Actually, I've seen many of those (connector on the right in the first picture). IBM & Compaq/HP especially have used them for their notebook AC adapters for a number of years already. Lately I've seen that Wyse thin client devices are also using them. Wyse actually ship a power cable with one standard connector (for the monitor) and one "clover" connector. I'm not sure if the term "clover" is even official, but that's what I've heard people call it.

It's unusual to get male connectors on the live end of cables because you don't want live metal pins lying around where they can easily be shorted out. In a female connector the live connections are protected and therefore much harder to accidentally short.

I guess the hermaphroditic connectors would need to have the live connections around halfway down the "pin", on the "inside" so that you can't easily splash them and short out your power supply. To me this sounds like an expensive alternative. But I agree with the potential advantages of such a design.

I share your pain with USB, I always have to stop and think and look; which, to me, says that the design is broken...

"I always have to stop and think and look"

- I have yet to learn which way 'up' actually is. If I'm trying to plug something in at the back of my computer under the desk I stand next to no chance of getting it right first time.

Larry Page shares your opinion on more universal power cables. He's probably got a bit more clout in this area at getting something sorted. Then again, probably not.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/07/google_ces_pack/

"it's a miracle that the other end of the cable is standardized. How did we screw that up?"

Not that standardized though, just come to the UK or anywhere else in Europe...

I got an iJuice for Christmas from my wife. Since using it on my phone, the phone will not hold a charge as long as it previously did (and this is after replacing the battery). In addition, my tablet's battery life seems to have been reduced as well. The customer service on getting information on tips from iGo is non-existent. Buyer beware.

Great idea, but I haven't had good luck with it. I just got a new tablet and I'm very leary about using the iJuice with it.

I assume that Dell either found out that power cables were often lost (common for notebooks, but I'd be surprised if it was common for desktop PCs), or that the cheap power supplies they use often blow up (more likely), and they're trying to cash in on them as expensive accessories. I think it's pretty obvious why other companies don't get together and standardize their connectors -- there's probably a lot of money to be made in accessories, second power cables, etc..

Of course, it may not be so sinister. Maybe there's a usability issue with the standard PC power cable that Dell has discovered from their support data. I'd find that hard to believe, though...

The 'new' one in the top picture has been around for years. Apple used to use it for their older PowerBooks. (Back when the Apple logo was the way up dictated by ergonomics, rather than the current superficial aesthetic-driven orientation.) My current IBM ThinkPad uses the exact same plug. (In fact I'm using an old Apple power cable with my ThinkPad right now.)

If Dell are moving in this direction, that's actually a positive step. My Dell Latitude D800 uses a bizarre three pronged setup that is essentially the standard 2-pin figure of 8 (which is ubiquitous here in the UK; I've never seen any of those other 2-pins you show) with the third pin in line with the other two, rather than stacked in the middle. I've never seen this on anything else. (Not even on Dell's other laptops!)

The 'standard' 3-prong connector is often described as a 'kettle lead' in the UK because almost all kettles use them. (Although strictly speaking, kettles required the high-current variety, which have a little notch cut into the flat edge in line with the earth pin. However, you can use the high-current leads in computers just fine.)

I've never seen a laptop that uses the 'standard' kettle lead. All the laptops I've used have either had the figure of 8 2-pin, the 'new' 3-pin you show here, or Dell's bizarreo Latitude-D800-only inline 3-pin.

Actually, the industry tried a hermaphroditic connector many years ago, it was used called the Token Ring connector. Look where that wound up!

The reason for non-standard is the reason for anything else, Money!!! Like you, I've noticed that sometimes companies ships with different power cables or even USB cables, so that if you need a new one, you have to get it from the manufacturer. If they were standard you could get them from anywhere else.

But answering to Doogal about non-standard power connectors on US, Europe or UK: You don't want to connect a Europe's desktop PC to a US outlet. They use different Voltages and you would burn out the equipement.

Re: USB; supposedly the USB "logo" is on top of the connector, so it should be facing up when you plug it in to most things. Of course, that's all for naught if you have verticle slots. (for instance, on my Gateway Profile, my USB ports face the back of the machine.)

As for the main topic: I completely agree. As an exercise, try to buy one of those funky rounded things, I believe they're called a C-4 style cable. (that's a better hint than I had!) It took me the better part of a morning to even fine out what they were called, nevermind how to get one.

They're all too common on laptops and projectors too. It's a shame there will probably never be a standard similar to USB, i.e. the regular and small USB-B connectors; those are only occasionally screwed up. (Hello, Pentax!)

I remember seeing this question raised elsewhere before. I'm fairly certain there was something about voltages? I wouldn't want to spread misinformation but other vendors do use this and it does appear to be a standard.

http://www.eta-usa.com/powercord.html

If you view the PDF for AC power cord-3prong US Standard you'll see it detailed somewhat. From there I'm sure you could find out information about the standard.

Of course I may very well be giving them the benefit of the doubt here... But I'm no EE so I'm not sure where else to really look for more detailed information about these cords.

Actually more information can be found here:

http://www.americor-usa.com/americor_products/05%20_Product_Page_IEC_320_C6.htm

The key terms seem to be the "WS-083 connector" and "IEC-360".

Perhaps the best information yet I've found is
http://www.accesscomms.com.au/iec320.htm

> Larry Page shares your opinion on more universal power cables. He's probably got a bit more clout in this area at getting something sorted. Then again, probably not.

True. I have *way* more clout than Larry Page.

(I know it's not what you meant, but I couldn't resist the misinterpretation ;)

I always thought that that the plugs were different because the cables carry different voltages and amperages.

