Don Lindich | Tribune News Service (TNS)

Vimifuso charger proves its worth: I recommended the Vimifuso 140W USB charger as a gift idea last year. I’ve had a chance to use mine for several months now and have been so pleased I feel I did not do it justice before, so I am correcting that now.

So many devices we depend on every day need USB charging, including headphones, Bluetooth speakers, computers, household gadgets of all types and, of course, tablets and phones. The six-port Vimifuso makes charging them so very easy, all from a single device, and it offers other benefits I did not fully appreciate until I had more experience with it. It also checks all the quality and safety boxes with FCC, UL and CE certification, which makes recommending it even easier.

Vimifuso USB Charger. (Don Lindich/TNS)

I love that it uses an AC cord to connect to the wall, and is not a heavy, bulky device with retractable prongs that is prone to fall off the wall socket. Plug the cord into the wall, connect the charger and you are ready to go. I travel quite a bit and this has proven especially handy in hotel rooms. I have enough cord to put the charger on the nightstand or on the bed with me, and then my USB charging cables extend the reach so I can keep my devices close at hand. There is also no worry about yanking the charger off the wall when picking up the phone or tablet. It is a sinking feeling when you are at a trade show and wake up to a phone at 10% rather than 100% because charging stopped. That never happens with the Vimifuso.

There are four USB-C ports and two standard USB-A ports, so it is unlikely you will ever experience a situation the Vimifuso cannot handle. This versatility has paid off in ways I did not expect. I was with a friend who was using his MacBook to catch up on emails as I charged my iPad and he said, “Darn, I am about to run out of power and I forgot my cord.” Looking at the MacBook and seeing the USB-C power port, I said, “I’ve got you covered” and connected the Vimifuso’s 65-watt USB-C port to his MacBook with a USB-C cable. My friend looked at the charger and said, “What is that thing? Something tells me I have to get one.” He travels even more than me, and he has one now too.

The Vimifuso charger sells on Amazon, and when I decided to revisit it I was expecting to recommend it at the $45 price. When I checked Amazon it was 30% off with a checkbox coupon, which I hope holds for a while for the sake of anyone who wants one. For about $30 you will be a very happy camper, especially if you travel, charge lots of devices or have multiple family members charge their phones from a single outlet or charger.

Q. We disconnected from cable TV and installed an antenna. The TV is fine, but there is no way to access a guide to see what programs are broadcast, or what channel or times. We would also like the ability to record. Can you recommend something to remedy our problem?

—R.G., Sheboygan, Wisconsin

A. There are multiple HDTV tuners available that will record on a USB flash or hard drive. I have used the Mediasonic HomeWorx models successfully for years, and they feature an on-screen program guide. The free phone and tablet app TV Listings Plus is phenomenal and I highly recommend it to TV fans. Learn more about TV Listings Plus at guidepluslabs.com.

(Contact Don Lindich at www.soundadvicenews.com and use the “submit question” link on that site.)

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