Related Sections: Cellphones
Universal phone charger: One charger to rule them all
Usually, when you buy a new cellphone, it comes with its own charger, which is typically unique to that phone. God forbid manufacturers had a standard plug that would work on all phones when they can make money selling you new spares and car chargers.
That's about to change. The GSMA (Groupe Speciale Mobile Association), the main association of mobile phone manufacturers, along with 17 operators and manufacturers, just announced a plan to use a standardized microUSB connector. That means future phones from Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, T-Mobile, and AT&T will all come with chargers that will work with the others' phones.
This standardized charger will be 50% more energy efficient and will eliminate tons of duplicate or obsolete chargers from landfills. Every time you buy a new phone, you won't need a new charger. Save money, save the planet. Next time you go on a road trip, you only need to pack one charger for everyone.
The plan calls for all new phones to be supported by the year 2012. Noteworthy absentee: Apple. Damn renegades.
Via The BBC
By chuck at 3:13 PM ON 02/18/09
Clearly you've never seen a micro-USB plug!
By Duckie at 3:14 PM ON 02/18/09
Yeah right, so now they're pushing for it. I thought this was a thing that the big somany telephone producers agreed on 2 years ago?
By LostMK at 3:50 PM ON 02/18/09
2012... If I see that date ONE MORE TIME!!!!
By imotionsrt4 at 4:18 PM ON 02/18/09
Makes freaking sense. Should have been done a long time ago. I bought my wife a Motorolla T505 blue tooth speakerphone, and the only charger it came with was a car charger. Alot of cars don't have power to the cig lighter unless the key is in the ignition. So your choice was to charge it while you are drive, which defeats the purpose of having it on the visor, or to charge it on your seat. Straight up pain in the A$$.
Luckily it's a mini USB, which is the same as our blackberry chargers and my Motorolla blue tooth ear piece. So it works out because I can just bring everything inside and charge it. The Motorolla speakerphone even charges through my computer. Makes things a LOT easier when all I have to look for is one mini USB to bring with me when going out of town.
But I will believe the unity when I see it....in 2012 (there's that date again)
By Anonymous at 8:02 AM ON 02/19/09
My Precious
By EnOne at 8:19 AM ON 02/19/09
now all they have to do is standardize the microusb plug and we're set. All of those companies have different sized incompatible micro-usb plugs that they all call micro-usb.
on your cellphone!
Text DVICE to 72434
editor@dvice.com
EnOne:
now all they have to do is standardize the microusb plug and we're set. All of those companies have different sized...More »