Full FeedOne plug to rule them all
The Mobile World Congress was abuzz this week when GSMA announced the possibility of having one standard charger for all mobile types. Instead of having a specific charger for each type of mobile phone, manufacturers can create one type that will charge all devices. This should not be too difficult to achieve since most cellular phones are 5 volt devices.
Benefits of having a universal charger is that it will be very convenient for consumers as well as create less waste for the environment. The organization Green Plug feels that this goal is not only attainable with mobile phones, but other electronic devices as well. The company has proposed a universal plug that will power not only mobile phones, but other devices like notebook PCs, printers, game controllers, power tools, portable DVD players, wireless routers that run off of different voltage. Their device converts the power source and communicates with the device in order to provide function without wasting energy.
Although this solution sounds ideal, a universal power source is most likely a long way off. For instance, all electronics or cell phone manufactures would need to be convinced to produce a universal connector that could be plugged into their device.
Read: [Green Plug]
Keep up with the latest gadget goodness! - 
Subscribe to our feed
Palm Pre Information & Updates
Palm just introduced their next-gen smartphone, the Palm Pre, and next-gen operating system, Palm webOS. Gadgetell's got the latest Pre and webOS information and news for you right here.
Hello Heather. Thank you for mentioning Green Plug in your story on the importance of reusable, interoperable power for cell phones. While the GSMA is standardizing both the power adapter connector and the cell phone device connector, Green Plug has taken an approach similar to what China mandated as law.
To sell a cell phone in China, that phone must get power from a power adapter that has a USB-A connector. So phones can use whatever connector they want and still be able to interoperate with any standard USB power adapter. All that needs to be device-specific is the power cord.
When you consider the vast number of device types, shapes and sizes (Bluetooth headsets, notebook PCs, digital picture frames, portable game controllers, etc.) we agree that it can take a while to standardize on the device connector. That’s why Green Plug does not mandate a universal device connector, but does require the power adapter to use its innovative power adapter connector.
It’s innovative, because we license it free of charge and it accepts any standard USB-A plug. It also has extra power pins to enable it to power devices up to 180W each with a single power port - many times more power than USB provides for.
The Alliance for Universal Power Supplies (http://www.allianceforuniversalpower.org/home.php) will encourage the development of a universal device power connector. But, as you point out, that may take a while. Getting the world to standardize on a reusable, convenient and interoperable power connector on the power adapter side, however, should not be difficult. That is why China took their approach and Green Plug also focused on standardizing the power adapter side first.
Thank you again for helping make the world aware of how important it is to eliminate the unnecessary disposal of power adapters that are in perfect working condition, simply because they are incompatible with other products. This costs manufacturers money, consumers hate it and it is bad for the environment. The change is simple.
Thank you.
Paul Panepinto
on February 20, 2009 at 11:50 PM - LINKEVP Sales and Marketing
Green Plug, Inc.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)