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Did you just stop reading the comment after that sentence? I was able to fully charge my laptop from a power bank using a phone's USB cable while everyone else

by roninb 10y ago

Did you just stop reading the comment after that sentence? I was able to fully charge my laptop from a power bank using a phone's USB cable while everyone else was relegated to simply using their phones and waiting for power restoration. What is not "working" about that?

gambiting 10y ago
Well, while I absolutely agree that being able to charge your laptop from a power bank is cool, I still think it's a usability problem - like in my original example, where my mum just doesn't understand how a micro usb charger can charge slower than another micro usb charger. Devices should be seamless, and you shouldn't have to worry about it - if you can charge your laptop with a charger, it should provide enough power to keep using it while it's charging - yet most phone charger will not do that with laptops. Tech savvy people won't have a problem with it, obviously, but a lot of consumers will.
- roninb 10y ago
  I think you're understating how big of a difference there is between a laptop charger and a phone charger. Of course two identical AC adapters for phones are difficult to differentiate; the cables are the same gauge, the bricks are about the same size, they both came with phones. I'm not sure your mother would have as much difficulty differentiating something the size of a laptop charger from something the size of a phone charger... It's not like laptops are going to start shipping with phone-sized chargers all of a sudden.
  - gambiting 10y ago
    Again, case in point, Asus Transformer T100 charger: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/271922569141?lpid=122&chn=ps&googleloc=9046781&poi=&campaignid=620800750&device=c&adgroupid=27378723426&rlsatarget=pla-181480843746&adtype=pla&crdt=0 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/271922569141?lpid=122&chn=ps&... It's marginally larger than a normal phone charger. Side by side, it's only slightly bigger than Apple ipad charger.
    - roninb 10y ago
      Sorry, what do tablet chargers have to do with laptop chargers? Like you said, "case in point", phone and laptop chargers aren't really going to be getting confused. I think the point you made about your mother is very valid, because a QuickCharge supported charger and a typical standard USB charger will look almost identical, not just in connector shape, but also in absolute size. I agree that adding tablet chargers to the mix confuses that even more. I don't believe that is the case when it comes to laptop chargers vs phone chargers. They are very different in size (both cable and adapter size). They also ship with different products; it's easy to think phone charger, same shape, same size, they do the same thing. I don't know if that will hold true when the chargers are less similar. I would imagine people will understand "small charger, long charge - big charger, short charge", kinda like they do now, regardless of connector shape. You're right in implying that there is a big difference between tech savvy users and the typical consumer, so maybe I'm completely wrong.

by roninb 10y ago

gambiting 10y ago

Well, while I absolutely agree that being able to charge your laptop from a power bank is cool, I still think it's a usability problem - like in my original example, where my mum just doesn't understand how a micro usb charger can charge slower than another micro usb charger. Devices should be seamless, and you shouldn't have to worry about it - if you can charge your laptop with a charger, it should provide enough power to keep using it while it's charging - yet most phone charger will not do that with laptops. Tech savvy people won't have a problem with it, obviously, but a lot of consumers will.

roninb 10y ago
I think you're understating how big of a difference there is between a laptop charger and a phone charger. Of course two identical AC adapters for phones are difficult to differentiate; the cables are the same gauge, the bricks are about the same size, they both came with phones. I'm not sure your mother would have as much difficulty differentiating something the size of a laptop charger from something the size of a phone charger... It's not like laptops are going to start shipping with phone-sized chargers all of a sudden.
- gambiting 10y ago
  Again, case in point, Asus Transformer T100 charger: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/271922569141?lpid=122&chn=ps&googleloc=9046781&poi=&campaignid=620800750&device=c&adgroupid=27378723426&rlsatarget=pla-181480843746&adtype=pla&crdt=0 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/271922569141?lpid=122&chn=ps&... It's marginally larger than a normal phone charger. Side by side, it's only slightly bigger than Apple ipad charger.
  - roninb 10y ago
    Sorry, what do tablet chargers have to do with laptop chargers? Like you said, "case in point", phone and laptop chargers aren't really going to be getting confused. I think the point you made about your mother is very valid, because a QuickCharge supported charger and a typical standard USB charger will look almost identical, not just in connector shape, but also in absolute size. I agree that adding tablet chargers to the mix confuses that even more. I don't believe that is the case when it comes to laptop chargers vs phone chargers. They are very different in size (both cable and adapter size). They also ship with different products; it's easy to think phone charger, same shape, same size, they do the same thing. I don't know if that will hold true when the chargers are less similar. I would imagine people will understand "small charger, long charge - big charger, short charge", kinda like they do now, regardless of connector shape. You're right in implying that there is a big difference between tech savvy users and the typical consumer, so maybe I'm completely wrong.