6 ms·
Not quite convinced by the argument that 'Apple killed' it. IMHO it's always dangerous to go for one plug design; given how those plugs evolved over time (Think
by sftueni 14y ago
Not quite convinced by the argument that 'Apple killed' it. IMHO it's always dangerous to go for one plug design; given how those plugs evolved over time (Think USB, micro USB, mini USB for Android, etc.). I quickly amassed in my drawer a plethora of unusable chargers. Only the Apple port had the longest lifetime across multiple devices. I would say, the kickstarter idea could use it as an opportunity to redesign an initial flaw of - an otherwise nice charging station ?
- JohnTHaller 14y agoThey can't. The point of it was to be a charging station that could charge everything. Apple's updated more-anti-competitive license changes make this impossible by forbidding anything from having a lightning connector in conjunction with any other connector. It's basically Apple forcing 3rd parties to make docks, speakers, etc that ONLY work with new Apple products and won't support anything else.
- joeyo 14y agoThey could have simply provided a standard USB-A port. Trying to put all possible connectors on the thing sounds like a fools errand, regardless of Apple's stance.
- firloop 14y agoIf you look on their kickstarter page, they actually did provide USB-A ports on the bottom of the unit. They just weren't able to 'compromise their product', which makes me believe that perhaps they had other underlying issues, unrelated to Apple's licensing.
- JohnTHaller 14y agoThey said the product was going to do lightning and they found out they couldn't actually do that. I think that would qualify as false advertising.
- Kerrick 14y agoThere are already a glut of portable chargers on the market that provide a standard USB-A port. The point of this device was to stand out by providing the Lightning (and other) connectors without needing additional cables.
- JohnTHaller 14y agoNot really. The 3 USBs along with the fat iPhone connector and Lightning connector would let them cover most phones currently on the market.
- snogglethorpe 14y agoWait, why does Apple even have the power to do this...? It's a connector... Why on earth is it possible to patent a connector that doesn't involve any particular innovation (take wires, rearrange a bit, tweak shell shape) in the first place...?!?
- marshray 14y agoI haven't seen the connector myself, but I would not expect it to be devoid of all innovation. But I do find it somewhat disturbing that after 100+ years we're still finding patentable modifications to ordinary low-voltage plugs. Someone should make a Kickstarter for a compatible charging connector that unambiguously avoids all the patents. Something dirt-simple like just a few bare metal pins sticking out providing voltage and alignment. Now that would be disrupting the ecosystem.
- JohnTHaller 14y agoYou can't. Apple built DRM into their cable with a proprietary security chip. All DRMed and patended up nicely to lock everyone out of just about everything.
- marshray 14y agoBastards. Well, as long as someone has a cable somewhere that your DC supply can proxy communications to...
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- czhiddy 14y agoA minimal amount of googling would've uncovered the actual purpose of the chip: http://brockerhoff.net/blog/2012/09/23/boom-pins/ http://brockerhoff.net/blog/2012/09/23/boom-pins/ Care to provide any sources describing the DRM capabilities?
- 14y ago