Is it preferable to charge your iPod via a wall charger? (1 Viewer)

[Scott_lb]

I'm not sure which area to post this question in but I'd like to know if someone can shed some light on an iPod-related question: A few days ago I purchased a 60GB iPod video and was told by the sales associate that you can actuallyd damage the lithium ion battery by only using the USB cable included with the unit. According to him, the unit isn't able to fully charge via said method and, therefore, you are much better off by purchasing an actual power adapter (i.e., so you can plug your iPod into a wall outlet to charge). This unit costs roughly $35.00 and I am going to return it if it really isn't necessary (I haven't opened it yet). Can anyone confirm or disconfirm what the sales associate said?

Thanks!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Sounds like the sales associate was trying to sell you an accessory. I charge my 4th generation 40GB iPod via USB quite often (I also use the wall charger that came with the unit sometimes) and have had no issues. I've owned the iPod for about 1.5 years.

 

[NateS]

While I don't have experience with the 60GB model, my 4GB Mini charges on the USB cable, because I don't have a wall adapter. It charges fully, and works fine...

 

[Andrew Pratt]

I've never heard that and given that its a lithium battery anyway it shouldn't matter even if it were a problem

 

[Ronn.W]

Yeah, I think the guy was giving you a tall tale. There's nothing mentioned about it in the manual or on Apple's site, either. I have both a wall charger and USB cradle, I don't see any difference in the charge.

 

[Jongyoon Lee]

Charging iPod through USB port draws significant amount of current from the computer. I was daily charging my iPod shuffle plugged into my iBook. When shuffle was plugged in I felt the laptop would run noticeably hotter, and the laptop fan would come on more often even when the computer was idle. After a few month the laptop developed a strange problem with the disk and the fan, most likely heat related. That's the last thing you want to happen, given the laptop is much more expensive than the iPod. If you do charge the iPod through powered USB port, keep an eye on the state of the computer.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

As someone who worked in retail sales, I can honestly tell you it is a spiel to sell an attachment. When I bought my iPod, they told me the same thing. I replied that I did not need it because I already had a USB charger that plugged into the wall. He said it was not the right one and I had to buy the Apple one. I asked him what the difference was and he said "the Apple one is a different voltage." I asked him if every computer USB port that I could plug the iPod into is able to charge it, why would they make the plug-in one any different? He said "I don't know, they just tell us we have to sell these things."

Case closed

 

[Richard Travale]

Ha ha ha, I love it.

The only reason I'm buying the wall charger is because I'm going to be doing a lot of travelling in the next while and the wall charger is the only way I can recharge the battery while I'm away.

 

[Bobby T]

If that were the cae Apple would be opening themselves to a lawsuit since they included the wall chargers with all previous units. and make no mention that a wall charger is needed in the manual.