Could Universal Notebook Power Adapters be in Our Future?

I love mobile computing, but unlike most people, I can’t stand using mobile phones or similar devices to get work done on the go, except for the absolute simplest of needs. I tend to turn to notebooks quite often, and if I leave town, I make sure one’s never that far from me. If I leave the hotel, I put up with the lack of technology until I return (and oddly, it’s nice this way).

There exist few things with major upsides that don’t also carry a major downside, and notebooks suffer one of those that most of us are going to be familiar with… non-standard power adapters. The problem doesn’t seem like a big of a deal until you have one die on you, because as soon as you’re not able to use your notebook until the adapter is replaced, you realize just how frustrating the problem is.

The issue is so annoying that some companies, such as Cooler Master, have created universal power adapters to remedy the issue. These adapters have a multitude of connections, so no matter your notebook model, one of them should work and deliver just the right amount of power required. In the case of your primary adapter dying, a product like this is can be a relative life-safer.

The solution? Well, there’s only one… that one being a universal standard, where all notebook adapters have the same connectors. This ultimately means that if you have your stock adapter die on you, you should be able to use any other that you can immediately get your hands on. Well, if the IEEE has its way, then it’s going to become a reality in the distant future, and so far, companies such as Acer and ASUSTeK have hopped on board with full backing support.

It will be interesting to see if other vendors, such as Dell, Gateway, HP and others will follow suit, because it’s hard to gauge. After all, so much price-gouging happens with accessories for things like power adapters, and if there was a universal standard, who on earth would pay $90 for a branded adapter when the same thing could be had at the local brick and mortar store for $30? No one. But either way, hopefully these companies will be forced into it, because as consumers, we need more control over things like this.

Supports from PSU makers will likely post major obstacles as their businesses are poised to suffer, the sources pointed out. If the initiative indeed becomes reality, it has significant ramifications on the power supply sector. With shipments expected to go down, higher margin and better PSUs are needed to offset the impact. Manufacturers producing smarter power supply solutions and making inroads into other product sectors would then probably be the trend for achieving success.