While great strides are being made to make the mobile electronics we carry smaller, more feature-rich and more affordable -- devices like the cell phone, music player, PDA and pocket camera -- there's been little improvement to the AC adapters that keep them running. Because the adapters and connectors for each are different, we end up carrying lots of them, which often end up as a tangled mess at the bottom of a briefcase. Often the adapters aren't identified as to which product they work with, making it a pain to pair to the correct product. The adapter seems like it's an afterthought to the designer, yet a large one negates much of the convenience of a small device. So what can be done? Here are my recommendations to the manufacturers to clean up the chaos of charging:
1. Use a standard USB mini-connector for charging. It works with a standard cable, and avoids the use of special cables that are costly and difficult to replace if lost. The Blackberry is an example that gets this right.
2. Make the power adapters more vertical than broad so they don't cover adjoining plugs on a power strip. Follow Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) lead with its notebook charger, which even has folding legs for winding up the cord.
3. Get the industry to standardize on a few different adapters that can be used across different products. Identify them by using colored enclosures and cords that match the same color plugs on the device.
4. Don't force us to carry a cradle or charging station to recharge the device. Some smart phones, PDAs and digital cameras require them, and they're nearly as large as the devices themselves.
5. Put the name and brand of the product that the adapter is made for on the adapter.
6. Eliminate the removable AC cords found on some of the chargers and use built- in prongs instead, as Canon (NYSE: CAJ) does with its Elph digital cameras. Interchangeable cords make it easy for the manufacture to adapt the same product for different countries, but it puts a burden on us.
7. Use foldable plugs that take up less room. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) and Apple lead the way here.
I wouldn't hold my breath for these changes to happen anytime soon. But what can be done in the meantime? Consider using some the following products that attempt to simplify the charging chaos.
These all take advantage of the USB port, the little rectangular connector on your computer designed to connect your peripherals; most notebooks and desktops have at least two of them. These ports also act as a mini-electric outlet that provides 2.5 watts, enough to recharge or even run many of your devices.
Malleable Devices (www.mpowerproducts.com) offers a kit that provides much of what you need for charging from your computer, auto or home in a single package. Its SynCh Universal Sync Charger Kit provides a configurable cable that plugs into the USB port and provides connectors for charging two different devices at the same time. It also rolls up into a compact reel for storage. The kit contains a car and AC adapter that use the same cable. The company provides interchangeable tips for most phones and other devices that snap onto the cable. It sells for $40 on the company Web site.
Socket Communications (www.socketcom.com) offers its Mobile Power Pack ($125 with a mail-in rebate), a complete stand-alone charging system. It consists of a high capacity lithium-ion battery with an 11-ounce USB connector, just 3 inches by 4 inches by 1 inch.
It can be used to power or recharge any device that can plug into a computer's USB port. Adapters are offered for those that can't. The Mobile Power Pack's battery has about 10 times the capacity of a typical cell phone battery and a little less than a notebook battery. It has built-in protection circuitry and a low-battery indicator, and it comes in an attractive leather case along with a charger and cable.
I took it with me on a recent trip to China. Between the long airline flight and hydrofoil trip, I was away from a power outlet for about 24 hours, yet managed to keep my iPod, PDA and phone fully charged and running.
One caveat is that some devices may require just a little more power than provided by some notebooks, auto or wall adapters. And Apple's PowerBooks provide less power to their USB ports than most PC notebooks, meaning some devices will fail to charge. The companies I mentioned can provide details on the specific devices you have.
Update: Apple iTunes 5 for the PC
Last week I mentioned the problem I had upgrading to the latest version of iTunes. Since that time Apple has acknowledged problems experienced by a "limited number" of users and says it'll have a solution this week. On the Apple discussion board alone there are now nearly a thousand postings from others experiencing everything from an inability to access their music to losing all their tunes. So I guess it depends on your definition of "limited." I just wish Apple would be more forthcoming.
Baker has developed and marketed consumer and computer products for Polaroid, Apple, Seiko and others. He is the holder of 30 patents and was named San Diego's Ernst & Young Consumer Products Entrepreneur of the Year in 2000. Send comments to phil.baker@sddt.com. Comments may be published as Letters to the Editor.
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