More power to them
It's often the simplest things that are genius, and a USB wall-socket certainly fits the bill.
ZDnet posted a link to a company that sells just that, a USB power outlet amalgamated onto the sides of a regular (US) three-prong plug-hole.
Seeing as USB is a synonym for ubiquity, the move makes complete sense, and we'd wager that True Power, the company selling the outlets, will be making a killing on their cheap-as-chips $10 offerings.
The site touts the product as being "perfect for charging any USB-powered device including mobile, iPod, iPhone, PDA, MP3, PSP, MP4 player & digital camera," and would certainly do away with those irritating and often clunky converters.
True Power says the ports only draw power when a device is physically connected, saying "We didn't want a vampire port that continually sucks and wastes power when not in use so this was one of the features on the top of our priority list during the design phase."
The sockets can be installed on any existing wall outlet, and other specs include an input voltage of AC 100 to 240V 50/60Hz, USB input current of 80mA, output USB voltage of DC 5.0V 600mA - all set to function properly within an operation temperature of -15 to 45°C at less than 95 per cent humidity.
Simple, power-efficient, much needed. Now, why didn't we think of that?
