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International standards group pushes for universal laptop charger

The IEC aims to reduce e-waste created by chargers, which is said to exceed half a million tons each year.

A EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY organisation aims to have most laptops and notebook computers adapting a universal charger in a bid to reduce e-waste.

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has announced the publication of the first “globally relevant Technical Specifications for a single external charger for a wide range of notebook computers and laptops.”

The report covers the major factors behind laptop chargers such as their connector and plug, safety, performance and environmental issues. The specifications for this universal charger is expected to be published in early 2014.

The group says that billions of external chargers are shipped globally, and are usually designed for one type of laptop or notebook computer. It estimates that the total e-waste created by this exceeds half a million tons each year.

Back in 2011, the IEC published the first globally relevant standard for a universal mobile phone charger to reduce e-waste, and the organisation’s General Secretary and CEO Frans Vreeswijk hopes that a universal laptop charger would do the same.

The IEC International Standards for the universal charger for mobile phones has been widely adopted by the mobile phone industry and is already starting to help reduce e-waste.  A single power supply covering a wide range of notebook computers is the next step in lowering e-waste and its impact on our planet.

However, it says that due to technical realities, creating a universal charger that can be used for any device is “likely still a long way from being achievable,” but believes that companies adapting a universal laptop standard is realistic.

While it’s likely that Apple will keep using its MagSafe power adapters, the standard could be adopted by major laptop manufacturers like Dell, Acer, and HP.

Read: The reversible USB is finally on its way >

Read: Smart wheel turns bicycles into electric-hybrid vehicle >

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35 Comments
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    Mute BensGlenn
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:11 AM

    Couldn’t agree more. With a family of 4, and between laptop chargers and phone chargers, our house has become a graveyard of adapters. If they decide to rise up then we’re in trouble.

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    Mute Jack Dermody
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:23 AM

    As long as the Macbook charger is the one they use… It is the best one, held in place by a magnet and disconnects if pulled…

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    Mute Jay Coleman
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:26 AM

    ssh…the fandroids will never vote for that..

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    Mute Rúairí O’ Sullivan
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:09 PM

    It is the best charger….a brilliant innovation. But they changed it recently so you can’t use older magnetic adaptors!

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    Mute John Horan
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:17 PM

    I’d love if they could, but I don’t think they can’t force companies to licence Apples tech, and Apple aren’t going to give it up for nothing, so its a no go.

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    Mute Leah
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:25 PM

    I’m on my THIRD Mac charger for the same laptop!

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    Mute Mark
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    Dec 19th 2013, 1:34 PM

    Must be rolling it around the block too tightly

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    Mute Conor Power
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    Dec 19th 2013, 6:07 PM

    Don’t roll around the block at all and I had one charger replaced under warranty already. The magsafe is good but the ac adapters themselves are the poorest quality pieces of hardware from Apple.

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    Mute David Burke
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    Dec 19th 2013, 7:50 PM

    Well no since Apple patented the idea of using magnets which is a totally original idea which has never been used before.

    So it won’t be based on that then.

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    Mute Lorraine Valentine
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    Dec 19th 2013, 8:56 PM

    The magnetic bit is the only good thing about it, they are very badly made and either the magnetic end goes or the wire at the box goes, i am on my 4th one in 4 years and at €79 a pop they are not cheap…thankfully i got a replica one this time for under €40! I’m all for a universal charger!

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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:38 AM

    Will nobody think of the poor shareholders?

    After all if we hade a univeral charger how will they become rich if they cant charge 10 times the price for a special charger.

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    Mute L-Plate
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:22 AM

    Friend of mine plugged his acer charger into a sony laptop and it blew up in his face. He spent the rest of the day picking lumps of metal out of his face

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    Mute Fintan O HEifernain
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:52 AM

    You sure it wasn’t your mate’s cousin?

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    Mute Fred O'Connor
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:28 PM

    A guy who works with my mate’s brother overheard someone in the pub saying a taxi driver told him it almost never happens. But I think one or two of them were lying.

