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- sameer768, on 06/30/2009, -1/+23Hopefully other electronics will follow suit. Especially laptops. Its so annoying how every laptop has its own proprietary charger, a universal charger would be extremely useful.
- Yankees368, on 06/30/2009, -4/+17BREAKING NEWS: Apple does what all other manufactures have already agreed to do. Apple hailed as an innovator in the industry.
Fans line up at local stores in anticipation of the new "iPhone 3G S Micro" and happily throw away their $45 Monster Cable charger. - GavinZac, on 06/30/2009, -0/+10Oh look, an Apple ad with the same content as a front page story from a couple of hours ago.
- Gm7Cadd9, on 06/30/2009, -1/+8FTA: "As we've said in the past, we are committed to the Apple dock connector, and this initiative will not require us to change it. Today's memorandum gives manufacturers the option to provide an adapter that connects with the universal charger,"
- Issius, on 06/30/2009, -2/+9Was that serious? I can't tell. If it's serious then you have some problems. Li-ion batteries are insanely better than standard batteries. Even rechargeable AA and AAA are terrible.
- drunkenoaf, on 06/30/2009, -0/+6There will still be the dock connector-- just an additional port for charging. Bridging connectors = flex damage + something to lose = recipe for disaster
- ohreilly, on 06/30/2009, -0/+6So it's worthy of being on the front page because it talks about the "iPhone maker", despite there being a somewhat more neutral link on the front page a little while ago.
I see. - theblacknight, on 06/30/2009, -0/+6Do you know how many AA/AAA batteries would end up in landfills? This would be horrible for the environment.
@lssius: Why don't you like rechargeable batteries? New low self-discharge batteries eliminated the last downside of NiMH batteries because they hold their charge for years so you can use them in low-power devices like remote controls, clocks, and even emergency flashlights. - runeasgar, on 06/30/2009, -2/+8I'm glad for any company that supports green transitions.
(Apple or otherwise) - MacParrot, on 06/30/2009, -1/+6Somehow I don't think this is the first time you've performed this act
- dagamer34, on 06/30/2009, -0/+5Laptops have different power requirements which widely vary. Laptop OEMs would have to build different classes of chargers, because a netbook and a 17" laptop aren't going to need the same size charger!
- Mutiny32, on 06/30/2009, -1/+6Uh, Nokia's "oblong stupid" connector is actually a micro-USB connector.
- Barackalypse, on 06/30/2009, -5/+9Even in standardizing, they still manage to screw consumers over by choosing micro-USB over the rather ubiquitous Mini-USB that my digital camera, GPS, and smartphone have used for the last 2+ years.
- JuanBSU, on 06/30/2009, -3/+7I could have swore I read this about 6 hours ago from the front page. Oh wait, I did.
- Barackalypse, on 06/30/2009, -0/+4Considering I picked up a USB car charger for 25 cents shipped, I'm not too worried.
- Barackalypse, on 06/30/2009, -1/+5For about $4 you can pick up a mini USB to micro USB adapter:
http://www.amazon.com/Mot-Mini-USB-to-Micro-USB-Ch ... - ShyGuy91284, on 06/30/2009, -3/+6Now the real question: Did Apple do this to be good, or did they do it to be evil and drive licensing royalties they probably get on every accessory sold? I can imagine they have wanted to switch connectors for a while but knew they couldn't since it would piss a lot of accessory owners off.
- dsgamer, on 06/30/2009, -0/+3well thats a little bit lamer than the title suggests
- Mutiny32, on 06/30/2009, -0/+3little bit is an understatement. More like "you still can't use it for data transfer or control, you still have to buy apple dock licensed crap to do that."
- inactive, on 06/30/2009, -1/+4Whoopdie-*****-doo...
- NiceGuyVan, on 07/01/2009, -0/+3Yes
- sameer768, on 06/30/2009, -0/+3They almost certainly will introduce an adapter. There are far too many products which depend on the ipod connection (both 1st and 3rd party) for them to get rid of it, and replace it with a micro usb port. It also gives them a another product to sell, most likely for a huge markup (such as the mini display port connectors).
- mytealjacket, on 06/30/2009, -1/+4Does Microsoft pay you to trash Apple online?
- planetbeing, on 07/01/2009, -0/+3Standardizing on the latest and smallest is better than standardizing on an inferior connector... and then we'd all be stuck with obsolete technology for years.
What Apple is doing is not that great though (for consumers). Since I'm about as likely to forget to bring the stupid adapter (that they'll probably charge $20 for) as I would the power brick that can use the dock connector natively. It might help reduce a bit of electronic waste a little though. - Barackalypse, on 06/30/2009, -1/+4The point was mini-USB is ubiquitous. Between the Sony E-Reader, Motorola Razr V3, Sandisk Sansa MP3 players, and Mio GPS units, there are tens of millions of devices that use it already.
- Yankees368, on 07/01/2009, -0/+3First off, this was on the front page, I was not in some special Apple section. And secondly, if any other phone manufacturer agreed to this standard, let alone a company that produces more than 1 model, you would not be seeing this article on the front frekin page. This is not news.
