Car Charger

[Quboid]

Since the Hero uses a standard mini-USB socket for charging, can I use any standard in-car charger with a mini-USB plug? Such as this: Amazon.com: Motorola Mini USB Car Charger [Bulk/Generic Packaging]: Cell Phones & Service

Although if standard ones work, I'll buy one locally for use when I go on holiday imminently

 

[KlaymenDK]

can I use any standard in-car charger with a mini-USB plug?

I believe you can, yes.

USB charging is actually rather simple.
There are (or at least, should be!) only two current levels, one at 100mA which is provided for any dumb device (say, a desktop lava lamp like I have here), and 500mA for devices that are smart enough to 'negotiate' with the power supply (usually a pc, but also most phone chargers). There may be chargers out there that simply deliver 500mA no questions asked, but then again a phone should be able to cope with that (not so sure about my lava lamp, though ).

 

[prepbgg]

Amazon are selling units that fit into cigarette lighter sockets and have USB sockets; they specifically say that these will not work with iPhones. Would this be because they don't have the "negotiation" intelligence built into them? Will such chargers work with the Hero?

 

[Slug]

Will such chargers work with the Hero?

The second user review for that item specifically mentions charging an HTC smartphone with it, so I'd guess it will work okay.

 

[zukini]

The Belkin USB socket is the smartest ive seen on the market.

 

[prepbgg]

The second user review for that item specifically mentions charging an HTC smartphone with it, so I'd guess it will work okay.

Assuming that the limitation that rules out use with an iPhone is that it's not able to negotiate for 500mA (which is a big assumption given that I don't know what I'm talking about!) I wonder whether charging will be slower. On the other hand, if only 100mA is supplied, perhaps that will be an advantage in that it may prevent me from overloading the cigarette socket.

 

[kabbie_mcfeely]

I travel alot and have many devices in my car. Normaly we have 2 G1s, dash mount GPS, XM radio and sometimes and ipod connected to a multi port usb charger. I bought the usb hub at a wal mart.

I peresonaly have not seen any issues with charging this way. Heck we even have a power converter to keep netbooks charged while traveling.