Since you're not providing much information, it sounds like your DVD player is using a USB mass storage interface to your Android device. Which means your DVD player implements a USB host controller, understands filesystems, and has an audio/video decoder. That's a lot of hardware to put into a cheap speaker dock, or an FM transmitter.
Basically, with everything going through USB, your DVD player needs to have all the smarts because it's treating your Android device as a dumb USB hard drive. With a more capable connection like Apple's dock connector, the smartphone does the work and the external hardware can be dumb - thus cheap, small simple and very low (or no) power.
You're one of those black and white guys hey? That attitude is exactly what I think is wrong. As I said in my post, SOME advertising is undoubtably useful, but the relationship between amount of advertising and return is almost certainly not linear.
Your example simply confirms the first part of what I said: SOME advertising is useful. Your post, a single data point, has no bearing on the second part.
They could, but I don't think a Magsafe to USB adapter is what the previous posters had in mind when they suggested that Apple switch to a USB3 power standard.
All Apple did to come into compliance with the EU directive was to switch EU packages from containing a USB to dock connector to a micro-USB to dock connector. iPhones have always come with a USB charger, and iPods have since they stopped shipping Firewire ones in 2003.
I'm not sure exactly what you're saying, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with my post.
The story is about online advertising revenue potentially declining, which means Google's "key source of profit" might be waning. The thread is about Google doing something innovative to replace that (declining) profit source. I suggested that Google has gotten plenty of capital from their online advertising to go and do something that DOESN'T involve online advertising. I didn't say anything about giving it away - as an investor I would like to see Google diversify from their current position where nearly all their revenue is in one way or another dependent on advertising, to a position where they actually make things people are willing to pay for.
Or did you just want to get in an off topic dig at the Occupy movement?
All the ones I found for Android used the headphone port for audio (not line out, which is much higher quality), couldn't control volume and/or playback, or was very expensive because it had to do everything over USB (and required a special app) or Bluetooth. If you can find one, please share.
Some Android devices can do analog video out via their headphone jacks. Which means if you want to charge at the same time you need two cables. And again, if you want to have off-device controls you need a full USB implementation.
Yeah, that sounds like a fantastic idea. Then the FM transmitter to get audio from your phone to your car will cost $100 instead of $5 because it will need a bluetooth radio in it instead of a simple physical connector.
Both of those are newer than the dock connector (MHL isn't even finished yet) and neither provides all the functions of the dock connector, although PDMI possibly could suffice.
Yes, the little white cable you get with your iPhone is a USB to dock adapter. It only connects the USB pins.
Have you noticed the odd device around that has an actual dock connector and DOESN'T use those white cables? Speaker systems, car kits, some new cars, FM transmitters, Nike+ adapters, video/audio out adapters, blood glucose meters....
Those all use one of the non-USB functions present on the dock connector.
Only for charging and data transfer. Any device that uses any of the extra functions (and there are a LOT... any speaker system that has a dock connector, or car kit, for example) is definitely NOT USB on the other end.
Yeah, except the ones who use one of the extra functions of the dock connector. People who use devices that dock iDevices, for example (there are a LOT of those). People with car adapters. People who use the composite out. People who use the line out.
"which means that employees would be willing to work for less"
That's a big, unjustified assumption. The historical record suggests that it's untrue. As things become cheaper we expect our standard of living to increase and, over the long term, it definitely has.
I've often thought that advertising, all advertising is hugely overvalued, even more so with the Internet bringing us quick and easy information about competing products.
SOME advertising is certainly valuable, but the returns must diminish quite quickly after you've reached a threshold where people know you exist.
I hope not. The iPod/iPhone/iPad connector does a lot more than USB. The MagSafe adapters for Apple notebooks are MUCH nicer than USB connectors. The first time you trip over the cord and your notebook doesn't go flying, you appreciate them.
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Since you're not providing much information, it sounds like your DVD player is using a USB mass storage interface to your Android device. Which means your DVD player implements a USB host controller, understands filesystems, and has an audio/video decoder. That's a lot of hardware to put into a cheap speaker dock, or an FM transmitter.
Basically, with everything going through USB, your DVD player needs to have all the smarts because it's treating your Android device as a dumb USB hard drive. With a more capable connection like Apple's dock connector, the smartphone does the work and the external hardware can be dumb - thus cheap, small simple and very low (or no) power.
You're one of those black and white guys hey? That attitude is exactly what I think is wrong. As I said in my post, SOME advertising is undoubtably useful, but the relationship between amount of advertising and return is almost certainly not linear.
