Great for holiday movie making
I got my camera attached to a tripod and I place it in strategic locations about the house as the family is moving about doing their thing. I take short clips at various locations for editing later and I am able to film as many clips as I like without worrying about running down the batteries, which last a little over an hour without this.
The cord itself is a tiny bit awkward due to its length, but that's not really a problem given the huge benefit it provides. And the block is very light so it is easy to carry if you need to move the camera to a different outlet.
Essential Accessory
I think it's a MUST HAVE addition for your Canon A550. Now the camera itself doesn't burn batteries quickly, even rechargeable ones, but then you would like the flexibility of having uninterrupted power.
A Must Have Item
Even if you have rechargeable batteries and a charger, this is a good item to have. If you are like me you are going to spend a lot of time attaching your camera to your computer and trying new and interesting things with your pictures. The AC adapter simply allows me to not worry about running down my batteries and I don't need to keep recharging my batteries often so when I am out taking pictures I always have an extra set of batteries that are fully charged. The only con I can see and this is not with the product but with the description is that this adapter also works with the Canon A550 which isn't listed even though this is the exact adapter recommended by Canon for the A550.
Excellent
Glad I found this item on the net. fits my Canon PowerShot A460 excellently and works perfectly. If only it could store power so I could take it along with me wherever I go.
Great buy
Bought this adapter to reduce my use of batteries--especially when downloading to computer. Not sure if I'll buy rechargable batteries. This has worked great for me. Best price too.