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What To Do With All of My Gadget Chargers?
Posted by
kdawson
on Wed Aug 27, 2008 04:46 AM
from the visa-or-mastercard dept.
from the visa-or-mastercard dept.
legoman666 writes "On my desk I have chargers for the following gadgets: Nokia N810, LG Chocolate, Sony Ericcson Z310a, Canon Powershot SD1000, Cowan iAudio X5L, Lenovo Thinkpad, Logitech MX1000 and my Nintendo DS. Not a single pair of them share a similar connector. I have two power strips whose singular purpose is to energize these chargers. My question to Slashdot is: How do you organize all of your different chargers? Please, share your secrets."
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Insomnia (Score:5, Funny)
I organize mine alphabetically by manufacturer. It gives me something to do on the nights that I can't sleep.
But no matter how sleep-deprived I am, I would never submit such drivel to slashdot, nor, were I an editor, would I post it.
Re:Insomnia (Score:4, Informative)
Organizing those dongles is beyond human efforts. The only real way to deal with those stupid things is to have a tray beneath the rear of the desk to keep their power strips hidden. Then run the wires underneath the desktop and fish the ends up through a hole near where you will plug in the gimmicks that use them.
Every time I look at mine I feel guilty for not having a smoke alarm hanging above them.
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Re:Insomnia (Score:4, Funny)
Getting a USB port installed in your body also seems like a drastic step.
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Serious issue! (Score:5, Insightful)
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Funny)
It does raise a serious issue of why the flying fuck in the sky don't gadgets simply have the same bloody connectors for charging? There's no excuse!
Your question takes two steps to solve. First, hold shift. Second, press 4.
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Funny)
First, hold shift. Second, press 4.
I have a French keyboard, you insensitive clod!
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Funny)
I have a better idea -- First, hold Alt. Second, press F4. Thanks!
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Informative)
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Insightful)
Boost/Buck converters negate those factors.
E.g. phones which can charge over USB dont use 5v batteries.
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Interesting)
Yes, AT THE MOMENT.
There's no reason why gadgets can't be designed around a particular voltage - look at all the stuff you can buy which plugs into car cigarette lighters.
Being forced to use 12V doesn't seem to slow anybody down.
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Interesting)
China has already mandated USB charging for all new mobile phones [slashgear.com]
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Informative)
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:4, Insightful)
One would assume that the manufacturer's motivations remain where they "should" be, to insure profit. If you lose or break a charger, or if it just plain fails, you can either order another one from the manufacturer for some unreasonable amount, or you can buy a whole new unit. I've had to buy a whole new unit on several occasions.
The packs are almost always marked for voltage and polarity, but the hardware rarely is. (the packs are probably required by UL to be marked) So if you lose the pack you have no idea what the requirements are to replace it yourself. Experimenting is very likely to lead to smoking the equipment. (see first point, I'm sure they're very satisfied with this possibility)
Most larger airports have a shop that sells a variety of fixed packs and universal packs for travelers that have forgotten to pack the cord to their gadget, cordless razors in particular. I'd be interested to see some input from one of those employees.
USB only supplies 5vDC nominal, and not at terribly high current, so I don't think that would make a good universal standard. Firewire would be a better choice for current and voltage, but it can vary between what, +12 and +24 or something like that, and isn't nearly as popular to begin with so that's probably also out.
Many of my toys are 12vDC, of the round pin variety. Polarity is totally random, as is size of the center pin, but many are compatible. If they're going to standardize, this is probably where to go.
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Interesting)
One would assume that the manufacturer's motivations remain where they "should" be, to insure profit. If you lose or break a charger, or if it just plain fails, you can either order another one from the manufacturer for some unreasonable amount, or you can buy a whole new unit. I've had to buy a whole new unit on several occasions.
When a charger I own breaks or get lost I stroll to the nearest hotel and asks if they got one of the model I need. The hotels are very happy to get rid of them since they usually have bins full of chargers that people have left in their rooms and never claimed.
