LockedUSB - Secure USB Charging - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2013, 05:45:12 pm
content: So they took a USB to USB plug and cut two wires?http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1137339450/lockedusb-adapter-usb-charger-firewall-and-power-o?ref=category

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2013, 07:16:23 pm
content: that was my first thought as well when i saw that thing a few daya ago. only gnd and vbus are connected. with possible a little resistor network toward the device to tell it ' you can suck 500mA '

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2013, 08:12:40 pm
content: It has a $0.78 power management IC in ithttp://www.ti.com/product/tps2511

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 12:00:49 am
content: Shut up and take my money!

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 01:37:29 pm
content: Quote from: Stonent on August 24, 2013, 12:00:49 amYou mean shut up and give me money ?

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 02:48:57 pm
content: Well, people will buy it thinking about how revolutionary this thing is. Less than 1% of the world population is aware of at least understand electronics.

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 04:12:17 pm
content: What the freaking HELL is their prototype PCB !!!??? A huge FPGA / Micro? and it couldn't handle a fewsimple tasks !!!!?? What a load of bull.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 04:44:13 pm
content: You mean the $2 Cheep n cheerful One hung low charger i bought with the 18 different phone connections on the end has been copied....... Absolutely shocking, especially as i had gone to the trouble to open the end to trim off the dozen or so unused ones, as I no longer have any old Siemens, Motorola, Sagem or other hundred of mystery phones any more. They just use a 2 wire connection to charge. No data and no way to ever have it. As well it can do 2 phones at once. I modified another for car use, using an old Nokia clone charger, it had a nice curly cord and a non useable connector at the end. Snip, strip and solder then a blob of glue to seal and insulate and it works.

author: flapjackboy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2013, 07:03:52 pm
content: Quote from: digsys on August 24, 2013, 04:12:17 pmLooks like a dev board of some kind. Probably not even related to the project, just wanted a shot of something that looked technical and prototype-ish.

author: DarkPrince
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2013, 04:02:13 am
content: Well although I will criticize the presentation the device does have some applications, although may not be completely unique.So what is the application?A) Removal of the data-lines to prevent data communication.This does make sense... I can foresee the desire to charge a mobile device on lets say a public (or multi-use) computer which could be compromised. Data now available to be copied and used with bad intentions. Is this unique? Not completely. A quickGoogleinternet search revealed some cables without data lines connected. Alright so there is the solution, though more rare (I have one, charger for my wireless headset). Dongle form? Haven't found one yet but minimal effort was used. Also to note sometimes AC outlets are unacceptable or not easily accessible. It is interesting how as of late you probably will find more USB ports spread through an area than AC outlets. Depends on the environment.B) Improve charging rates by utilizing USB standard charging specifications.Not sure how many devices support this functionality. My laptop supports 1.5A/port charging for two ports but the rest are basic USB ports. Could it be advantageous to allow larger amounts of current to be drawn for devices which follow the specification? I suppose. It really depends on the use of these protocols (DCP and ACA). Could it damage the source? Maybe but unlikely. Glanced over the USB Charging Specifications but really didn't put much effort into it. Looks like a simplified handshake for charging rate agreements.How is the presentation?I'll agree that there seems to be some gimmick in the way it is being presented. Maybe to give the illusion that there is more than what meets the eye. First is the overly complex development board. To make a guess in benefit to the campaign, maybe they are utilizing a chip on the development board similar or equal to the power management IC being used. I don't believe it should have been used as a "prototype" image. More of an experiment at most.Free 10GB storage for supporters? Alright so they may link you to Dropbox, Skydrive, or a plethora of other services which offer a free limited storage space (10GB isn't much at all). This is really just chucking something in that costs them nothing and would only be advantageous to those who don't know about cloud storage yet and are ignorant at the fact that many offer free service.Conclusion:I can't say I like the presentation they put on for this campaign. On one half they post technical details so they'd expect a technical background for some of the campaign supporters. Yet, they offer "wank" things like storage which condescends the notion of technical people with at least mundane computer skills. On the other hand, $10 isn't much for two USB connectors (low quantity they cost quite a bit (relatively)), a PCB with SMT soldering (hand-soldered or hired labor?) and a plastic molding around it.As an engineer I may get the feeling that I might as well make my own but it wouldn't have a protective shell, and the time spent designing, testing, and debugging would make that time worth less than what the widget is being sold for. I don't think it is that bad for the price they ask.

author: Hardcorefs
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2013, 11:32:18 pm
content: Version 2....With a switch and text... "Secured", "normal mode"Hmmm have I not seen these in China already?

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2013, 01:52:03 pm
content: Quote from: Hardcorefs on September 01, 2013, 11:32:18 pmI remember seeingthoseyears ago, when USB charging first became commonplace.