CTIA confirms that by 2012 all cell phones will have a common charging port
Hey, can I borrow your phone charger? No, I have a Motorola. Wait, maybe that one will work. Let me try plugging it in to my phone … err, maybe it’s upside down … oh crap, was that little metal prong important?
I don’t know about you, but I have enough random phone chargers by now to open up my own storefront. Apparently I’m not alone. Today CTIA Chairman/Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announced that by January 2012, all U.S. cell phones will all have a common microUSB port. Finally, the holy grail has arrived: I can own one phone charger that’s compatible with all cell phones.
The announcement comes after the EU put forth a similar order last year to move over to microUSB ports. Not only is it expensive for consumers to keep buying new specific chargers, it creates unnecessary waste and the chargers are hard to recycle. There’s really no upside to unique chargers except that it allows Apple to gouge us $30 for a power adapter that doesn’t even include a cable.
So here’s our financial tip of the day: clean out your electronics drawer and put those suckers on E-Bay while they still command a premium. And if you don’t know what to do with your newfound wealth you can always donate it to your favorite consumer advocacy organization.
Communications: Wireless -
Tags: cell phone chargers - microUSB -
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