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Informative)
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Interesting)
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Informative)
USB would actually be a good charger standard, for that matter. It works for some phones and cameras (though Moto perverted the spec for the RAZR -- this should be avoided as it is deliberate proprietariness and that's bullshit).
Anyway, how about some answers? Over at the Gawker Media site Lifehacker [lifehacker.com], there [lifehacker.com] have [lifehacker.com] been [lifehacker.com] a [lifehacker.com] few [lifehacker.com] suggestions [lifehacker.com].
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Informative)
Well, in some ways many HAVE agreed on a charger standard - and it's USB!
Manufacturers are starting to realize that charging from standard USB ports is less likely to sell "add-ons" like chargers, but FAR more likely to sell the devices themselves due to issues such as this.
Even my new Motorola Talkabout FRS radios have Mini-USB ports for the sole purpose of charging.
Unfortunately manufacturers haven't quite standardized on how to handle "dumb" chargers without violating the USB specification. USB devices are not permitted to draw more than 100 mA without negotiating with a PC for more current. So a manufacturer has three choices:
1) Violate the USB specification (can't put the USB logo on your packaging)
2) Figure out some way to signal the presence of a "dumb" charger to the device, allowing it to draw more than 100 mA (sometimes even more than 500) when connected to such a charger. There's a de facto standard for Mini-USB plugs - There's a pin that is not connected in normal USB operation that "dumb charger" plugs will usually ground. If a device sees that this pin is grounded it will draw as much current as it can. I know these cables can be used with, at the least, Holux GPS receivers, HTC PDAs, and I believe most new Motorola phones and FRS radios. Unfortunately you cannot have a single cable that will both communicate and "dumb charge" from one of those wallwarts that has a USB Type A jack.
3) Limit current to 100 mA (this is unsatisfactory for many devices)
4) Wait for USB 3.0 - Supposedly USB 3.0 has taken this whole issue into consideration.
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Re:Because chargers cost $0.99 to make (Score:5, Insightful)
Ahhh... but say you want the car charger? That'll be an extra $25. They find ways to make money on sales of these things. If all devices used USB, you wouldn't have these charges.
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Re:Serious issue! (Score:5, Insightful)
All devices should have over-voltage protection by default. Even if the device you are manufacturing comes with a super-wahzoo psu that is absolutely limited to 5Vdc output, your device should be able to handle 30Vdc and not have a problem. Simple electronics design, not complicated rocket science. Varistors are cheap. Resetable surface mount fuses are cheap. Voltage regulators are cheap.
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USB is the answer (Score:5, Insightful)
Simple.
Chuck all the stupid crap toys you have that use proprietary connectors.
I have made a decision: In the small electronics area, I will ONLY buy devices that use the mini-USB style connectors. I flatly refuse to buy anything that cannot be charged or connected via USB to my PC, or a USB base station.
Yes, this does mean that I will miss out on some "hot" tech items. For example, I do not have an iPhone. Why? Not because I think it's a bad device or because I cannot afford it. I think iPhones are very nice and I can certainly afford to buy one. I don't have an iPhone because it uses a 30 pin proprietary dock connector. The means that I would have to buy all sorts of expensive connecting devices from Apple that I have no intention of spending money on like a moron.
The same goes with most other phones. I selected my Motorazr cell phone because I can charge it with a USB connector. I selected my Creative Zen MP3 player because I can charge it with a USB connector (the same one I charge my phone with) Should the need for any other small devices come along, I will select the one I can recharge with a USB connector. If no devices have that option, I will forgo the device altogether. NO device is so important that I should have to clutter my life with useless connectors and chargers, when a simple mini usb 2.0 connector will do everything these idiotic proprietary connectors will do AND MORE.
It's time we as consumers put our feet down. Manufacturers need to stop trying to follow the "give away the razor handle and sell the blades at a 500% markup" model and start selling their devices, unlocked, with a standard unified connector at a reasonable price.
It starts with each one of us deciding to change this one thing in our lives by only buying devices with USB connectors. I have made the change, who will join me?
