Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

EU mobiles to get common charger

Options
  • 30-12-2010 10:14am
    #1
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,443 ✭✭✭✭


    Yay!

    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1230/1224286488291.html
    EU mobiles to get common charger

    A universal mobile phone charger is to be introduced across the EU from 2011.

    The European Commission yesterday welcomed the new standard, called micro USB.

    It will be compatible with new data-enabled phones, or those which can be connected with a computer.

    The commission expects the first generation of compatible phones with the new common charger to reach the European market early next year.

    In 2009, 13 of the leading mobile phone manufacturers agreed to harmonise EU chargers. As a result, consumers will not need to change chargers with every phone, the commission said.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    srsly78
    Registered Users Posts: 7,157 ✭✭✭srsly78


    Erm we got these last year? It's only Apple and Nokia that refuse to use the new cable.


  • Options
    #3
    senordingdong
    Registered Users Posts: 10,673 ✭✭✭✭senordingdong


    srsly78 wrote: »
    Erm we got these last year? It's only Apple and Nokia that refuse to use the new cable.

    Not true.

    I have a two year old nokia that uses micro usb to charge.


  • Options
    #4
    ct5amr2ig1nfhp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,019 ✭✭✭ct5amr2ig1nfhp


    Most new nokias i've seen use the micro USB.

    According to all the articles I've read, both Apple and Nokia have agreed to use micro USB from 2011. (iPhone 5 anyone ;))


  • Options
    #5
    mwrf
    Registered Users Posts: 523 ✭✭✭mwrf


    srsly78 wrote: »
    Erm we got these last year? It's only Apple and Nokia that refuse to use the new cable.

    Nokia do use it, I have an n900 and an n97 with microusb ports here.


  • Options
    #6
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    srsly78 wrote: »
    Erm we got these last year? It's only Apple and Nokia that refuse to use the new cable.
    The agreement was signed in 2009 (by Nokia and Apple as well as the rest), but the standard implementation has only been agreed on now.
    As a result, consumers will not need to change chargers with every phone, the commission said.
    Read this as: "As a result, all mobile phone manufacturers will stop supplying chargers and USB cables with new phones from 2012".

    Instead, you'll have to use your old cable or pay €10 to buy a new one.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    kirving
    Registered Users Posts: 6,005 ✭✭✭kirving


    Em, Nokia have been using that for years!

    My previous phone (Nokia N85) was one of the earlier phones to have MicroUSB, but thats all it had! It was actually quite difficult sometimes to get a charger.

    Remember a few years ago, when the old style Nokia chargers were extremely common, it would really puch you towards buying a Nokia since you knew the chargers were so common.


  • Options
    #8
    AntiVirus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,395 ✭✭✭AntiVirus


    seamus wrote: »
    Read this as: "As a result, all mobile phone manufacturers will stop supplying chargers and USB cables with new phones from 2012".

    Instead, you'll have to use your old cable or pay €10 to buy a new one.

    :rolleyes:


  • Options
    #9
    amacachi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,316 ✭✭✭✭amacachi


    A tenner for a USB cable? LOL.


  • Options
    #10
    ChopShop
    Registered Users Posts: 1,797 ✭✭✭ChopShop


    Kevin Irving wrote: »
    Remember a few years ago, when the old style Nokia chargers were extremely common, it would really puch you towards buying a Nokia since you knew the chargers were so common.


    Remember when Nokia moved to the more slender charging jack, and everyone else still had the old one?


  • Options
    #11
    KrisW
    Registered Users Posts: 389 ✭✭KrisW


    I remember, and my phone at the time had both the small-plug charger, and a dongle in the box that went from big to small.

    Apple are currently the holdout, although they have signed the agreement. Actually, the text of the agreement allows manufacturers to comply by including a "standard to proprietary" dongle in the box, so don't get your hopes up...


    Nokia have had it on some phones, mainly E-Series, for a while, but not all. The majority of their phones use the 2mm connector only.
    Notably, N8 has both USB and 2mm Nokia connectors, and will charge off either, but this is to allow USB on-the-go functions -- how else do you charge your phone while you've got a device attached to the USB port?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Kinetic^
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,249 ✭✭✭✭Kinetic^


    AntiVirus wrote: »
    :rolleyes:
    amacachi wrote: »
    A tenner for a USB cable? LOL.