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    Mute Luke Sullivan
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:30 PM

    If it was a Sony vaio – he deserved it.

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    Mute Jfash9
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:42 AM

    A universal phone charger would be even better

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    Mute Chris Judge
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:45 AM

    Micro USB is pretty much standard in the majority of all new smartphones.

    With the exception of iPhones, of course.

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    Mute Anthony Carroll
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    Dec 19th 2013, 3:01 PM

    Well they’ve to try and justify their prices don’t they?

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    Mute Charlie Melia
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:17 AM

    I have two brand new phones. My personal Galaxy S4 and my Iphone 5 for work….. No universal charger here…. Also looking at the phones in work finding different phones with the same charger is about as rare hens teeth…. What world do these muppets live in….

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    Mute Wobble
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:26 AM

    Hens teeth? There are only two types of phone charger now. If apple weren’t so stubborn there would just be one.

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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:41 AM

    Charlie

    Proving once again users of iPhones are not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree.

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    Mute Noel Otley
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:21 PM

    Only two chargers?
    You are overlooking the multitudes who still use basic mobiles eg Inda with his Nokia.

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    Mute Luke Sullivan
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:29 PM

    It wasn’t a lifetime ago that the big players sat around the table and agreed on uniformity where computer parts were concerned.

    But I can’t see the financial gain in doing the same with chargers. They’ll have to be forced in to doing it by directive. Then you can potentially lose any technological advancements as a result if competition in that field too.

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    Mute Shane McGettrick
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    Dec 19th 2013, 1:09 PM

    @Carcu
    While the lack of a truly universal charger is unfortunate, the Lightening connection used by iPhone 5 upwards is reversible and due to the number of iPhones everywhere, fairly ubiquitous. Maybe take it easy with the “My phone means I’m smarter than you” malarkey.

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    Mute Anthony Carroll
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    Dec 19th 2013, 3:02 PM

    Kinda implied we were talking about recently manufactured phones.

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    Mute Daire Calnan
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:50 PM

    One thing they need to do as well is put the headphone jack on the left side of the laptop, really annoying having the wire crossing from the right hand side.

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    Mute Dee4
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    Dec 19th 2013, 1:12 PM

    that my friend is called a first world problem ;-)

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    Mute I love my County
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:24 AM

    Makes so much sense…
    Chargers generally aren’t covered by warranty for as long as the respective device is. This is great for both the customer and the environment, but expect an increase on price of laptops etc if this goes ahead!

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    Mute Just Chief Now
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    Dec 19th 2013, 11:38 AM

    Price decrease you mean?

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    Mute Graham Ó Maonaigh
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:36 PM

    The standard already exists. #USB. I feel this is an area of #EU regulation we could badly need

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    Mute Stephen Bourke
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    Dec 19th 2013, 2:36 PM

    USB is 5 volts at about 0.5 amps. The output on my laptop charger is 20v at 4.5A. In McCoy terms, that’s like trying to run a food processor of an electric toothbrush.

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    Mute David Burke
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    Dec 19th 2013, 7:55 PM

    USB 3.0 power version can deliver 7.5 W and the new USB PD can deliver over a 100W. That is plenty for 20V at 5A.

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    Mute Emilio
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    Dec 19th 2013, 12:24 PM

    The problem with this is that it destroys any interest the hardware manufacturer might have in innovating in this area. If there was a standard charger for laptops, apple’s magsafe charger would not exist today. And why would an individual company spend millions innovating in an area that they have to share and give for free to other companies?

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    Mute Anthony Carroll
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    Dec 19th 2013, 3:04 PM

    Yeah because when I’m buying a laptop, the first thing I look at is what kind of power supply it has…

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    Mute Justin O'Pinion
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    Dec 19th 2013, 4:12 PM

    You may have a point about innovation, how would the industry as a whole decide to move to something better?? Laptops are getting so small now that we could end up with the transformers back inside the unit and go back to the old two pin mains lead that has been around for donkeys. Had one on a desktop cassette player circa 35 years ago, and the same type plugs into my laptop charger bought 4 months ago!

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