Over past few years, the market for music players and portable devices seems to have changed. While I would have thought more people would have moved to a single portable device to do everything -- play your music, make your cell phone calls and watch your multimedia, to name a few -- it just doesn't seem to be that way despite all the great all-in-one gadgets that are coming out.

Instead, with the notable exception of people who can afford an iPhone and are willing to use AT&T cellular service, I'm seeing a noticeable movement in carrying multiple devices. My college-age son and my high school-age daughter, for instance, prefer to carry an iPod and a cell phone, instead of a cell phone with an integrated music player.

It's a testament to how well Apple has made its devices the must-have items on the shelf; but it also creates an issue for consumers with multiple devices: how to keep all these devices charged and ready to use. Each separate device takes an outlet; and you often have to carry multiple chargers to keep your devices charged. Multiple family members with cell phones and music devices in a hotel room pose a particular challenge, because the electrical outlets are never convenient, if there are enough in the room.

There are a number of multiple charger devices that let you plug in to the wall outlet once. Charge4All is a unique version of these devices in that it is a charging mat. Charge4All allows you to plug up to four devices into its tube shaped receptacle, and get them ready for the next day. It doesn't take up lots of extra space with fancy wood or large docking pods. It's just a thin, lightweight tube, about ??-inch wide by 4 inches long. The tube is attached to a silicone mat that serves as a surface on which to place your phones or iPods. There's enough room for three or four on it, depending on the size of your devices, and it rolls up nicely, so it doesn't have to take up the full 8 inches by 7 inches on your counter and fits nicely into almost any carrying bag or briefcase.

The Charge4All attaches to your phones or music player using charging adapters. For $30, it comes with adapters for iPod/iPhone, microUSB, miniUSB, LG phones and Samsung SCH models. If you need other types or have multiple devices that need the same adapter, you have to buy them for $5 each -- not a bad price compared with the price of buying stand-alone charger cords.

You don't even need a travel case, because you can roll the adapters inside the silicon mat when you roll it up for travel. It closes using a Velcro set attached to the mat.

The designers of Charge4All included some nice touches, such as the ability to charge using your car electrical outlet (a.k.a. cigarette lighter). You'll need a $15 adapter to do it. This adapter smartly uses USB on the cord; so the same cord plugs your Charge4All into your PC to get the charge from there.

Unlike most of the other multiple charging devices I've seen, Charge4All also has an on/off switch and indicator light. Its AC plug takes up only one outlet, an important design issue in these days of too many electrical devices.

Since many mp3 players and phones no longer come with chargers as standard equipment (iPods among them), Charge4All would be a good choice instead of buying the charger made by the manufacturer, because for a similar price, you'll get lots more flexibility and utility.

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