Last year we burned out one cell phone trying to recharge it (with an adapter!)--is there a different kind of adapter necessary for cell phones? Switzerland and Italy to be visited. We have Razrs.

treble. Click on my name and see that I asked a question about adaptors and cell phones and some pretty knowlegable people answered.

Hope this helps.

I'm posting to flag this because I was always told that most phones are dual voltage and will adjust with the current. I confess I haven't been brave enough to try it.

I found Sher's thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34801905

Are you renting a car? As far as I know, the car chargers (cigarette lighter socket) are universal.

1. an adapter is just a plug with different prongs
2. a converter or a transformer are 'blocks' that act on the electrical current

Most cell phones have chargers that are dual-voltage*, therefore you only need the plug adapter. I have charged up a Sony Ericsson and a Nokia using only plug adapters.
* it will indicate "110-240" or something very close.

Just check the raised print of your charger. If you see something like "1a0/240" it is dual voltage. If not, you can easily find a dual voltage charger for your model phone with a web search. Then, all you need is an adapter plug.

In Florence, I charged my phone with only an adapter, no problem. In Venice, it wouldn't charge, no matter what outlet I used, it just wouldn't turn on; it didn't burn it out, it just didn't work at all.