The frustration of trying to plug-in an upside-down Micro-USB connector could disappear soon. The USB type-C connector has been declared ready for production by the USB Promoter Group announcement document (unencrypted PDF link).
With the Type-C spec finalized, it now comes down to the USB-IF to actually implement the sockets, plugs, cables, adapters, and devices. The problem is that there are billions of existing USB devices and cables that will need adapters and new cables to work with new Type-C devices. It's a lot like when Apple released the Lightning connector, but on an even grander scale. Further exacerbating the issue is the fact that China, the EU, and the GSMA have all agreed that new mobile devices use micro-USB for charging — though it might be as simple as including a Micro-USB-to-Type-C adapter with every new smartphone.
It will handle 100W of power and make 10 Gbit/s speeds possible. Personally, though, I find the micro-USB port mechanically weak and the single duplex, polling, single ended out of band signaling flawed. If one connector should be standardized then it better be a good one.
Let's hope some other standard for computerized phones comes along that does strict in-band signaling for everything, even for power demands i.e. 0.75 — 100W no shorting D+/D-. Separate lanes at all times for TX and RX. Uses wide connector pads. And CMSA/CD or token... not polling. I heard Firewire and Ethernet/PoE comes closer.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by theluggage on Thursday August 14 2014, @03:50PM
Yes. That was silly, wasn't it. But then, who would have thunk that the Micro-USB connector wasn't going to be around forever?
The problem was all of those proprietary power supplies with a captive, only-fits-brand-x cable. The solution: use USB A connectors at the power supply end and the same cable that you're going to need to connect the phone to a computer anyway (fortunately, this is now the norm anyway, no thanks to the EU et. al.). Dictating what type of socket should be in the mobile device itself wast totally unnecessary and obviously wasn't going to stand the test of time (which should have been obvious from the sight of that fugly double-barrelled micro USB3 connector - you can just imagine one of those on a smart watch!)
(Score: 3, Funny) by emg on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:05PM
Come now. Clearly, letting politicians make technology design decisions couldn't possibly go wrong.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by monster on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:20PM
I think you are wrong about this.
First, because when the common charging interface directive was drafted, most phones had separate charging and interfacing connectors. The fact that the stablished time before it was mandatory was, related to a rapid changing technology, excessive doesn't make the directive a mistake.
Second, because the directive wasn't oriented to make easy the life of manufacturers, it was oriented to reduce the production of dangerous trash with perfectly functional but no longer usable 2-year chargers because the phone had broken and new ones required different connectors. You may argue that it was shortsighted because it didn't take into account that there would be devices that required more power than the micro-USB could provide, but even industry leaders like Jobs dismissed the likes of phablets at first. It wasn't evident by then.
Third, if you put the USB connector at the supply end you reduce the problem but don't remove it: Instead of having several adaptors that you no longer can use, you have several propietary cables you no longer can use. You may say that manufacturers would have settled on some kind of standard cable, but I still have several propietary data cables on my desk to prove you that they couldn't agree even on if shit stinks. It was the EU and China who did it, not a magic fairy or sudden enlightenment.
Fourth, I agree with you in that microUSB is not the best connector at standing repeated use, but as someone who has seen a VGA cable connected upside-down (not even the metallic cover was enough to avoid it!) I think that the combination of carelessness and brute force wouldn't have made any other pick foolproof. Looks like there are a lot of fools, and they lift weigths.
(Score: 2) by nitehawk214 on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:33PM
"But then, who would have thunk that the Micro-USB connector wasn't going to be around forever?"
Everybody that isn't a politician. Seriously, anyone that has used an electronic device in the last 30 years should know the half life of a connector is under 10 years.
But I would rather them standardize on something fairly universal (see what I did there?) than have no standards at all, and let the manufactures go wild.
It is really about charging standards, as long as you can adapt it to microusb you are good. This is really intended to defeat bullshitty "you must buy our $50 wall wart" things that companies would try to pull.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Thursday August 14 2014, @10:07PM
Many CNC mills still use DB25.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by Lazarus on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:05PM
>The frustration of trying to plug-in an upside-down Micro-USB connector
If someone can't handle a USB connector, they're frustrated because of their own mental disability. The problem with USB connectors is the end that plugs into the back of the PC, not the end that's always visible.
(Score: 2) by strattitarius on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:21PM
First as you say, they are not always easily accessible. This exacerbates the other issues.
They are difficult to determine the correct orientation based on a glance. The connector is almost symmetrical.
They will go partially in, giving you the impression you got it right, but then it bottoms out and you realize it's the wrong way. So you flip it and try again only to find the same problem. So you flip it again and find out you had it right the first time but it was just a bit cock-eyed.
So who got it right? Dell laptop power connectors. Haven't changed in 10 years, they are round, and except for rare cases they are pretty much universal (although it may affect charging time and performance a bit). Granted they only had two pins to worry about.
Oh, and yes I used cock-eyed and bottoms on purpose when discussing finding the hole for my connector because a bit of juvenile humor is fun sometimes.
Slashdot Beta Sucks. Soylent Alpha Rules. News at 11.
(Score: 2) by nitehawk214 on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:45PM
Coaxial connectors are not practical for data connections that have 4+ leads.
There are some circular connectors that have pins in them such as S-Video... and they are nearly as annoying to use as USB.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 2) by The Archon V2.0 on Thursday August 14 2014, @05:56PM
> There are some circular connectors that have pins in them such as S-Video... and they are nearly as annoying to use as USB.
Moreso. There you have the downside that some people figure the right way to plug 'em in is to push and rotate them until they go the whole way....
(Score: 2) by nitehawk214 on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:35PM
When they make the device and the USB "fuck-you-flip-it-over" pin black, it is impossible to tell which way it goes even when you are looking at it.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 2) by SlimmPickens on Thursday August 14 2014, @07:21PM
I can do it, it's sort-of like touch typing. I don't know why, but I just look at it and go "Aha!You are upside down!"
(Score: 2) by caseih on Thursday August 14 2014, @08:37PM
Doesn't change the fact that all the incarnations of the micro, mini, and now type c usb connectors, are all awful designs. Whoever thought that a little fragile piece of plastic with contacts on it sticking out in space was a great idea? I've had more than one of these break off inside, rendering the entire device useless. Sorry, but Apple's lightning connector (or whatever they use on their iPhones and iPads) is better in nearly every way, except patents and licensing.
(Score: 2) by BasilBrush on Thursday August 14 2014, @09:39PM
Hurrah! Quoting works now!
(Score: 1) by richtopia on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:32PM
Particularly with a phone, where you can rotate both the device and the cord, this is a trivial issue. When it comes to charging devices, what needs to be improved is the voltage available or current.
USB is fine for phones, but I would like to see something similar that could power laptops or monitors.
(Score: 2) by BasilBrush on Thursday August 14 2014, @09:46PM
Hurrah! Quoting works now!
(Score: 2, Funny) by samjam on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:43PM
Great!
now it will take me 4 attempts to connect instead of 3!
(Score: 2) by iwoloschin on Thursday August 14 2014, @04:55PM
But at least now you'll be right both the first AND second time?
(Score: 2) by meisterister on Thursday August 14 2014, @05:28PM
While not very likely, it would be nice to see cases with the MicroUSB to type C adapter built in. Given the bulk of a lot of cases I see now, it wouldn't really be all that bad.
(May or may not have been) Posted from my K6-2, Athlon XP, or Pentium I/II/III.