REVIEWED: Moshi Xync USB cable + SIM holder
Need to store a couple of SIM cards as well as that annoying SIM removal tool? This handy device stores all that, plus gives you an Apple Lightning or Micro USB connector
International travel means carrying extra SIM cards. That’s not always the case, but unless you’ve got a generous voice, data and text plan in your home country that allows you to globally roam without being charged exorbitant rates (Three’s ‘Feel At Home’ deal in the UK is worth considering both as a travel SIM and a monthly deal), SIM cards are a vital part of most foreign business trips by savvy travellers.
Hidden compartment
Cue the Moshi Xync, which comes in two guises for Apple and Android phone owners (and also in either black or white). The feature we’re most excited about is the hidden compartment on the bottom of the device’ slide-off the roof and there are slots to store one Micro SIM card and one Nano SIM card. Remarkably, there’s also a custom slot for that tiny tool you get when you purchase a smartphone that lets you easily eject the SIM card cradle from the side of your phone. What a fabulous idea!
Push-out USB
Not losing your SIM card removal tool (TravGear used to store it in a wash kit) is a good enough reason for buying the Xync, but even if you’re not travelling with SIM cards this is a useful accessory. There’s a push-out USB connector for attaching to a laptop or wall charger, or portable battery, and a wraparound cable that terminates in with micro USB (for Android devices) and Apple Lightning (for iPhones and iPads).
Sizing-up
However useful the Xsync initially seems to be, we do have a couple of reservations. Firstly, the Apple Lightning version is a bit more expensive than the Micro USB version, which is slightly irritating if you are an iOS person (although maybe we should be used that by now!). We’re also slightly concerned about, (a) the very short length of the USB cable, and (b) the positioning of the push-out USB connector. It can make the Xync awkward to plug-in to a down-facing USB wall charger – this is a gadget that’s bullet-proof only with laptops and portable chargers.
Sturdy carabiner
It’s also worth noting that the Xync is perhaps a little too large to consider attaching to a keychain. In our tests, the built-in carabiner proved sturdy enough to clip onto the outside of a backpack, or a belt-loop, and that’s what we recommend you plan to do with it. If you travel with tech and SIM cards but you don’t want to load up on cables on every trip, Moshi’s Xync is a handy and, as far as we know, a unique option.