Universal battery charger debuts for Apple laptops

FastMac on Friday announced its new U-Charge. It’s a universal battery charger for Apple laptops and it costs $69.95; it will ship within 30 days.

The U-Charge works with iBook, MacBook, MacBook Pro and PowerBook laptops. It operates by connecting directly to the battery’s terminals to recharge the battery’s power without needing the laptop involved at all. It’s rated at 45 watts.

The main housing of the U-Charge features battery indicator charge LEDs that operate the same way as the charge indicators found on Apple batteries. The device includes safety features to protect against overcharge, overheating, short circuits and power surges, and it weighs less than six ounces. Its dimensions match an Apple AC adapter.

The U-Charge comes in two colors, black and white. It also comes in two variants. The 10.8 volt model works with PowerBook G3, iBook G3/G4 12-inch, PowerBook G4 aluminum, MacBook and MacBook Pro models. A 14.4 volt version, coming soon, will work with clamshell-style iBooks, iBook G3/G4 14-inch models, and the PowerBook G4 Titanium 15-inch model.