Travel Technology - Cell Phone and Power Adapaters for Europe

Hey everyone,

I'm going to be spending three weeks in Europe (UK, Ireland, France, Spain, and Italy) next month and had a couple questions. I'm going to bringing my iPod and will obviously need an adapter to charge it. I thought I remember apple selling one on their website but I couldn't find it.

My dad also wanted to get me a cell phone that I can use over there, any suggestions?

Thanks......

This may be a late reply, but if you are going to the UK first you might want to buy a voltage converter there, and good place to buy would be at a store called Curry's or Dixon's (same company). As for a phone, you'll probably want to buy it there also and get a Vodafone card, which can be done at CarphoneWharehouse, and Vodafone has the best coverage in Europe, in my experience. Also be aware of the the different plug outlets on the continent and in the UK.

I've had bad luck using adaptors with my mobile in the past, so I've just acquired the geographically pertinent chargers as need be.

I have the adaptors as well, but I'd rather get the country specific device for peace of mind.

People visiting both Rep of Ireland and the UK should note that prepaid mobile rates for an Irish phone roaming in the UK are generally much better than for a UK phone roaming in Ireland.

Some places in Italy have these three prong plugs that look like:

o o o

And the normal European plugs don't fit into them. (Also some UK chargers have plug (i.e., prong) arrangements that won't work in most places on the continent without a plug adaptor.) So far I've not picked up an adaptor to handle that " o o o " type plug.

Most cell phone chargers can handle 110-220/240v just fine. (Read the charger to know for sure). But you may need a plug adaptor so that the plug can fit into the socket.

I carry a Kensington plug adaptor with built-in fuses (i.e., like this http://us.kensington.com/html/7207.html )for items where the charger can handle 100/110/120-220/240v. I also carry a dual-voltage converter that can switch between handling 50W & 1600W to convert from 220/240v to 100/110/120v.

Some places in Italy have these three prong plugs that look like:

o o o

And the normal European plugs don't fit into them. So far I've not picked up an adaptor to handle that.You must be referring to these outlets: http://www.kropla.com/images/plug_l.gif

Most of them will accept a "normal" European [non-grounded] plug ...

If you have a laptop then get a USB charger

You must be referring to these outlets: http://www.kropla.com/images/plug_l.gif

Most of them will accept a "normal" European [non-grounded] plug ...

The ones in the public areas of some Italian airports and a number of Italian hotels in Italy wouldn't accept the standard plugs I use in the EU Schengen zone without a plug adaptor. Maybe I just got unlucky in Italy. :o

If you have a laptop then get a USB charger

The Kensington plug adaptor I noted above has a USB charger built-in. Works nicely as long as the battery on the laptop is good and/or as long as I can find a place to charge the laptop with one of the three plugs that I can use with the laptop charger brick.

Here's a bit about the various plug types that exist and where they may be used: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_AC_power_plugs_and_sockets

I think the Italian one -- in some places -- was a version of the Type L noted therein.

iPod travel kit (http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=M8794G/B#rev)

Would this be what I need? I might be better off getting something else though that will charge a cell phone as well?

Maybe I just got unlucky in Italy. :oWas the outlet recessed by any chance? If so, a simple adapter like http://www.boxwave.com/images_bw/products/thumbnails/plug_adapter_euro_lg.jpg (which can also be used in conjunction with the one you have) should do the trick ...

Was the outlet recessed by any chance? If so, a simple adapter like http://www.boxwave.com/images_bw/products/thumbnails/plug_adapter_euro_lg.jpg (which can also be used in conjunction with the one you have) should do the trick ...

I have a lot of those kind of adaptors along, interestingly enough to principally deal with recessed sockets, and I still couldn't get things to work. At some of the Italian hotels, the sockets were definitely recessed; at MXP landside I think they were too but don't quote me on that. (A number of the landside MXP sockets worked with different plugs, that being the more standard European ones, and I had no issues airside.)

Maybe I just had a bad day the last times. :o Next time I'm at MXP or the same hotels in Milan or Rome, I'll try again.

Was the outlet recessed by any chance? If so, a simple adapter like http://www.boxwave.com/images_bw/products/thumbnails/plug_adapter_euro_lg.jpg (which can also be used in conjunction with the one you have) should do the trick ...

