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Standardized Laptop Charger Approved By IEC
Sockatume writes "The IEC, the standards body which wrote the phone charger specification used in the EU, has approved a standardised laptop charger. While the 'DC Power Supply for Portable Personal Computer' doesn't have a legal mandate behind it, the IEC is still optimistic that it will lead to a reduction in electronics waste and make it easier to find a replacement charger. Unfortunately the technical documentation does not seem to be available yet, but previous comments indicate that it will be a barrel plug of some kind." I wish they'd push a yank-resistant and positive-connecting plug along the lines of Apple's MagSafe.
You can't use MagSafe because it's an Apple innovation. It took a major stroke of genius to put a fryer plug on a laptop.
Instead of using magnets (how do they work?), add a tiny vacuum pump to keep the connector in place. Add some attachments so the keyboard can be periodically hoovered for skin flakes, food bits and the dried remains of various body fluids. One small step for power connector security, one giant leap for computer hygiene.
Just in time for laptop obsolescence.
Well, let's see.
USB can deliver 2.5W. My big old luggable W510 has an adapter rated for (checks) holy crap 135W. To keep things standard we could charge it with 54 parallel USB cables, since things seem to be standardising on USB these days and multiple plugs where necessary.
SJW n. One who posts facts.
But, what about on a plug resistant magnetic yank?
They could cut down the number of leads by a factor of six if they used some sort of heavy-duty twisted-pair conductor. Then you'd have a Cat-5 of Nine Tails.
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
A Yank resistant plug might do well in Europe and Asia, but I think most manufacturers wouldn't want to alienate the American market.
It's the plug resistant magnetic brits that are the real challenge.
And they're quite happy to screw you out of your money with companies like Alienware. Not to mention companies like EVGA and Corsair with their high-end model lines.
At least with high end components you generally get better performance. In the case of some "high end" manufacturers you get a high end pricetag and a white case with rounded corners that won't run your software.
There's this thing called aesthetics. It's often a matter of personal taste, even. Basically you're saying that when it comes to computing, personal preferences and taste be damned. Now go crawl back under the rock you came out from under.
A successful API design takes a mixture of software design and pedagogy.