S Korea & China Mandate Common Chargers, Data Cables 362
mrbill writes "Seems that South Korea and China have mandated
Common Cell Phone chargers and data cables. No proprietary chargers and data cables any more. Must use USB for charging etc.
"
Yea (Score:3, Informative)
And I'll bet with these standard cables, Monster Cable will develop a super-editition with gold-plated connectors, etc, etc! Only $100! LOL.
Motorola is already doing it (Score:3, Informative)
Re:FINALLY (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Motorola is already doing it (Score:2, Informative)
Re:amperage (Score:5, Informative)
The spec calls for 500mA but most vendors connect the port to an *unfused* 5V line. This (IMHO) is a BadIdea (tm). sure you can draw 2A, you can try to draw 100A too but something's gonna give.
Case in point: http://xbx.networkboy.net/modules/gallery/albums/
It's a design flaw (in most cases) that you can draw that much current from a USB port.
-nB
Re:Summary is wrong and so are you (Score:4, Informative)
You are so wrong.
You do not need a laptop to 'USB-charge'
You can pick up a USB Mains Charger [google.fi] for as little as 5 USD.
Re:Way to go! (Score:3, Informative)
It would be nice if all chargers become interchangeable though. I think that will lead to phones coming without chargers as you can either use you older ones or buy them seperately.
Because they don't care enough to pay (Score:2, Informative)
I get a charger for free with my phone. I don't get gas for free with my car. If people really really cared that they had the same charger for everything they would have insisted on it years ago. They don't care so it's a non issue. Given that it's a non issue why should I pay the extra cost for the design of phones which have to use USB?
You want it? You put it on the list of criteria of features for your next phone and you pay for it.
Re:Way to go! (Score:3, Informative)
Considering how large the old connector is, what else could they have done to decrease its footprint in newer, slimmer phones?
Re:Two stupid laws? One week? It can't be true! (Score:3, Informative)
You can get a USB power adapter that plugs directly into the wall and provides power to a USB port, or a portable unit that powers a USB port from 4 AA batteries (one version called the "JAVOBooster" has a built-in flashlight as a bonus). Both are likely to be cheaper than the outrageously marked-up proprietary power bricks (even before taking into account the fact that you need one total, not one for each device).
Re:Motorola is already doing it - ALMOST (Score:3, Informative)
Re:seconded! (Score:2, Informative)
according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB) the spec for ports is 4.35-5.25 VDC @ 500mA max.
IEEE1394 (Firewire) ports (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firewire) can supply up to 45 watts @ 30 VDC (1.5A).