Support grows for universal power adapter

[techs]

http://www.computerworld.com/a...9098238&intsrc=hm_list

Support grows for universal power adapter
Westinghouse is first large manufacturer to use Green Plug technology

June 16, 2008 (IDG News Service) A technology that could help the environment by eliminating the need to ship a power adapter with every electronics device got a vote of confidence from consumer electronics maker Westinghouse Digital Electronics LLC.

Westinghouse on Friday said it had committed to using a "smart power" technology developed by start-up Green Plug Inc. that aims to let people use a single "universal adapter" to power their laptops, cell phones and other electronics gear.

Most products today ship with a custom adapter that converts AC power from a wall socket into the correct DC power required for each device. Green Plug's technology allows each device to communicate its individual power requirements to the power adapter, allowing several devices to share one adapter.

The technology's success depends partly on getting support from electronics manufacturers, which will need to embed Green Plug's firmware into their devices so they can send their power requirements to the adapter. That's why Westinghouse's support is significant.





Imagine the competition if it was one power supply size fits all!
I am liking this idea.

 

[kranky]

If consumers demand this technology, manufacturers will adopt it - even the ones who like selling replacement adapters. No company dares to ignore a chance to say how "green" they are.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

It got slated on Slashdot over the weekend.

 

[sdifox]

err, wouldn't that require a giant AC-DC inverter if you are going to plug in multiple devices? I am not sure this is green...

 

[frostedflakes]

Most wall-warts are cheap and inefficient (you can get away with this when your device only requires a few watts), so a single, high-quality adapter would probably be more efficient, not to mention require fewer materials than a bunch of separate adapter. Much more environmentally friendly IMO.

I'd love to see something like this, but I'm not counting on it happening.

"The adapters will also shut off the power supply when a device has finished charging or is turned off, providing further energy savings."

This is very good as well, I don't think a lot of people realize how much those wall-wart chargers can use even when nothing is plugged into them.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: sdifox
err, wouldn't that require a giant AC-DC inverter if you are going to plug in multiple devices? I am not sure this is green...

The device requests a certain wattage, the inveter ramp up/down power requirements based on those requests...

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: sdifox
err, wouldn't that require a giant AC-DC inverter if you are going to plug in multiple devices? I am not sure this is green...

The device requests a certain wattage, the inveter ramp up/down power requirements based on those requests...

Unless they can get everyone to standardise on 5v and 12v just like the computer industry, I don't see this adding much efficiency.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: sdifox
err, wouldn't that require a giant AC-DC inverter if you are going to plug in multiple devices? I am not sure this is green...

for multiple devices, yeah. It's gonna require that you have an AC to DC conversion for several products that are on the chain. The only other way I can think of this powering is to have the ac be converted to dc (something like 50VDC) in the beginning and then having the dc be stepped down at each node that puts a request in.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: sdifox
err, wouldn't that require a giant AC-DC inverter if you are going to plug in multiple devices? I am not sure this is green...

The device requests a certain wattage, the inveter ramp up/down power requirements based on those requests...

Unless they can get everyone to standardise on 5v and 12v just like the computer industry, I don't see this adding much efficiency.

the only gain from doing this is more about saving materials....