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Handset Vendors Plug Micro-USB Charge Ports

Posted by timothy on from the kicking-and-screaming-to-the-briar-patch dept.

ketan324 points to a Register story touting an agreement among several phone makers to settle on Micro USB for their phones' charging ports, writing "It's about time for these cellphone manufacturers to wise up and design a universal phone charger. Although many manufacturers have already 'standardized' to a mini-USB interface, there are many more out there who use proprietary adapters. I wonder how Apple will feel about this? Will they finally realize that their oh-so-special adapter is nothing more than a fudged USB interface?" No legislation required.

8 of 363 comments (clear)

  1. Re:And why the hell do I need a driver for this? by Ed+Avis · · Score: 5, Informative

    Often the standard USB current isn't enough to charge a device, so you must install a driver which does nothing more than increase the USB power output.

    --
    -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
  2. oh-so-special? by nine-times · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wonder how Apple will feel about this? Will they finally realize that their oh-so-special adapter is nothing more than a fudged USB interface?"

    Oh, like Apple is just using the dock connector to be "special"? It's true that the dock connector is *mostly* USB, but it also can carry audio and video so that, with only a dock, you can output to a stereo or TV. Also, the audio put out through the dock is supposedly different from what comes out of the headphone jack (I believe they aren't amplifying the audio from the dock), meaning you can get better quality for outputting to a stereo.

    So I don't know why the submitter has to turn this into an Apple-bashing thing. Apple actually uses standards pretty often. And often, when they do stray from a standard, it's in order to provide specific functionality-- and even then they often release the specs for their version, allowing others to adopt it. For example, I believe they released the specs for their custom "mini display port" that they're using without requiring any kind of licensing fees or anything.

    1. Re:oh-so-special? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Interesting

      On the other hand, they specifically implemented an authentication chip that prevents video output on newer ipods if you use anything but officially blessed cables. There are certainly reasons for the dock connector; but that doesn't change the fact that Apple's approach toward accessory makers has pretty much been "flip over and shake until money stops coming out".

    2. Re:oh-so-special? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's a line level signal as opposed to headphone level signal. There's a difference. If you're running the signal through an external amplifier, you want line level.

  3. No legislation required.... by try_anything · · Score: 5, Funny

    The threat of legislation was enough.

    I'm sure the handset makers are deeply saddened by this. Clearly, this unwelcome meddling by government will hurt consumers by ending competition in this vital technical matter. Why, instead of buying the latest high-tech replacement cable custom optimized for advanced synergy with their handset, people might replace a lost cable with an abandoned, misbranded, maybe even second-handed cable from an older handset. This could cost consumers literally incalculable amounts of synergy and innovation. Why won't the government just let capitalism work?

  4. Re:And why the hell do I need a driver for this? by damaki · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Because that when the device is not identified by the OS, the power output is capped to 100mA. When identified, it can go up to 500mA.
    The evident solution would be to use a standard passive driver.

    --
    Stupidity is the root of all evil.
  5. Re:And why the hell do I need a driver for this? by swillden · · Score: 5, Funny

    I have working USB on my computer. Why the hell do I need to install a Motorola XP driver to charge my RAZR?

    Because Windows sucks.

    You didn't expect a different answer from slashdot, did you? ;-)

    --
    Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
  6. Re:And why the hell do I need a driver for this? by Why2K · · Score: 5, Informative
    From the USB standard, section 7.2.1 (emphasis mine):

    A unit load is defined to be 100mA. The number of unit loads a device can draw is an absolute maximum, not an average over time. A device may be either low-power at one unit load or high-power, consuming up to five unit loads. All devices default to low-power. The transition to high-power is under software control. It is the responsibility of software to ensure adequate power is available before allowing devices to consume high-power.