ITWire

Back in February this year, I published an article entitled “How to charge your iPad faster with the white plug or your Windows PC”.

In short, this article explained that your iPad and iPhone’s official Apple white charger might look the same, but are different, with the iPhone/iPod charger supplying 5w of power, while the iPad charger supplies 10w of power, and is specifically listed as a 10w device on the fine print listed on the side.

The print is so small, and so many people don’t know there is a difference, that they accidentally use iPhone/iPod chargers to charge their iPads, and then wonder why charging takes hours longer than they remember when they were first using the proper iPad charger.

I suggested marking the iPad charger with a permanent marker, or placing a sticker on it or something, anything so that you could instantly visually identify which white charger it is that you should be using.

However, this problem did not fix the issue of the vast majority of Windows PCs being completely unable to charge the iPad – and only sync data to and from it instead.

So, I directed readers to a fantastic free Windows app from motherboard maker ASUS known as AI Charger, which promised faster charging not only of your iOS devices by around 50%, but also, for the first time, allowed you to use your standard sync cable to charge iPads from most Windows PC USB ports, with the software tested successfully on a range of Windows desktops and laptops, not all of which had ASUS motherboards.

That information is unchanged, with the ASUS free AI Charger software available here, as it has been since 2010.

However, hardware has now caught up with the AI Charger software, with PADACS' Rapid Charge cable delivering 25% faster charging for iOS devices while allowing Windows PCs to charge iPads too – whether the ASUS Ai Charger software is installed or not – with Macs already able to charge iPads by USB without additional software.

In addition, there may well be a double whammy super-charging effect when both the completely separate AI Charger software and PADACS Rapid Charge cable are used together, although this is something I have not been able to test as yet and definitely look forward to doing so the minute the review PADACS Rapid Charge cable arrives in my post box.

What we do know is that PADACS is selling its Rapid Charge cable for AUD $19.95 on a global basis, letting you use anyone’s Windows PC to charge your iPad when required, alongside that promised 25% speed charging boost for “iOS devices”.

PADACS CEO Raaj Menon naturally explained that his new Rapid Charge cable and faster recharge rate “was ideal for people on the move”, noting that “If you need to recharge your iPad in a taxi or on a long flight, the Rapid Charge cable can make all the difference”.

There’s also the fact that PADACS’ super-fast USB charging cable has a “convenient colour-coded status light, showing blue for the power-on state with access to data; green for a Rapid Charge Rate (with no data access) and red to display an over-current or high temperature warning.”

So, while the AI Charger software is certainly one way to charge your iPad from your Windows PC, you certainly won’t be able to install this software on every Windows PC you use when you need a rapid charge, but you will be able to genuinely upgrade your iPad cable for the first time to be one that is truly more useful and capable than the one supplied by Apple.

You can find more details and worldwide pre-ordering info from the PADACS website, while the Rapid Charge cable will also be available from “selected resellers throughout Australia", with availability to commence from July 25. 

Happy fast charging!