Power up: How to keep mobile devices juiced

By the time you plug in your cell phone and MP3 player most vehicles have run out of places to power other accessories. Drivers lack a convenient way to power up myriad devices so often brought along for the ride—passenger cell phone, game console, portable TV set, PDA, laptop computer, satellite radio receiver and GPS navigational device.

There's a convenient answer, however.

Power inverters can turn your car into a convenient and safe docking station. They allow you to add multiple devices into a single power strip without causing the vehicle's battery to go dead.

"Every device manufacturer has developed their own battery types and chargers," said Lawrence Neill, director of product management for Xantrex. "A power strip is a universal solution and you can plug in any device with a two-prong plug."

Xantrex is an international supplier of energy management products for companies such as Duracell. According to Neill, demand for mobile power supply has grown in parallel with the proliferation of mobile devices, especially cell phones and laptops.

Power strips for your vehicle come in a variety of shapes and sizes. All of them plug into the ubiquitous cigarette lighter found in the front and rear seats of most vehicles.

"They're not called cigarette lighters anymore," Neill said. "They're known as 'power ports.'"

Inverters supply a constant stream of power to recharge mobile devices while your vehicle is running and even when it isn't. Sensors built into most inverters keep them from draining a vehicle battery and leaving you stranded.

"There's no chance of damaging your