Once you make your decision to become a Microsoft Zune owner, the next step is to start buying accessories.  You can't use just any old accessories with your Zune as they use their own connector.  The connector is a single straight row of pins, about 3/4" long.

I always like to have extra adapters for my devices.  I want to be able to charge them in the wall, in the computer, and in the car.  So I bought their 3-piece adapter kit.  This kit allows the Zune to be charged in any of those three modes.

Charging in the computer

Connecting your Zune to any running computer will allow it to charge.  Even if you don't have the Zune software loaded on that computer.  If you do have the Zune software running, then the device will also sync at the same time.   This accessory kit provides a retractable USB cord for this purpose.  Basically, there's a circular section in the middle of the cord around which two wires are wrapped.  The wire on the left ends in a USB connector. The wire on the right ends in Zune's proprietary connector.  So, plug the USB side into any running computer, and the other side into your Zune, and you'll start charging.  

Fully retracted, this device is about 4" long.  That's a nice, compact design, easy for travel, with no extra cord to tangle.   Need longer wires?  No problem!  Simply grab both ends and pull apart. The wires unroll themselves from the circle, allowing approximately 18" from one end to the other.  The wires are supposed to automatically rewrap themselves once there is no longer any pressure keeping them open.  This works fairly well, but not flawlessly.  Sometimes an extra tug or two is needed to get them to retract.  I'm always fearful that this device will break and the retraction will no longer work, but that hasn't happened yet.  Even with occasional snags, the wires still retract fully.

Charging in the wall

What if you're not near a computer, or your computer's not powered up, and you want to charge your Zune?  Use the wall charger.  In this accessory kit, the wall charger is a small receptacle that plugs into the wall, and has a USB input.  In other words, use the same retractable USB cord described above, but instead of plugging into your computer's USB slot, plug it into the wall adapter's USB slot.

Charging in the car

Charging in the car is convenient on long car trips.  In this case, there's a small unit that plugs into your car's 12-volt power outlet.  Once again, there's no cord with the adapter, only a USB slot.  Therefore, you must plug that same retractable USB cord into it. 


In all cases, I find the Zunes charge fairly quickly.  A graphic displays on their screen indicating charging status.


When it comes to charging in the wall or the car, you must have two items on hand.  The adapter itself, and the USB connector cord.  This two-plug design has its good points and bad.  The good news is that there are no messy, dangling cords.  Nothing to tangle.  The bad news is that you must remember to take both parts with you wherever you go.  If you get to the hotel and discover that you only took the wall adapter, not the USB cord, you're in trouble.  Same with the car charger.  You must always have two items in order to make a connection. 

This comes with an inherent problem as there is only one retractable cord in this kit.  Do you leave it by your computer for charging/syncing?  Or do you leave it in your car in case you find yourself on the road, needing a charge?  Or do you leave it near your wall adapter for easy access when charging at home?  That's the problem.  You really need three of the USB cords if you really want convenience.  In my case, I bought an extra USB cord, which I keep near the computer.  And the retractable one from this kit serves double duty between the wall charger and the car.  And, yes, there have been times when it wasn't where I needed it to be.

So, while I like the nice, neat look of the accessories in this kit, I feel it should have come with three retractable USB cords, instead of just one.  I would happily pay a little more for the convenience.  This kit is cheap enough (just a few bucks) that one could easily buy several kits so you'd have extra cords.  But it would have been so much better, if this three-adapter kit came with three cords.




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