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Re:USB is the answer (Score:5, Insightful)
I will and I have. The benefit is that I now have NO wall warts or AC chargers, and I can travel with all my devices using either a USB to USB-MiniA or USB to USB-MiniB connector.
That's a phone, camera, MP3 player, GPS tracking token and wireless mouse all sharing two very small and light cables, whereas previously I'd need a whole nuther bag for the charging silliness.
We, as consumers, need to get more people behind this.
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Re:USB is the answer (Score:5, Funny)
I shaved my beard off four years ago.
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Re:USB is the answer - Uh, about that... (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:Insomnia (Score:5, Funny)
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News for nerds? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:News for nerds? (Score:5, Insightful)
Some of use nerds have "wives", and desks messed up with mountains of chargers has a low WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor)... Anything with a low WAF will lower the chances of wife-provided entertainment, a.k.a. sex.
It matters, my friend. It truly matters. ;)
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Re:News for nerds? (Score:5, Funny)
Ah, a newlywed I see.
chance_of_sex = 1 / (year_of_marriage + number of children - WAF/1000)
As you can see, prior to marriage, a high WAF can actually be detrimental (she'll think you are gay). But after a few years of marriage and/or children the WAF becomes all but meaningless.
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Re:News for nerds? (Score:4, Insightful)
How eerily accurate, even for the Wife Beta-version (aka. "SignificantOther")
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Re:News for nerds? (Score:4, Funny)
Ah, no children I see.
chance_of_sex = 1 / (year_of_marriage + 5*number of children - WAF/1000)
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Re:News for nerds? (Score:5, Funny)
And some wives have their own "gadgets" that require chargers.
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Re:News for nerds? (Score:5, Insightful)
That's the first insightful comment you have ever made, #1345021.
That's exactly the kind of thing government should mandate, just like the shape of the plug that goes into the wall and the gauge of wire that should be built into new houses.
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organize them according to their risk level (Score:5, Funny)
Risk of Exploding
1- nokia
2- dell
3- sony
4...
Re:organize them according to their risk level (Score:5, Funny)
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USB (Score:5, Insightful)
Pack them all away and get USB charging cables for them all. Much easier and takes up much less space.
Re:USB (Score:5, Interesting)
And will make your USB power fall over and die and blow something up, very creative and "performance art".
Better:
500W PSU
a pair of side cutters
soldering iron
a terminal block
tons of heat-shrink
Select and solder some heatsinked resistors over the 12v and 5v rails so that you are sinking an amp in each (switchmode PSUs need a constant load).
Next tap wires for different chargers, 12v and 5v are easy (as almost all are now) 3.3 and 12v will give you around 9v, 5v and 12v will give you 7.
Then all you need is a nice little cabinet with some ventilation and one power lead and you can dump all your junk in there to charge and GO THE FUCK OUTSIDE AND LEAVE THEM BEHIND!
A phone, an mp3 player and a camera should do anyone, heck some phones can be your mp3 and camera too now.
And if you can't follow even a bit of what I said, don't try it :)
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Re:USB (Score:4, Interesting)
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Wherever possible, use usb chargers. (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Wherever possible, use usb chargers. (Score:5, Funny)
Genius! I can charge my thinkpad from my thinkpad's USB port! Could this be the solution to the world's energy problems?
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Randomly (Score:5, Funny)
a great post (Score:4, Funny)
forget the nay sayers... I for one want to see what the /. community do. Do they run a DC ring around the house? Strip the wires and fudge some coins together to make a potential divider? replace the transformers with rodent power?
I have 4 USB hdds that I've not gotten around to putting in a case yet, because I dont have the cash for a mixed sata/ide jbod server, all of which need their own adaptor. I have a headset that needs an adaptor. My phone charger, and mp3 charger. That's some 7 sockets I'm using on 8 socket power strip, with the 8th going to a another 4 socket in serial to power my PC and high-fi (i know you shouldn't have power strips in parallel... but pfft, im not running a kettle off it like at Uni :D)
it is a problem. step down transformers are notoriously wasteful. There has to be a better way!?
