Re: Why are laptops no longer made with serial ports?

From: H.W. Stockman (stockman3_at_earth-REMOVE_THIS-link.net)
Date: 07/01/04 

Date: Thu, 01 Jul 2004 00:24:24 GMT

"Meindert Sprang" <mhsprang@NOcustomSPAMware.nl> wrote in message
news:10e4p0dmbvco677@corp.supernews.com...
> "H.W. Stockman" <stockman3@earth-REMOVE_THIS-link.net> wrote in message
> news:BUpEc.5599$lh4.4347@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> > A number of GPS have combined serial/external power connections (e.g.
both
> > my Magellan STP and Garmin 60c). I don't think you can make a USB port
> with
> > such a dual purpose, at least not easily.
>
> It's just the other way araound. A serial port has no power connections,
so
> the connectors on a GPS have an extra pin for the power. A USB port
already
> has power pins, normally ment to be fed with 5V from the computer, but it
> takes very little effort to make a device accept anything between 8 and
35V
> on it's USB port.

I'm well aware that USB ports are set to supply power to low demand-devices.
But I see no GPS manufacturers stepping up to the plate to power a GPS, in a
car, from the USB port. The Magellan fast-click mount for cars works very
well with the dual serial/power connector; I can't conceive how you would
make a USB connector (easily) that would allow the same snap-on
functionality. And as I said in (the unquoted part of) my message, my car
has no USB ports.

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