[arelny]

Nor does AT&T. The key word here is OPERATORS. They are talking about telecoms who support the initiative.

[folklore]

So what's going to happen is that mobile phones won't ship with a charger anymore in order to "reduce waste."
Instead, you'll have to buy it separately, at an increased cost (just like Apple remotes and display adaptors that used to come with portables).
It's sort of a brilliant way to wring more money out of us while looking "green."

[cabelaj]

I agree with the univsersal. But I still do like the 30 pin on apple products. It does more then just charge. And i think apples gonna stick with that

[azchen]

There is no technical reason why Apple cannot use the Micro USB standard. RIM has been using it to charge and synchronize their BlackBerry for several years. Apple wants to use their own connector to generate revenue from accessories sold by them and third party licensees. Palm is using two technologies to charge their new Palm Pre. One is Micro USB, which will also be used for synchronization. The other is magnetic induction, which is used in their new Touchstone charging dock. Magnetic induction technology is commonly used to charge electric toothbrushes.

http://www.palm.com/...ories/dock.html

[Archiform_3D]

Actually, I still havent unpacked the chargers out of my last 2 iPhones - I just dont need them. All I need is a cable.

Steve

Archiform 3D

[jaynew]

Why not just make all the batteries compatible with the new wireless chargers they are going to have comercially avalible this year... that makes the most sense to me.

[ddd1301]

I use an iGo Universal charger. It does require changing a nib, and I keep those attached to the cable. It has been very handy. I carry one charger for everything. Laptop, Centro, and ipod.

[wolfe]

Applelized hardware represents iconic goodness for the consumer. The famous Mac mouse, dropping firewire on the iPod, switching wiring colors on component cables, dropping firewire on the MacBook, redesigning the earphone connector first with the plug and then the location, dropping TV out except through the dock and, probably not finally, the unannounced surprise dropping of features/capabilities. Iconic goodness.


I have both an Apple (single-USB) and non-Apple (dual-USB) univesal AC to USB charger. If all phones and cameras, like Apple with iPod/iPhones, would offer cables that plug into USB for charging and data, I would be very happy. A micro-USB plug on a device doesn't seem to be the way to go, especially with Apple, but it is the plan.



Of course, I don't have any plans whatsoever to buy any hardware this year, iconic or not.

[drimwit]

CanalNoises said:

Wow, the EU is wayyy overreaching its purpose. Makes you grateful for the Free Market we have in the US.

Yeah, I'm particularly grateful for how your unregulated free market has brought the world's financial system to it's knees, with no end in sight so far. USA! USA! USA!

[wolfe]

drimwit said:

Yeah, I'm particularly grateful for how your unregulated free market has brought the world's financial system to it's knees, with no end in sight so far. USA! USA! USA!

Looks like you've switched from drinking Apple Kool-aid to swigging Obama Insipid Tea. What about chargers? What is your global view of them?

[montgomery_burns]

bjojade said:

Why Micro USB? Why not the already standard mini USB? Motorola has been using that connector on their phones for a while, and it's been a good connection. Micro USB isn't much smaller.

If Apple can do it with Mini VGA, Mini DVI, Micro DVI, Mini Displayport, Micro Displayport, Nano Displayport, etc, then why can't everybody else? Is Apple the only company that is allowed to change connectors on a whim?

[Speed_Racer]

[quote name='hillstones']
>

arelny said:

> Funny, I didn't see Verizon on the list of operators. What are they thinking?

They are talking about hardware manufacturers agreeing to a universal power charger, not telecom companies. Verizon doesn't make phones.

Apparently, you didn't read the article with enough care to notice the entire paragraph that says, "Members on the operator side include 3 Group, AT&T, KTF, Mobilkom Austria, Orange, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Telenor, Telstra, T-Mobile and Vodafone." These companies aren't hardware manufacturers, and you may recognize a couple of the names, like T-Mobile and AT&T.

[nyip11]

It's about time.

[drimwit]

[quote name='wolfe']
>

drimwit said:

> Yeah, I'm particularly grateful for how your unregulated free market has brought the world's financial system to it's knees, with no end in sight so far. USA! USA! USA!
Looks like you've switched from drinking Apple Kool-aid to swigging Obama Insipid Tea. What about chargers? What is your global view of them?

Oh I'm sorry, I forgot chargers are all about making cheap cracks about politicians. This is an example of a government (the EU) functioning properly. Where the market fails, the government steps in. Consumers have wanted this for some times, but the free market (and tax cuts, supply-siders, fear mongering, unnecessary illegal wars, the deaths of thousands of civilians and deregulation occasioning financial crisis) has not delivered standard phone chargers.

Free markets are the way to go. If they work. When they don't the idea is not just to stand around and shrug your shoulders, you apply a different solution.