Lind Electronics, Inc.

SRP:	$99.95
What’s Hot:	Convenient, works well, comes with carry pouch
What’s Not:	Somewhat bulky, somewhat expensive

One of the oldest PowerBook-oriented companies out there is Lind
Electronics, based out of Minneapolis. Years ago, I owned their dual
battery pack for 5xx-series PowerBooks. It looked like someone had
chopped-off the front end of a 540c and grafted a power cord onto it.
Appearances aside, it worked very well. Lind is still here, and still
cranks out power packs and adapters for a slew of Mac and Windows-based
laptops. Their latest offering is the Auto/Airline Adapter for the
PowerBook G3. While somewhat pricey and
unwieldy compared to similar adapters from other vendors, this is still a
handy, helpful accessory ideal for most road warriors.

The device itself measures 5.25″x2.5″x1.25″ and comes in a rugged, metal
and rubber power brick. There are two, detachable connector cables: one
for autos and another for airplane in-seat connectors. The auto connector
cable features a green LED to indicate the adapter is drawing power. This
is particularly handy since some cars require the ignition to be turned for
the cigarette lighter to work. The light eliminates guesswork: if it’s on,
so is your PowerBook.

The power brick and connector cables all fit inside an included, zippered
carry pouch. All components are in “PowerBook black”. Although the colors
clash somewhat, the adapter also works fine with iBooks (no idea if a
translucent auto/air adapter is in the works). Additionally, it can be
used with 3400, 2400, and 1400-series PowerBooks. Lind provides ample
documentation for the adapter, as well.

It’s a little odd that Lind elected to use the “two cable” approach, rather
than just having the auto adapter hard-wired to the power brick, with a
standard air adapter that fits over the cigarette lighter plug of the auto
adapter. It seems like one more cable to misplace. Then again, I suppose
that’s what the carry pouch is for.

Testing the Auto/Air Adapter was an experience. I drove my Ranger out to
some farmlands, flanked on either side by an endless sea of fledgling corn
fields. Once I got to an area where I could no longer see civilization, I
plugged my Wallstreet into the Auto/Air Adapter, and the Auto/Air Adapter
into the spare outlet in my truck. According to the
manual, it doesn’t matter which is plugged-in first. Lind’s adapter performed well in the hour or so I was there. The
cord is a bit short, so while using it I was basically tethered to my seat,
but this wasn’t a huge inconvenience. The adapter got slightly warm at the
end — but only warm. This was nowhere close to the usual skin-burning
heat my Wallstreet gives off after an hour of resting on my lap.
Curiously, Lind’s adapter also emits a faint whirring sound. It’s
generally unnoticeable unless you’re in a very quiet area and, as such, is
also not a big deal.

Starting and stopping the engine produced no discernible effect on either
the adapter or the PowerBook. The same applied to turning on the
headlights and stereo, repeatedly hot-swapping the PowerBook batteries, and
putting the PowerBook to sleep. Lind does not recommend using the adapter
while simultaneously jump-starting another car. Additionally, using the
adapter in conjunction with a dual-recepticle lighter adapter isn’t
advised, as those devices typically aren’t adequately shielded against high
temperatures.

An L-connector for the cable end that plugs into the PowerBook would’ve
been nice, rather than the standard, straight one. This would’ve allowed
my PowerBook to charge while still in its case, which could be handy for
those needing to charge their systems — but not necessarily use them –
while en route to an airport or other battery dependent location. This is
a common problem for most PowerBook adapters, though, including Apple’s own.

Speaking of airports, I had been looking forward to “air testing” the
adapter on a pending trip to Providence. However, a quick phone call to US
Airways confirmed that none of the four planes involved with my flight had
air connector outlets. The attendant I spoke with mentioned that US
Airways, and many other airlines, are slowly converting much of their
existing fleet to accommodate laptop users. For now, though, only their
AirBus class of planes have such connectors preinstalled. On a whim, I
also called United and Southwest. Their message was similar to US Airways:
air connectors are “coming soon” to the majority of their respective
fleets.

As good as Lind’s adapter is, they are facing some stiff competition from
Madsonline. Last week, Madsonline released a similar auto/air adapter,
only it’s somehow “brickless”. Apparently Madsonline’s adapter is also a
bit less expensive, too, coming in at $69 to Lind’s $99. However, Lind may
well have Madsonline bested in terms of voltage protection.

Lind’s Auto/Air Adapter offers numerous power management and voltage
regulation capabilities. Voltage is noise and spike filtered, and output
overvoltage is controlled. Additionally, the adapter will automatically
shut down if the input is too low, if the internal temperature is too high,
or if there is a short circuit. In all cases, the adapter then
automatically resets itself after several seconds. These features protect
both the adapter and the PowerBook.

In view of recent offerings from Madsonline, Lind may want to consider
reducing both the SRP and form factor slightly. However, the extensive
voltage regulation features of Lind’s product represent piece of mind that
more than compensates for price or size differences. Simply put, the Lind
Auto/Air Adapter functions well while simultaneously protecting your
PowerBook. It represents a sturdy and convenient accessory for anyone
constantly “on the go” with their system.

Now if I can just find a plane with an air connector…

Note: Although not specifically related to the Auto/Air Adapter review
above, an interesting thing to note about Lind itself is that the company
is entirely Mac-based. This includes all manufacturing, publishing,
sales, schematics, accounting, and related areas. Interesting.

Filed under: Reviews