output from 0 to 5 W and gains a 3.5-mm Aux-in port for connection of non-Apple players via the supplied audio cable.
It also has both a USB charging port and a 5 V/3 A power output port to the side of its base but also comes supplied with a remote control unit for the LED light and the docked iPhone or iPod.
The t'Light S is priced at US$169 (including shipping).
M&C Lighting has just announced two new energy-efficient additions to the range in the shape of the E Series. Suitable for both reading and task lighting, they feature a dimmable 250-lumen 5-W LED light, an Apple-approved USB charging port (5 V/2.1 A) for topping up an iPad, iPod, or iPhone, and a DC output port (5 V/3 A). Connection accessories are included and standby power consumption is less than 0.5 W.
The E1 model is priced at $119, while the E2 comes in a little cheaper at $99. The company reports that the Hong Kong Stock Exchange has ordered hundreds of t'Lights E Series desk lamps "for the purpose of enhanced business productivity."
It should be noted that owners of the latest generation iPads and iPhones will need to buy a separate USB-to-Lightning connection cable.
Source: M&C Lighting