The udoq is a docking station for charging multiple mobile devices all at the same time. Designed in Germany, the udoq is a sleek, extruded aluminum shelf--a single rail designed to cradle all your devices in a row with a backrest to prop up them up so you can see and operate them while plugged in.
For review, I was sent the udoq 400. It's 400-mm long and will accommodate three phones and a single iPad or tablet. The udoq 250 model has the smallest footprint and will charge up to four smart phones or one phone and one tablet. There are also the longer udoq 550 and the largest udoq 700 models that'll take care of a tablet and six smartphones plus an Apple iPod! The 700 is great for large families and/or as a communal charging station for office workers!
My udoq 400 came with four charging cables: an iPhone, a 30-pin cable for older iPads, micro USB and a USB-C plug for Androids. Of course, any regular induction plate or Apple Watch charger can be added or you can use your existing cables for the devices you already own. So you can charge Apple devices, Androids or anything with an micro USB socket like I do with my Shure Bluetooth Remote + Mic Earphones, two rechargeable flash lights and a Bluetooth speaker.
All charging cables snap into adjustable adapters that slide in a track that spans the entire length of the udoq--you can adjust the spacing to accommodate different sized devices. Furthermore, each docking cable can be adjusted in height to allowing for any case or bumper protecting your device. You can order your udoq already custom-configured for your own unique collection of devices at udoq.com/configurator/.
Powering the udoq is a powerful, 50-watt power supply with five USB sockets. All the charging cables thread underneath and into the back of the udoq and then plug into this power supply. My only complaint here is that the cables are 1.5-m long--much too long and I had to cram them inside of the udoq's rear compartment. However, a nice cover snaps on that hides everything with only the AC power cable coming out.
In addition to replacing all your individual USB chargers, the udoq is proving to be a great organizing element in my office! I routinely have an iPad, iPhone X and various devices charging from Micro USB plugs all at the same time. I like the look of the udoq 400 with its non-slip, non-scratch stable base and the way I can store and use all my devices without them sliding around.
If you're running out of desktop space, there are wall-mounting kits available for all four udoq versions that put this whole rig up on the wall for easy access. The udoq 400 (as tested) sell from $147 to $168 MSRP. But check out udoq.com/shop-2/
Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer who has worked on over 30 gold and platinum records. He has recorded and/or mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and more. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and loves teaching audio engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. He is a lifetime Grammy-voting member of NARAS and a contributing editor for Mix Magazine. barryrudolph.com.