This is an excellent suggestion. I've always used these while traveling.
it might be little challenging to use them in a 3 prong outlet, but
a pen cap can play the nice trick to make it work in those outlets.

And IIRC, the default chargers with most phones and IPOD these days
work from 100-240 volts (Check the specs carefully) if this is the case
you do not need to buy a voltage converter. Just the pin converters would do.

I have a lot of those kind of adaptors along, interestingly enough to principally deal with recessed sockets, and I still couldn't get things to work.

could be a few reasons.

1. those adapters come in two different widths. sometimes they can
on both types of outlets. but not always.

2. the socket may have an inbuilt safety feature.. some tab somewhere
that needs to be pressed before the pins could be inserted.

A plastic pen cap could come in handy at times.

3. Just a bad luck.. bad outlet.

could be a few reasons.

1. those adapters come in two different widths. sometimes they can
on both types of outlets. but not always.

2. the socket may have an inbuilt safety feature.. some tab somewhere
that needs to be pressed before the pins could be inserted.

A plastic pen cap could come in handy at times.

3. Just a bad luck.. bad outlet.

A combination of two or all three of those probably, but Item 2 definitely arose at some hotels.

For the best coverage in the EU, you need a phone with 900 and 1800mhz GSM. If you want a phone that gives you the maximum travel capacity at not to high a price, buy a quad band GSM phone. If you have a little extra money to pop, get one that also handles the 2100mhz band which will also give you coverage in Korea and Japan. That extra fequency also gives you access to high speed data throughout Europe and Asia. You also want to make sure that the phone is unlocked so that you can use any providers smart card ("sim").

The best resource on prepaid sims is prepaidgsm.net.

1. Check all of your current chargers to make sure they work on 100-240 volts. If not, you will need a voltage converter. Most things now are, but one of my GSM quad band "world phones" came with a 110 volt only charger, so I had to carry a converter. A small 50 watt one will be fine for charging phones and Ipods, but won't run a hair dryer or iron.

2. I have an "all-in-one' adapter that can do UK, central Europe, US, Austrailia and others. It is a big block with a sliding switch that will allow you to flip out different prongs. It works, but does not always seat well in sockets and can fall out. You can get one at Kmart, Walmart, Radio Shack and many other places.

3. You will need a tri or quad band GSM cell phone to work in Europe. You will also need to make sure you have international roaming enabled. Note your roaming rates will probably be high.

4. Ipod travel kit is probably overkill and expensive. You should be able to get by with the all-in-one option for around $10 or pick up individual adapters for each country (i think you will only need UK and central Europe) for a couple bucks each.

I now look for devices that charge on USB. My current cell phone and MP3 player do, so all I carry now is a central Europe plug for my laptop and a USB cable.

Where's the cheapest place to get adaptors and convertors? I don't want to buy one of those all in one kits because they have weird adaptors that I don't need and only one of the kind I DO need. I will have my laptop , cell, and an Ipod. Not sure what other "appliances" I will be bringing at this point. Will only be in Switzerland and France.

Where's the cheapest place to get adaptors and convertors? I don't want to buy one of those all in one kits because they have weird adaptors that I don't need and only one of the kind I DO need. I will have my laptop , cell, and an Ipod. Not sure what other "appliances" I will be bringing at this point. Will only be in Switzerland and France.

I generally get them from local chinatown or flee markets.
each costs about 50 cents. You can always get them online.

Where's the cheapest place to get adaptors and convertors? I don't want to buy one of those all in one kits because they have weird adaptors that I don't need and only one of the kind I DO need. I will have my laptop , cell, and an Ipod. Not sure what other "appliances" I will be bringing at this point. Will only be in Switzerland and France.
Ebay is good... another option is check with a hotel and see if they have any old lost and found chargers that were never claimed. That is how I have gotten RAZR chargers for every country.. lol

Thanks!

http://mfueldirect.com/home.php

Ebay is good... another option is check with a hotel and see if they have any old lost and found chargers that were never claimed. That is how I have gotten RAZR chargers for every country.. lol

Not a bad idea. Time for me to ask around since I have UK chargers that I really could surrender for a more mainstream European one. :D