On: Say Hello To The Hideous New USB 3.0 Micro Connector

[CamperBob2]

I'm not sure anyone cares about being able to plug a USB 2.0 Micro cable into a USB 3.0 device. Perhaps they should have asked somebody.

[RobAtticus → CamperBob2]

I keep spare microUSBs everywhere -- my apartment, my bag, my office, etc -- to charge my various devices. Having to keep a completely separate set of a different cable would be annoying. I think most people have plenty of spare micros that this is useful for them.

[sethhochberg → CamperBob2]

I would. I've got a decade's worth of USB 2.0, Micro USB cables laying around. So do all of my friends. If I'm out somewhere and need to charge my phone or (less likely) transfer a lot of data, I don't want to have to deal with a connector that can't help me because it isn't backwards compatible.

[MichaelGG → CamperBob2]

Nobody except everyone with existing chargers, cables, etc. Have you never gone out with a phone and realised you're low on charge and need to plug in? Backwards compatibility is a major win here.

[CamperBob2 → MichaelGG]

Have you never gone out with a phone and realised you're low on charge and need to plug in?

Sure, but for how many years should I expect to hold the world hostage to my obsolete phone?

[GhotiFish → CamperBob2]

That feature, to me, guarantees USB 3's adoption, and massively boosts my confidence in the standard.

[CamperBob2 → GhotiFish]

That philosophy is going to wear a bit thin by the time USB 8 comes along.

[Cymen → CamperBob2]

What about the millions who want to use the car phone charger they brought for their last phone?

[CamperBob2 → Cymen]

(Shrug) They can use an adapter. It wouldn't be any less clunky or awkward than this cable.

[MBCook → Cymen]

I actually have a stack of 2 adapters on my car cable to let me use my iPhone 5. One handles conversion from the old FireWire voltage source to the more regulated ISB style, the other adapts the 30 pin to lightning.