Disassemble them all! (Score:5, Funny)
You may wish to update your fire insurance.
Callpod (Score:5, Informative)
Three Mobile Phones? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Three Mobile Phones? (Score:4, Funny)
1. Wife
2. Girlfriend
3. Boyfriend
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Welll (Score:4, Insightful)
What sort of answer are you expecting?
- I chop off all the connectors from my expensive, official chargers and solder them to cheap multi-level adaptors?
- I bought X, a thing which includes connectors for everything and lets you charge Watts of equipment simultaneously?
- I run DC electric around my house in multi-voltage and have purchased specific connectors for every piece of equipment I own and hope I don't plug my phone into the wrong voltage?
I don't think that there is a sensible solution at the moment. I tend to have a charging area - where I keep all the chargers on a power strip which is plugged in whenever I need to charge anything. My wife and I often want to charge two similar items at the same time - for those cases I purchase an extra charger (usually from eBay or a boot sale) or use one mains charger and plug the supplied car-charger into a 220-12v adaptor I bought that has a "cigarette lighter" socket on it.
The other options don't really bear thinking about. Running DC electric around a house is an absolute nightmare so you're basically going to want to lump all the things needing charge near a suitable DC output - which could be the official chargers on a powerstrip, or a multi-voltage thing, like a PC PSU or similar multi-out DC supply if you have THAT many but I'd check the efficiency of using such a thing when a single mobile phone is plugged into it.
So you have to have all your charging equipment in one place, and you can either rig up some Heath Robinson solution to charge any peripheral with any connector via any voltage or you could just plug the mains adaptors that you already have into a £2.99 power strip. You can neaten it up by hiding the actual blocks out of site and rigging up a bit of polished wood that can hold all the various gadgets with the right connectors already in place through holes on it. But that's just poncing about.
You don't save much by doing anything different - in fact, the exact opposite when something goes wrong or doesn't work first time. Forget the whiners moaning about the power used by extra PSU's on the strips - plug in an energy monitor while they are all idle if you are that worried, but the easiest solution is "plug them all in when something is charging, take them all out when nothing is", which is facilitated by an amazing invention called the main switch on a power strip.
There is no magic solution. Even "wireless charging" is bound to be the same in 100 years - every bloody manufacturer will use a different field strength, frequency, polarisation etc. so that you have to buy their charger. Until someone (ISO, I'm looking at you) actually standardises on a DC supply to a house and countries enforce its use in law, you're stuck with it. The only DC standard I'm aware of is in cars and that actually WORKS to a degree - a car charger is a car charger and will work in basically every car in the world (24v supplies on lorries not included, but they do usually come with rather large warnings on the dash and you can get 24-12v convertors for just such an occasion).
Green Plug is already trying to do this (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Through them out (Score:4, Funny)
Or as the khalif of baghdad, when it was taken by mongolian forces.
You should be placed in a tower, with all your gadges, and the the doors should be sealed, and all the windows should be barred, and you would no bread nor water delivered for thirty days, for you are so happy for your gadgets, that i can only conclude you can live on them!
There, i've made a reference to Marco Polo on slashdot, although sort of half-assed but hey...
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Re:Three step process... (Score:5, Insightful)
I said keep the laptop, did I not? Reading for comprehension: FAIL
Besides, I ALWAYS have my iPhone with me. And it can, to some extent, and in most cases to the extent necessary, stand in for all of those other things.
You on the other hand, may or may not, depending on whether or not you loaded up your Batman utility belt that morning, be carrying the LG, the Nokia, the Ericcson, the Canon, the Cowan, or the Nintendo. Nor, given the subject of the post, will you be totally certain that any or all of them are charged up and ready to go. (BTW, you forgot to mention the book reader/Kindle, GPS/Magellen, ...., ah, never mind.)
From my perspective, having the perfect dedicated device for each and every function does me no good whatsoever when it's sitting on the shelf at home because I didn't feel like being an electronic pack mule that day.
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