4 ms·

> letting you use a laptop to power your smartphone, for instance What do they mean ? I remember charging my phone (or even a mp3 player) from my laptop using

> letting you use a laptop to power your smartphone, for instance What do they mean ? I remember charging my phone (or even a mp3 player) from my laptop using mini USB and later micro USB like 8 or 10 years ago.

jakobegger 7y ago
Yeah, that part doesn't really add up. Maybe they meant to say that the same port on a laptop can be used to put power in or take power out, but that's not really that big of a deal. What's new is that you can now use a laptop charger to charge a phone.
- eloisant 7y ago
  Well, considering the shitshow that is voltage on USB-C, I would never try to charge my phone with my laptop charger. Maybe in a few years when USB-C is more mature, and manufacturer know how to place safeguards in devices so you can't fry it by plugging the wrong charger...
  - SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
    Is it? My understanding was that it supplied 5V (as per previous USB standards) until devices negotiated otherwise?
    - elliottkember 7y ago
      It does. I do this nightly. The iPhone has a fast-charge mode when used with a laptop charger, or their new fast charger, and it’s like 50%-in-30-minutes fast with either
  - llampx 7y ago
    I've charged my (Huawei) phone just fine with Apple and Lenovo USB type C chargers. In fact I could even (slowly) charge my Thinkpad with my phone's charger. Would I do it with a no-name charger or cable or an older one? Hell no.
  - tialaramex 7y ago
    If you use a cheap non-compliant electrical thing it might go pop and all the magic smoke escapes. If you use a really cheap, really badly made thing it might catch fire or explode and hurt somebody. This was true for USB micro B chargers, I've had one go pop maybe a desk width from my head one day. It was true for laptop chargers, which have caused their share of fires. So USB C is not new on this. If you use high quality products it'll probably be fine.
taneq 7y ago
Maybe they meant letting you use a laptop charger to power your phone?
- milankragujevic 7y ago
  that could turn out bad if any of the components is not to spec. like, idk, putting 28 V 1.3A into a phone that takes 5V 2.3A. Boom!
  - taneq 7y ago
    I thought USB automagically took care of that?
    - charwalker 7y ago
      If implemented to spec, yes. If cheap and not, maybe not.

jakobegger 7y ago

Yeah, that part doesn't really add up. Maybe they meant to say that the same port on a laptop can be used to put power in or take power out, but that's not really that big of a deal. What's new is that you can now use a laptop charger to charge a phone.

eloisant 7y ago
Well, considering the shitshow that is voltage on USB-C, I would never try to charge my phone with my laptop charger. Maybe in a few years when USB-C is more mature, and manufacturer know how to place safeguards in devices so you can't fry it by plugging the wrong charger...
- SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
  Is it? My understanding was that it supplied 5V (as per previous USB standards) until devices negotiated otherwise?
  - elliottkember 7y ago
    It does. I do this nightly. The iPhone has a fast-charge mode when used with a laptop charger, or their new fast charger, and it’s like 50%-in-30-minutes fast with either
- llampx 7y ago
  I've charged my (Huawei) phone just fine with Apple and Lenovo USB type C chargers. In fact I could even (slowly) charge my Thinkpad with my phone's charger. Would I do it with a no-name charger or cable or an older one? Hell no.
- tialaramex 7y ago
  If you use a cheap non-compliant electrical thing it might go pop and all the magic smoke escapes. If you use a really cheap, really badly made thing it might catch fire or explode and hurt somebody. This was true for USB micro B chargers, I've had one go pop maybe a desk width from my head one day. It was true for laptop chargers, which have caused their share of fires. So USB C is not new on this. If you use high quality products it'll probably be fine.

taneq 7y ago

Maybe they meant letting you use a laptop charger to power your phone?

milankragujevic 7y ago
that could turn out bad if any of the components is not to spec. like, idk, putting 28 V 1.3A into a phone that takes 5V 2.3A. Boom!
- taneq 7y ago
  I thought USB automagically took care of that?
  - charwalker 7y ago
    If implemented to spec, yes. If cheap and not, maybe not.