Charger Management ... We have a Problem!

Our family is not into too many electronic gadgets, but we do have our share. In fact, if I ask my kids, where we do rank in terms of coolness among their peers and friends, they simply reply, "Last!". Any ways, even with what we have, as we were getting ready to pack for travel, I looked at the stuff we wanted to carry

1. Nintendo DS (two for two girls) and the chargers
   
2. My cell phone charger
   
3. Wife cell phone charger
   
4. Digital camera charger
   
5. Camcorder charger
   
6. iPod charger
   
7. Laptop charger
   

And there were other gadgets I used my veto power to exclude. If we took one look at the gadgets, their chargers and the wires that go with them, it was just shocking -- what our lives have become. Things havent become simple ... When we made the Rameshwaram trip with my grandma when I was 10, I dont think we had any of these devices and the trip is still fresh in my memory! But the problem is not the gadgets (may be to some extent), but the incompatible chargers they require. Even if you use USB to charge, the laptop is needed and the wire-ends are not uniform. So, you will end up carrying multiple wires. In fact, different Canon cameras require different batteries and different chargers, and you cannot use USB to charge the batteries. I wonder about their business model ... Just drives me mad.

Regulation is the answer and I hope the Government steps up. The companies are not changing their products to make it easier. Luckily Europe is leading the way and I read this news recently ...