- MacParrot, on 06/30/2009, -0/+3I do like the magpower connector that Apple uses but would certainly be willing to give it up for a standard connector I could buy anywhere
- sameer768, on 06/30/2009, -0/+3Yeah, the magsafe power connector is awesome, but if it is possible to create a universal USB power adapter for laptops, all laptops cold benefit from both, their own chargers, as well a universal one. I have no idea if USB chargers for laptops would work or not though. Hopefully one day though...
- Ceryn1126, on 07/01/2009, -0/+3It only takes 1 or 2 early adopters picking up a universal standard before word starts to spread and people stop buying the laptops that use crappy proprietary chargers. The question then becomes if we use a proprietary charger will we actually be able to sell our laptops?
- Kaer, on 06/30/2009, -0/+2Take Acer for example.
All of their Notebooks run on 19v with the Amps varying from the lower 3s (Yellow plug) to the upper 4s (Blue plug). The Blue tipped AC Adapters will work just fine with laptops that would normally use a Yellow plug, but not vice-versa. So some compatibility is there.
And now I see a lot (I work retail in the computer sector) of Universal Chargers that are auto-voltage and auto-amps with a set of tips for varying brands and models of laptops for cheaper than a brand new brand name charger and work beautifully. Just need to have a universal magplug now. - NiceGuyVan, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2Now if only the US would follow suit
- NiceGuyVan, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2My PSP charges, and does data transfer from a mini B USB port, surely the mighty iphone can
- Mutiny32, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2That may be true for some of the devices, not all. It doesn't matter anyway. If he wanted to complain about Nokia's chargers, he would have said "round tiny stupid barrel-connector."
- inactive, on 06/30/2009, -0/+2They did it because its the law.
- Mutiny32, on 06/30/2009, -1/+3You still have to buy apple-licensed crap to do anything other than charge.
- mesomorphicman, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2This is good news and hopefully ALL manufactures will get on board, since according to this article some are not signed on yet.
When I travel to Asia it is a pain to carry converters, this would be one less annoyance. - Mattlock, on 06/30/2009, -1/+3Apple has used proprietary cables for how long? Mention Apple and it makes it to the front page even though they haven't been using a standard connector on their own phone.
- ibic, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2That's a good news.
- Issius, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2I dislike AA and AAA because they have a lower energy density than Li-ion. For the things you mentioned, remote controls, flashlights, etc. they are more than sufficient and I'm fine with that. I'd hate to recharge my remote... not that I'm a huge fan of TV to begin with.
Even so, Li-ion batteries can be made smaller, more compact, and retain charge for longer than even the newer NiMH batteries (Li-ion has improved as well).
I'll admit that they have their flaws and that they are in no way the end all be all of batteries. Once super capacitors become possible I feel that they will overtake li-ion in almost every form. They will be cheaper, have a higher energy density, safer, can be built into structural systems fairly easily, and will last longer without degradation of charge. They also have a much faster charge/discharge rate than regular batteries.
So when super capacitors come out I will be arguing their case. :) - planetbeing, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2You still have to buy Apple-licensed crap to charge too, since you have to buy their adapter that, guess what, needs to use the licensed dock connector. It's almost completely pointless. They're not building a micro-USB port onto their devices.
- Barackalypse, on 06/30/2009, -3/+5"The EC report said that the new standard meant "consumers will not need to buy a new charger together with every mobile phone.""
So does that mean manufacturers are going to use this as an excuse to stop including chargers with the phone while not lowering the price to reflect it? - pgiessel, on 06/30/2009, -0/+2FTA: "As we've said in the past, we are committed to the Apple dock connector, and this initiative will not require us to change it. Today's memorandum gives manufacturers the option to provide an adapter that connects with the universal charger," he [the Apple spokesman] said.
- mesomorphicman, on 07/01/2009, -0/+1Why such anger... do you secretly love or wish you were him? Wow! Why do you even read Apple related stories if you hate him and his company so... no one makes you do it. Jealous ones envy.
- inactive, on 07/01/2009, -0/+1Love how this is on the front page. Because Apple did something that other companies have already agreed to do.
- inactive, on 07/01/2009, -0/+1Laptops run different wattages. I would like a standard connector though and maybe a switch on the block to change the wattage. I haven't had any problems with Dell chargers. Their brand is pretty universal between models
- Barackalypse, on 06/30/2009, -0/+1Actually, my camera is about the one device where I don't care what the connector is, because the batteries either recharge externally or via some barrel power plug, and I remove the memory card and put it into a USB reader for transferring to the PC.
- Drizzit, on 07/02/2009, -0/+1I'm sure Apple's purpose is to invalidate all the devices out there that still work with their ipods. This change would require new licenses and such and there's no way around it. They would have more control from a pure USB interface vs analog being on certain pins so most makers could just make the dock adapter.
On the downside, if Apple pulls this *****, Microsoft will take advantage and squash any new developments for Apple products and you'll see a wave of Zune compatible equipment out there. They'll state that they are now the consistent ones and that why take a chance on Apple changing interfaces again. - inactive, on 07/01/2009, -0/+1You get 4 diggs for recommending an adaptor? No one, even YOU wants to use an adaptor.
- Mike17102, on 07/01/2009, -0/+1Except that many phones already use micro-USB. Why go backwards in time?
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