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SMK Toughens Up Those Tiny Micro-USB Connections

Posted by timothy on from the which-are-a-big-pain-in-the-tuchus dept.

An anonymous reader writes "If a gadget ships with a micro-USB port, I see it as a plus because it isn't proprietary — meaning I can easily and cheaply buy replacement cables. But the micro-USB ports aren't the strongest connectors in the world, so if the gadget is expensive (a smartphone) and you accidentally bust the port, you're in trouble. And that's easily done. Japanese manufacturer SMK may have fixed the problem, though, with a new double-strong connector design. They started producing them on Friday, and at an output of 500,000 a month, hopefully they'll be shipping with most new gadgets before long."

6 of 137 comments (clear)

  1. Sure they will by silas_moeckel · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Unless it's going to reduce there under contract replacement costs smartphones will not have these. US phone companies want your phone to break every couple of years so you buy a new one with a new contract so they can have horrid service.

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    No sir I dont like it.
  2. Already exists* by GameboyRMH · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's called a "through-hole mounted connector." Phone manufacturers just like to save a few pennies by using a surface-mounted connector, which is weak as shit.

    *Yes this is even stronger, good for the improvement. But through-hole is strong enough, the problem of weak connectors was caused by phone manufacturers being cheap bastards.

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    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  3. Sad by hbean · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Anyone else think its gotten a bit sad that a company building something to last/stand up to use has become a news story?

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    "Give someone a program, frustrate them for a day... Teach someone to program, frustrate them for a lifetime."
  4. Re:wireless by _merlin · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I can't remember the last time I charged my phone over the Bluetooth port. Oh wait, it doesn't charge over Bluetooth.

  5. Re:Not enough bias? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Fifty percent chance? Everybody knows that when you plug in a USB device you push it in, flip it over, push it again, then flip it over the way you had it to get it in! USB connectors are three-way.

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    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  6. Re:When will someone address laptop DC jack weakne by Colonel+Korn · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't believe that Apple doesn't have a valid patent on it. Waring has had magnetic breakaway cables for years and has been using them for powering deep friers.

    A lot of patents on this sort of tech are simply a reiteration of what should be considered prior art with an appended "in a mobile computing device."

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    "I zero-index my hamsters" - Willtor (147206)