    Bought a printer lately? HP decided to stop supplying the cable, I can see the mobile firms going the same way to also save a few cent.


  • Options
    #13
    AntiVirus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,395 ✭✭✭AntiVirus


    Kinetic^ wrote: »
    Bought a printer lately? HP decided to stop supplying the cable, I can see the mobile firms going the same way to also save a few cent.

    I think HP must have just stopped supplying you. Check out their own website to see the contents of the printer you purchase from them.

    Check out EU law regarding selling electrical products too.


  • Options
    #14
    evolutionqy7
    Registered Users Posts: 6,277 ✭✭✭evolutionqy7


    senordingdong wrote: »
    Not true.

    I have a two year old nokia that uses micro usb to charge.

    Some of them. As said before nearly all smartphoneshave except apple.
    Tbh don't see the point of the 2mm one and micro USB at the same time :)

    My htc phone had a usb wall plug and a data cable I could connect to either pc or wall plug to charge or sync


  • Options
    #15
    KrisW
    Registered Users Posts: 389 ✭✭KrisW


    evolutionqy7 wrote: »
    Some of them. As said before nearly all smartphoneshave except apple.
    Tbh don't see the point of the 2mm one and micro USB at the same time :)
    The reason is "USB On-the-Go". Basically, for devices with USB-OtG, the phone's USB socket can also act as a host (you connect a thumb drive, external HD, printer, another phone etc. to it), and not just a device (the normal connection: you connect the phone to a PC, and the PC controls it).

    Thing is, if you're playing a video off your external USB memory stick, how can you charge your phone? That's what the 2mm jack is there for.


  • Options
    #16
    evolutionqy7
    Registered Users Posts: 6,277 ✭✭✭evolutionqy7


    KrisW wrote: »
    The reason is "USB On-the-Go". Basically, for devices with USB-OtG, the phone's USB socket can also act as a host (you connect a thumb drive, external HD, printer, another phone etc. to it), and not just a device (the normal connection: you connect the phone to a PC, and the PC controls it).

    Thing is, if you're playing a video off your external USB memory stick, how can you charge your phone? That's what the 2mm jack is there for.

    Dont know but it works for me :) I plug my phone into my xbox to watch movies :) and it charges it while its in USB Storage Mode :P


  • Options
    #17
    senordingdong
    Registered Users Posts: 10,673 ✭✭✭✭senordingdong


    Exactly.
    It's not only standardising the chargers, but giving us all alot more versatility out of our phones and their media.


  • Options
    #18
    KrisW
    Registered Users Posts: 389 ✭✭KrisW


    evolutionqy7 wrote: »
    Dont know but it works for me :) I plug my phone into my xbox to watch movies :) and it charges it while its in USB Storage Mode :P

    Well yes, but that's not what I'm talking about. In your case, your XBox is the host (master) and your phone is the device (slave).

    USB On-the-go is an extension of USB that allows the phone to be the host. To reuse your example, I could attach a USB memory stick (or your phone) to the phone, and watch, on my phone, the movies that are stored on that device. This video shows what I'm talking about (in Italian).

    Of course, while I'm doing this the USB port is not available to charge my phone off, so I must use the 2mm port instead.


  • Options
    #19
    AntiVirus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,395 ✭✭✭AntiVirus


    evolutionqy7 wrote: »
    Tbh don't see the point of the 2mm one and micro USB at the same time :)

    The reasom is that some usb ports do not provide enough power to charger what ever is connected to them. Just like some of the external hard drives that you connect to your PC need an alternative power supply.


  • Options
    #20
    evolutionqy7
    Registered Users Posts: 6,277 ✭✭✭evolutionqy7


    AntiVirus wrote: »
    The reasom is that some usb ports do not provide enough power to charger what ever is connected to them. Just like some of the external hard drives that you connect to your PC need an alternative power supply.

    Yeah cause they operate at higher speed than portable ones therfore need more power. But for a phone its more than suitable. It charges a bit slower than from the mains but not that much


Advertisement