With different plugs, voltages and outputs in different regions around the world, well-traveled globetrotters know the value of a versatile travel adapter. Many are designed with fuses to protect electronics from surges, but replacing them and lugging spares around can be a hassle. To lighten the load, Zendure has announced the Passport, a new travel adapter with an auto-resetting fuse built in.
Replaceable fuses are worth the effort if it means the difference between accidentally frying your laptop or not, but once it's blown, the adapter's all but useless until you swap it over. That means you either have to carry spares with you, or rush out to buy more when you need them.
The Passport is designed to do away with that issue with a built-in auto-resetting fuse. According to Zendure, the technology allows the device to automatically recover from a surge in under a minute, and do so as often as needed.
"Auto-resetting fuses are commonly seen in the aerospace industry, but it's never been applied to travel adapters before due to cost and size." says Roger Wu, CTO of Zendure. "It took us a long time and hundreds of experiments to finally be able to customize the perfect auto-resetting fuse at the right cost and size for our product."
Apart from that feature, the Passport is compatible with power outlets in over 150 countries. Each one extends out of the body of the device with the help of a set of sliders on the side, and Zendure stresses that the press-and-slide movement can be done with one hand, in case anyone's bothered by the idea of using both.
Output-wise, the Passport can deliver between 600 and 1,500 W of power through the main port, depending on which part of the world you're in. Phones, tablets and other devices can also be charged directly through the four USB ports on the side.
Zendure is currently seeking funding for the Passport on Kickstarter, and it's more than halfway to its US$30,000 goal, with 29 days remaining on the campaign. Pledges start at $35 for the device, which is due for delivery in September, if all goes to plan.
Check out the campaign video below.
Source: Zendure