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My next laptop must have...the next big idea...

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As I walked down the aisle of the plane on my way back from Collaboration University Chicago yesterday I noticed something very interesting.  Lots of people using their iPhones to play games, check email etc.  that wasn't what was interesting though, it was that most of the people had their iPhones plugged into the USB socket of their laptop.  It was that they were using the iPhone as some USB device for the PC, they were actually using the PC as an external power source for the iPhone, anyone that will owns an iPhone will testify that if you use as anything other than something to take up space in your pocket, this thing cannot last an entire day without being plugged into be charged, god forbid you use it as a phone or use the WiFi.  

So as I walked up and down the aisle,  I decided a factor that will influence my next laptop purchase is whether or not the laptop can send power to the USB port without being powered on.  It seams pointless to launch windows or Panther or siamese or whatever that OS is called just to get power to the USB socket, but that is what was happening up and down the plane.  A simple switch next to the USB port that says "USB Power On/Off" and turns the USB power on or off would be perfect for all these people.  Does anyone know if any Laptop has such a swithc already?  If not I hereby make claim it's my idea, and anyone that uses a name along the lines of USBTravel! or USBPower! (they always have exclamation marks) owes me money  Oh web 2.0 version is USBPwr!

Comments

Gravatar Image1 - Good observation. That's what my next laptop must have...but maybe without the laptop.

Gravatar Image2 - Interesting and sadly true observation. I simply travel with one of these { Link } which indeed was connected to my iPhone the entire flight.

Gravatar Image3 - Just spend the $80 on a good external battery like this:

{ Link }

Gravatar Image4 - You can even find instructions on the web on how to build your own charger { Link }

Gravatar Image5 - Toshiba beat you to it:

{ Link }

Gravatar Image6 - Just got the new Dell E6500 at work and it has an option in BIOS to activate usb charging when the laptop is off - including a setting for how far to go before stopping (e.g. 25% battery left). The E6400 has the same option, but I wouldn't recommend buying either of them.
I guess checking the BIOS manual or, more likely, forums, before actually buying one will confirm if a specific model has this or not.

Gravatar Image7 - Or ditch the iPhone, and go for a solid cellphone with a decent battery, like the Nokia E71

Gravatar Image8 - I purchased a Toshiba (A505) that was built to do this very thing!!

Gravatar Image9 - Hi Carl,

My 13inch mac laptop will charge my ipod via USB and my wife's iPhone (older Edge model) while sleeping, well mostly. I don't boot it, but I do leave it sleeping. If you watch the iPod when you plug it in, it actually wakes up (based on the little white light on the front), without turning on the screen, syncs w/the ipod, and then goes back to sleep, the big charge batter icon stayed after the sync and whie it was still sleeping again.

Reminds me of my wife nursing. It was my responsibility to get our child and give it to her, she placed child and then would doze while I went back to sleep. After a while, I'd be woken up again to put our child back.

Gravatar Image10 - Hi Carl,
<br />
<br />My 13inch mac laptop will charge my ipod via USB and my wife's iPhone (older Edge model) while sleeping, well mostly. I don't boot it, but I do leave it sleeping. If you watch the iPod when you plug it in, it actually wakes up (based on the little white light on the front), without turning on the screen, syncs w/the ipod, and then goes back to sleep, the big charge batter icon stayed after the sync and whie it was still sleeping again.
<br />
<br />Reminds me of my wife nursing. It was my responsibility to get our child and give it to her, she placed child and then would doze while I went back to sleep. After a while, I'd be woken up again to put our child back.
<br />

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