Wall Outlets with USB connectors

[DerbyDad03]

Well, that statement is not _completely_ true.

Newer, higher power USB 2.0 ports will charge the iPad as will standard USB ports if the computer is awake and the iPad is in sleep mode.

The details can be found here:

Even with that said, I'm not sure that that is the _reason_ iPads come with adapters. They could still sell them separately if they wanted to.

We'll have to wait and see if Apple stops including the adapter once high power USB ports are commonplace.

That would be me now that the girls are home from college. When their brothers stop over with their devices it gets even worse. Wires everywhere, adapters missing from where they should be, adapters plugged in but the USB cord missing, etc.

I ended up plugging a power strip into an outlet behind a couch and then tie-wrapping a non-USB adaptor to the strip so it would take effort and tools for any of them to move the charger that I use for my phone. They're free to use it where it is, but they've pretty much got the message that I want it to be where it's supposed to be when I need it.

[Duesenberg]

Can it charge as quickly as the wall charger? Apple's wall charge recharges 100% in less than 2 hours, and that's with the iPad on.

I've yet to get the iPad to charge on my puter but then again I dunno if I've had it on sleep mode.

I may try yours/apple's advice just to see...

[AJL]

It depends on which Kindle you buy as to what you get. While the particular Kindle in your above example comes with both, not all do:

The basic $79 Kindle comes with only a USB 2.0 cable. (Power adapter sold separately.)

While the Kindle Fire comes with only a power adapter (hard wired to a micro USB plug). (USB cable sold separately.)

[Metspitzer]

I have 2 1500W UPS. I use one for my 50 Plasma TV. The other one is for my main computer, wireless network/router and my cordless phone.

They both come with 2 USB ports. For 200 bucks a piece, they should kick in a couple of USB ports.

[DerbyDad03]

Please refer to the link I provided for the details. The answer to your question is there.

[DerbyDad03]

I guess I bought the right Kindles then. ;-)

[AJL]

My guess is that most Kindle buyers don't realize what power supply arrangement comes with the various packages. I didn't when I bought my

3 Kindles (Keyboard G3, $79, Fire). But for me it wasn't a big problem with my drawer full of USB supplies and cables. However I can see where it might inconvenience some.

Reports say that Amazon is cutting it close (or even taking a loss) on some models and leaving out those parts can help meet those magic price points ($79, $199 ect). Their idea is likely to make up the profit by selling content. Kinda like the cheap printer expensive ink business plan... ;)

[Josh]

I'm pretty sure what was meant was that the old, heavier, linear power supplies used to come with every device -- most current devices come with switching power supplies (yes, some come with none at all). The point is that linear power supplies are the ones that have real "vampire power"; you'd be hard pressed to put all of your switching supplies together, unconnected to devices, and measure any significant cost..

Josh

[fred.flintstone]

If this is the case, how come they dont sell receptacles that have a built in 12 volt battery charger for cars. Just think how handy that would be to have one or more in the garage.

[The Daring Dufas]

If your car will fit on your kitchen counter, it probably has a USB port for recharging its batteries. ^_^

What current are you looking for from this new outlet? The relatively small space a standard 120 volt AC receptacle fits may not be big enough to house a battery charger for car batteries that's powerful enough to be anything more than a trickle charger. O_o

TDD

[DerbyDad03]

If my microwave had a USB port, I could charge my phone in the kitchen without using a wall wort or receptacle. It would be similar the receptacles that started this thread.

Actually, my DVR box has a USB port on the front. I have TWC and I think I recall being told the port is for future use. I think other cable companies use it for connecting external drives.

I've never tested it to see if it would charge a device. I'll have to find a throw away device and try it.

The fish would be able to charge their devices without leaving the tank. Every morning I have a wet trail on the carpet to the nearest receptacle from those darn fish.

You're most welcome.

[mattheron]

Wow, you must be very wealthy to have all that stuff!

[krw]

Why? You do know that the USB port on your phone has a limited number of insertions and the battery an limited number of charge cycles. Leave it in the bedroom. USB ports cost money, too.

My DVR doesn't have a USB port, I don't think, but all of the cable and satellite boxes I've seen in the past ten years do.

I suppose you pay for their phone and data service, too.

[krw]

Symantics. All that's guaranteed is .5A.

I sure hope I never have to use anything you design.

[krw]

If someone thought there was a market for them, they would. Maybe you'd like to start that business?

[krw]

You need to be wealthy to have $1500 worth of stuff? I suppose I'm Warren Buffet (two e-book readers, six cell phones, three laptops, two desktops, and three flat-panel TVs) - for the two of us. Oh, and two houses. ;-)

[DerbyDad03]

Huh? I must not be getting your point. What difference does it make if I am inserting the cable/charging the phone in the bedroom, the kitchen or the garage? When it needs to be charged, I'm going to plug it in some place. Whether the other end of the cable is plugged into my microwave or a bedroom based wall wort won't change the number of insertions or charge cycles.

In other words, right now, if I need to be in the kitchen and my phone needs charging, I'll grab the cord from the bedroom and bring it to the kitchen. If the microwave had a port I'd just use that one. Either way, the phone is going to get plugged in.

Remember the point of this whole thread was about making USB ports more "convenient" by having them installed right in the receptacles. It got expanded to "If a device is always on anyway, why not add a USB port and make it available."

My DVR and cable box are one and the same.

/7 should have

Of course I do. After all, they're just fish. It's not like they can go out and get a job.

[trader4]

The other factor is that while it's charging, you may want it near you so that if it rings, you can answer. I don't think it wouldn't be a bad idea to put a USB charging port in some countertop appliances, like a microwave. I'd view it as an added feature when comparing models. Going to be in the kitchen for awhile, you could plug it in without having to unplug and move the charger from someplace else. It also avoids having to tie up a kitchen counter outlet with a charger.

[HerHusband]

Something like this?

If you don't want to replace the outlet, they also make plug-in versions. You could move this style from room to room if needed:

You could always install a standard switched outlet:

Then use any plug in USB charger, such as this:

Leave the cable/charger plugged in, and flip the power switch when you remove your device. Of course, this would tie up the only available electrical outlet unless your USB charger has a power outlet (many do).

If you don't mind the cable clutter, you could plug all your wall worts and USB chargers into a power strip that has individual switches like this:

Everything stays plugged in, you just flip the switch on when you need it.

There are a lot of options to balance cable clutter, portability, and power use. Personally, I just unplug the power adapters when I'm not using them, but I don't have many mobile devices.

If I really wanted a deluxe USB charging center, I would replace the single gang electrical box with a two or three gang box. Then install the switched outlet and one or two of the wire in USB outlets. That's more work than most people would want to do, but it would result in a clean installation with no vampire power.

Anthony

[DerbyDad03]

Exactly my point and that's why I don't quite understand krw comments about "insertion counts" and "charging cycles" as they relate to a USB port on a microwave.

Users are going to charge their devices when required so I don't see how a USB-ported microwave (or any other appliance) increases the "insertion counts" or "charging cycles".

Granted, I could have totally missed his point, so we'll have to wait and see.