Your example simply confirms the first part of what I said: SOME advertising is useful. Your post, a single data point, has no bearing on the second part.
I should say they added the micro-USB adapter. I think they still include the full size USB cord, because it's MUCH more useful than the micro one.
They could, but I don't think a Magsafe to USB adapter is what the previous posters had in mind when they suggested that Apple switch to a USB3 power standard.
All Apple did to come into compliance with the EU directive was to switch EU packages from containing a USB to dock connector to a micro-USB to dock connector. iPhones have always come with a USB charger, and iPods have since they stopped shipping Firewire ones in 2003.
I'm not sure exactly what you're saying, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with my post.
The story is about online advertising revenue potentially declining, which means Google's "key source of profit" might be waning. The thread is about Google doing something innovative to replace that (declining) profit source. I suggested that Google has gotten plenty of capital from their online advertising to go and do something that DOESN'T involve online advertising. I didn't say anything about giving it away - as an investor I would like to see Google diversify from their current position where nearly all their revenue is in one way or another dependent on advertising, to a position where they actually make things people are willing to pay for.
Or did you just want to get in an off topic dig at the Occupy movement?
All the ones I found for Android used the headphone port for audio (not line out, which is much higher quality), couldn't control volume and/or playback, or was very expensive because it had to do everything over USB (and required a special app) or Bluetooth. If you can find one, please share.
Some Android devices can do analog video out via their headphone jacks. Which means if you want to charge at the same time you need two cables. And again, if you want to have off-device controls you need a full USB implementation.
I found a couple of Android speaker docks. Like this one: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-gadgeteer/finally-a-universal-speaker-dock-for-android/5506. It requires connecting a couple of cables, and using a special app for playback control.
From the review:
Perhaps you should try again? Or not....
Or perhaps Iran will discover air gap security and desoldering USB ports.
The hardware in a secret nuclear plant is hackable over the Internet (or by spreading around USB drives)? Seriously?
Yeah, that sounds like a fantastic idea. Then the FM transmitter to get audio from your phone to your car will cost $100 instead of $5 because it will need a bluetooth radio in it instead of a simple physical connector.
Don't forget that because the USB standard isn't peer to peer, not only do you have to make a USB packet, you have to implement a USB host controller.
Both of those are newer than the dock connector (MHL isn't even finished yet) and neither provides all the functions of the dock connector, although PDMI possibly could suffice.
Slashdot. What have you become?
Yes, the little white cable you get with your iPhone is a USB to dock adapter. It only connects the USB pins.
Have you noticed the odd device around that has an actual dock connector and DOESN'T use those white cables? Speaker systems, car kits, some new cars, FM transmitters, Nike+ adapters, video/audio out adapters, blood glucose meters....
Those all use one of the non-USB functions present on the dock connector.
Plus analog audio and video, plus a control spec so you don't have to implement a full USB host in your peripheral.
Only for charging and data transfer. Any device that uses any of the extra functions (and there are a LOT... any speaker system that has a dock connector, or car kit, for example) is definitely NOT USB on the other end.
Yeah, except the ones who use one of the extra functions of the dock connector. People who use devices that dock iDevices, for example (there are a LOT of those). People with car adapters. People who use the composite out. People who use the line out.
Strange then, because there are a LOT of dock connector compatible devices that are not from Apple....
Perhaps the few cases of lawsuits had special extenuating circumstances?
Oh? I'd like to see you get any of those things except power and USB data off a USB plug.
And Apple's dock connector is compatible with USB with a simple mechanical adapter. In fact, one comes with every device that has a dock connector.
"which means that employees would be willing to work for less"
That's a big, unjustified assumption. The historical record suggests that it's untrue. As things become cheaper we expect our standard of living to increase and, over the long term, it definitely has.
Google has more than enough capitalization. Now they need to do something useful with it instead of suckling at the same money hose.
I've often thought that advertising, all advertising is hugely overvalued, even more so with the Internet bringing us quick and easy information about competing products.
SOME advertising is certainly valuable, but the returns must diminish quite quickly after you've reached a threshold where people know you exist.
Super duper speed.
Yes. That's why it's called a "standard." The connectors you must use are specified in the standard.
I hope not. The iPod/iPhone/iPad connector does a lot more than USB. The MagSafe adapters for Apple notebooks are MUCH nicer than USB connectors. The first time you trip over the cord and your notebook doesn't go flying, you appreciate them.
You're arguing about the rounding error on his poverty line value?
People who cannot afford to live without government assistance seems like a pretty good definition of "poor" to me.
I suppose it depends on how much beer you buy the inspector.