Comments on: How to get rid of gadget chargers and power supplies http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/ Accessibility, Crazy (Event Gripping) Ideas Mon, 21 May 2012 20:48:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: TDDPirate http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1197 TDDPirate Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:17:50 +0000 http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1197 Apparently the USB approach is more viable than I thought. There is a company which offers an <a href="http://www.edn.com/article/CA6591116.html?nid=2551" title="External power adapter combines USB power with interchangeable ac plugs" rel="nofollow">external power adapter, which combines USB power with interchangeable ac plugs</a>. They claim that the power adapter provides 1.6A at 5V DC. Apparently the USB approach is more viable than I thought. There is a company which offers an external power adapter, which combines USB power with interchangeable ac plugs. They claim that the power adapter provides 1.6A at 5V DC.

]]> By: Omer Zak http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1194 Omer Zak Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:01:18 +0000 http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1194 Nathan, Any connector, which needs to be able to transport a lot of power, has a limit how much can it be miniaturized. This is why USB is problematic when trying to power gadgets with high current consumption. When room temperature superconductors, which can stand moderate magnetic fields are discovered, then power connectors can be miniaturized. Car cigarette lighter sockets already exist and are (very) partially standardized. If we try to standardize on any other power connector, it would beg the chicken-and-egg question. Maybe someone can design a reliable car cigarette lighter socket+plug system and then offer upgrade kits for installation in cars with sockets, which are too incompatible with the plug. Nathan,
Any connector, which needs to be able to transport a lot of power, has a limit how much can it be miniaturized. This is why USB is problematic when trying to power gadgets with high current consumption. When room temperature superconductors, which can stand moderate magnetic fields are discovered, then power connectors can be miniaturized.

Car cigarette lighter sockets already exist and are (very) partially standardized. If we try to standardize on any other power connector, it would beg the chicken-and-egg question.

Maybe someone can design a reliable car cigarette lighter socket+plug system and then offer upgrade kits for installation in cars with sockets, which are too incompatible with the plug.

]]> By: Nathan Zeldes http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1193 Nathan Zeldes Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:56:18 +0000 http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1193 Of all possible plugs to standardize on, car lighter would be my last choice. It's BULKY! It was optimized, in a day when all electronic gear was bulky, for the now dated usage of lighting cigarettes in a moving vehicle while driving. IMHO, if we're going to standardize, we should use a much smaller plug - and then add a single adapter to our cars for converting from the round lighter socket to the new one... Of all possible plugs to standardize on, car lighter would be my last choice. It’s BULKY! It was optimized, in a day when all electronic gear was bulky, for the now dated usage of lighting cigarettes in a moving vehicle while driving.

IMHO, if we’re going to standardize, we should use a much smaller plug - and then add a single adapter to our cars for converting from the round lighter socket to the new one…

]]> By: TDDPirate http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1192 TDDPirate Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:08:59 +0000 http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1192 The USB charging option was mentioned also by some commentors to the Slashdot article. Pros: 1. Standardized connectors. 2. Several gadgets already support it. Cons: - Insufficient power transportation capability through the USB port. We need either a rugged USB port, which can carry strong currents, or a standardized and reliable design of a car cigarette lighter socket and plug. We also need a rugged USB hub, to serve as a splitter, which can power several USB devices simultaneously - without the need for its own power supply. The USB charging option was mentioned also by some commentors to the Slashdot article.
Pros:
1. Standardized connectors.
2. Several gadgets already support it.
Cons:
- Insufficient power transportation capability through the USB port.

We need either a rugged USB port, which can carry strong currents, or a standardized and reliable design of a car cigarette lighter socket and plug.

We also need a rugged USB hub, to serve as a splitter, which can power several USB devices simultaneously - without the need for its own power supply.

]]> By: Ira http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1191 Ira Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:16:26 +0000 http://www.zak.co.il/tddpirate/2008/08/27/how-to-get-rid-of-gadget-chargers-and-power-supplies/#comment-1191 Most gadgets these days are already charging off USB, that includes both my Jawbone and Motorolla BT earpieces, my GPS, most new phones on the market and many other things. in fact the Jawbone came with an earpiece-to-USB cable (where it magnetically latches on at one end a-la macbook power sockets), and the Ebay seller dropped in the box both the original AC-to-USB adapter as well as a car-plug-to-USB DC-DC adapter. I have even seen a USB battery charger from GP and a coffee warmer (and that makes no sense at all to me, but those and other silly gadgets exist) I think USB is a pretty convenient way of managing this. the problems at the moment are actually computers with not enough current driven via the USB ports, and I have seen laptops with burnt USB ports because people overloaded them. the 0.5 amps listed in the standards book are not really supplied I think... then again the standard USB plug also uses tiny contacts, and maybe supplying too much current on that is a bad idea too. most USB hubs heat up like crazy which for me means they are eating up way too much power off the battery of the poor laptop they are hooked up to. either way, car plugs are awkward, tend to lose contact, not all car manufacturers make them exactly the same, and that all stems from the fact they were originally made for lighters and not necessarily gadgets. while they are a cool way to stick an electric mini-bar (צידנית חשמלית) in your car, I think they are so badly designed I would not want to perpetuate the crappy standard. My car now has a Sony CD-radio with a USB socket, where I stick my old Sandisk MicroCruzer 4G full of music and podcasts, Some new cars feature that now in their built-in models. I wish new cars would also come with 4-6 USB sockets for power (and maybe some data?) in the dashboard, for powering a PDA/phone, maybe secure ignition, audio (speakerphone) and whatnot. makes more sense and looks more aesthetic and space saving than those ugly 14v plugs. Most gadgets these days are already charging off USB, that includes both my Jawbone and Motorolla BT earpieces, my GPS, most new phones on the market and many other things. in fact the Jawbone came with an earpiece-to-USB cable (where it magnetically latches on at one end a-la macbook power sockets), and the Ebay seller dropped in the box both the original AC-to-USB adapter as well as a car-plug-to-USB DC-DC adapter. I have even seen a USB battery charger from GP and a coffee warmer (and that makes no sense at all to me, but those and other silly gadgets exist)

I think USB is a pretty convenient way of managing this. the problems at the moment are actually computers with not enough current driven via the USB ports, and I have seen laptops with burnt USB ports because people overloaded them. the 0.5 amps listed in the standards book are not really supplied I think… then again the standard USB plug also uses tiny contacts, and maybe supplying too much current on that is a bad idea too. most USB hubs heat up like crazy which for me means they are eating up way too much power off the battery of the poor laptop they are hooked up to.

either way, car plugs are awkward, tend to lose contact, not all car manufacturers make them exactly the same, and that all stems from the fact they were originally made for lighters and not necessarily gadgets. while they are a cool way to stick an electric mini-bar (צידנית חשמלית) in your car, I think they are so badly designed I would not want to perpetuate the crappy standard.

My car now has a Sony CD-radio with a USB socket, where I stick my old Sandisk MicroCruzer 4G full of music and podcasts, Some new cars feature that now in their built-in models. I wish new cars would also come with 4-6 USB sockets for power (and maybe some data?) in the dashboard, for powering a PDA/phone, maybe secure ignition, audio (speakerphone) and whatnot. makes more sense and looks more aesthetic and space saving than those ugly 14v plugs.

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