Have you got standard jack?

[BrilloPad]

Voluntary up until now, compulsory soon.

EU law to require that all cellphones charge through a common standard

Its nice to see something the EU can do which makes lives better.

[WTFH]

We have a standard charger don't we? Micro USB. It works with everything I have, and has the advantage of being able to charge from a PC.

Which fails on the ease of use test. It's a one-way charger.


It's also not the standard connector for data transfer with devices such as cameras - these use mini USB or USB3 (or their own generic ones)

[fragglerock]

USB-C as in the new Nexus android phones is not directional.

Hopefully that can become the new standard for usb devices...

https://xkcd.com/927/

[WTFH]

USB-C as in the new Nexus android phones is not directional.

Hopefully that can become the new standard for usb devices...

https://xkcd.com/927/

The cartoon has got it right!

Ah, so a new connector which is very similar to Lightning, but it must be adopted by all because it is not Apple, or is it because the Apple one isn't good enough?

[d000hg]

Which fails on the ease of use test. It's a one-way charger.

Yes but unlike USB you can tell easily which way round it's supposed to go.

The humble mains plug is "one way" but I don't see people complaining.

[WTFH]

Yes but unlike USB you can tell easily which way round it's supposed to go.

The humble mains plug is "one way" but I don't see people complaining.

It is in this country, but not everywhere, and not for all devices - what about electric razors & electric toothbrushes?.


Then again, you don't plug your mains plug into your phone in the car, do you?

[Platypus]

I like the Apple data connector because it can be plugged in either way round.

I thought that Apple put the audio jack on the bottom to stop dust getting in (as it did when it was on the top).

Losing the jack seems high-risk to be. But then the new Mac Book has only one USB C connector, which would seriously put me off.

[NotAllThere]

Yes but unlike USB you can tell easily which way round it's supposed to go.

The humble mains plug is "one way" but I don't see people complaining.

The mains plug is somewhat bigger. On some of my devices the micro-USB socket is upside down, so I'm always checking the orientation.

I like the Apple data connector because it can be plugged in either way round.

I thought that Apple put the audio jack on the bottom to stop dust getting in (as it did when it was on the top)..

My wife's ipod stopped working when a small moth climbed inside and died. So dust proof, but not moth proof.

[Boo]

Losing the jack seems high-risk to be. But then the new Mac Book has only one USB C connector, which would seriously put me off.

The difference between 1 and (n-1) where n is the number you actually need is pretty minimal though

Boo

[d000hg]

It is in this country, but not everywhere, and not for all devices - what about electric razors & electric toothbrushes?.

European and particularly US plugs are just crap though. They wobble like crazy and the US ones you often get big sparks as you plug things in.

The UK mains plug is the best. MicroUSB might not be the best but it's still a standard until the industry collectively switches to something nicer.