Last month , I keen the lack of third - political party power accessary compatible with the MagSafe connector on Apple ’s current laptops . manifestly , the MagSafe connexion is patented technology and Apple has thus far not licensed the exercise of that technology to other vendors .
As I observe in that article , this is unfortunate because it means products such asKensington ’s slim AC / DC power adaptersandiGo ’s juice70 — which lease you use a individual power transcriber with several twist ; file multiple twist at the same time ; and work with AC wall outlets , railroad car accessory jacks , andairline - seat ( EmPower ) DC power ports — are antagonistic with MacBooks and MacBook Pros . As are products such asLind ’s power packs , which offer up to 8 hours of power . ( Apple’sMagSafe Airline Adapteris available , but it does n’t puzzle out with automobile mightiness jacks and it tally yet another piece of gear wheel to your laptop bag . )
Soon after writing that article , I received an email from Mike Lee ( a.k.a . , Mikegyver ) ofMCT , Inc. , inform me that his company provides versions of the Kensington and iGo products that boast MagSafe connective . How ? By harvesting Apple ’s AC adapters for the MagSafe connexion itself and then grafting that connector onto the third - political party power product . Since MCT is using Apple ’s own part — and getting that part from an adapter purchased from Apple — the companionship is n’t infringing on Apple ’s patent . The downside to this approach is that MCT ’s versions of products are more expensive , since each expect the purchase of Apple ’s AC adapterandthe desired superpower add-on .
MCT assembles these hybrid cables by hand — most are produced by Mike himself — and I was impressed by the professional appearance . Although the true tryout of any cable is how well its “ joints ” hold up over time , the MCT cable length feels quite sturdy . The society offer up a 90 - day warrantee on all products it produces , although Mike told me that he ’s been “ jazz to continue to sustain [ his ] drug user after that time period . ” ( The Kensington and iGo products , which are n’t alter by the procedure , admit their original one - yr and two - year manufacturer warranties , severally . )
When I plugged the MagSafe - ified Kensington adaptor into either a received AC outlet or the accessory ( “ cigarette lighter ” ) jack in my car , my MacBook Pro was power as expect . ( alas , I did n’t have any plane trips planned , so I could n’t screen the frame-up with an airplane office porthole , but I expect it would forge just ok , give that the Kensington adapter ’s airline and car connexion use the same attachment . ) As an added incentive , the usage of Apple ’s own line adds another 40 inches to the length of the Kensington adapter ’s own cord , give you flock of range when plugging in at habitation or on - the - go . The only odd behavior I experienced is that after unplugging the MagSafe connector from my MacBook Pro , the connection ’s gullible light stayed get off for thirty second base or so ; a Q&A page on MCT ’s vane internet site claims this is normal behavior when using the MagSafe connector with some third - party adapters .
As I mention above , the magnanimous drawback of MCT ’s MagSafe products isprice . For example , MCT ’s MagSafe reading of Kensington ’s 120 Watt AC / car / airplane adapter is currently on sale for $ 210 ( normally $ 230 ) . But keep in mind that MCT has to buy both the $ 140 Kensington adapterandApple ’s $ 79 MagSafe Power Adapter in rescript to build the hybrid product . Similarly , the MagSafe interlingual rendition of the iGo juice70 is $ 200 , but requires that MCT obtain the $ 120 juice70 and Apple ’s adapter . have sex this does n’t make the MCT production any more affordable , but at least you know where most of the cost comes from . And one of these universal adapter does n’t be much more than buying disjoined travel adapter for AC and DC .
The cable I try sells for $ 110 ( although you also involve the N2 tip if you do n’t already have it , which is another $ 10 ) , but if you beam your original , in - good - term MagSafe adapter — which you presumably no longer need — to MCT afterwards , the company will return you $ 65 . ( MCT will employ the MagSafe connexion / cable from your adapter for the next customer , which is why it must be in good condition . )
MCT also offers their own AC / railroad car / airplane power kit for $ 145 ( $ 60 if you return your own adapter ) , as well as a bit of other combination of arranger - changeover and MagSafe power packages , too many to name here . The party even extend a $ 10 do - it - yourself manual of arms for those skilled in wiring and bonding . Suffice it to say that if you ’re desperate for MagSafe supplement , MCT believably offers something that will worry you . And if you ’re a route warrior who require the convenience of a universal power adapter for your MagSafe - equipped laptop computer , MCT ’s products are currently the only plot in town .