> the plugs were different because the cables carry different voltages and amperages

To a certain extent that's true, but your garden variety standard sized cable can easily carry anything from a millivolt to, er, lots of electricity (1.21 jigawatts?! Great Scott!).

So there's really no good reason for a dumb two-pin power cord to have a keyed connector.

I was at a Douglas Adams keynote a few years back, and he pointed out that there is one universal power adapter in common use.

The cigarete lighter in cars. There's only one type. Everything plugs into it. It provides the same voltage to everyone. Cell phones, PDAs, GPS, Radar detectors... everything that can go into a car can be powered by a cigarete lighter.

Now I get annoyed because my car only has one.

By the way... cigarete is mispelled because it claims that the correct spelling is objectional content. How dare I mention smoking.

As other commenters have already said, the 'standard' connector - normally just referred to as an IEC here in the UK by users technical enough not to just call it a 'kettle lead' - is IEC 60320 C13 (cable end socket) and C14 (chassis plug). Actual kettles generally use C15/C16 which have an extra channel/lug to indicate the higher temperature rating. The less-standard connector is a C5 (socket)/C6 (plug).

As for your two-pin connectors, two of them are also from the same standard; there's definitely a C7 there and one of the others looks like a C1. Most low-ish current double-insulated equipment comes with a C8 inlet over here.

A downside to the C13 is that it doesn't latch, making it possible to knock the connector out. Some designs of line socket are compatible with a latch cage that mounts to the chassis plug which simply clips over the back of the socket when connected, to reduce this possibility.

As to why they do it - probably to force you to buy an overpriced power cable from them rather than use a standard one. It doesn't exactly save any space.

Here is the Douglas Adams article.

Thanks for silently stripping my link.

Here's the Douglas Adams article: http://www.douglasadams.com/dna/980707-03-a.html

Thing is, none of those connectors are expensive. There's a place here in town that sells a variety for $1 each!

Most of these connectors go in the back of the machine. IMHO, they should be designed so they
can be orientated by touch. Not only would it help visually impaired and blind people, but it would help fully sighted people working in bad light and cramped conditions. Or doesn't anyone put the "tower case" under the desk these days?

I can't agree about the USB plugs - I mean, it is definitely a step up from things like old IDE ribbon cables where you could attach it correctly 100% of the time, but only connect it correctly 50% of the time. And you have to reboot to find out whether you had it right.

The complaint about USB is that you have to try plugging it in and sometimes try again turning it over. Thing is, even if you had a sata cable (they look like L shapes), because all the ones I've seen are black, and attach to black sockets in a usually dark case, I *still* have to turn them up and over half the time.

Hermaphroditic connectors - good idea, but couldn't you then plug a power supply into another power supply?

There's one widely used genderless power connector-- the Anderson PowerPole. PowerPole connectors are available in a range of sizes from 15A up to hundreds of amps. They're basically the standard method for connecting batteries to industrial equipment (you'll see them on virtually every electric forklift, for example). Smaller versions have been adopted by amateur radio organizations worldwide to insure interoperability during emergency operations. Good stuff. They don't work the way Jef Raskin suggested, probably because his suggestion requires extra contacts, but they do work well, and the contacts are shielded.

BTW, "genderless" is a better term than "hermaphroditic" for the PowerPole. Hermaphroditic connectors have both male and female contacts. All PowerPole contacts are the same.

Oh, one more thing; being able to plug a power supply into a power supply can be good or bad depending on the circumstances. Ham radio operators find it convenient to use PowerPole connectors on battery packs because you can plug a radio into a battery, or plug the battery into the power supply to charge it, or plug the radio in the power supply that charges the battery. You can even plug one battery into another to distribute some charge if you need to get two separate radios working.

But you do need to be careful not to plug a power supply into a power supply. Ah, well.

Weiland have a cool set of plugs / sockets / connectors.
Strictly speaking, the actual metallic connector part determines whether something is a socket (female metal bit) or plug (male metal bit)
Weiland have patents on things that LOOK like plugs - but the sticking-out plastic male parts actually sheathe FEMALE connectors, so they are in fact a socket. This is used widely (especially in lighting) for supplying power to fittings with a flush component which has holes to accept the MALE plastic bits but with pins inside (Male) to insert into the sheathed FEMALE parts on the end of a flying (and electrically live) lead.
As far as I know, all electrical standards demand that live electrical connectors are female. This is why what I describe above has what looks and mechanically functions like a plug on the end of a flying power lead, but is electrically a socket.

I used to deal with a marvellous bit of kit which was a 2-pin connector capable of 16A, and only about 12mm wide and 6mm deep. They were hermaphroditic, meaning you could connect two identical components to each other. The mail (pin) connector was sheathed inside a deep socket, and the female connector was sheathed inside a long plastic, um, male sticky-out-bit.
They were used lots for 12V connections, but I think they were rated to 300V or more. I WISH I could find one on the web to reference... they're out there somewhere!

(btw - I used to work for Sylvania as a production engineer introducing new products to manufacture. All this is from memory, so it's probably about true if not perfectly accurate!)

I can tell you that there are MANY good hermaphroditic connectors out there, and that the only reason for using weird fittings is so that the manufacturer can ensure you don't accidentally charge your mobile 'phone from the 3-phase supply from your solar-powered whatever.
Imagine that corner of your house where you charge your mobile, and plug in your laptop, and charge your electric toothbrush and your 3,000,000 candella flashlight and your Canon EOS... if all the connectors were the same you'd be in seven flavours of **** most times you charged anything at all.
Even when you DO get it right it can go wrong - my MoBo went pfffft at work today when the 12V ATX supply burnt out on the motherboard - due to insufficient contact for the current. Oh joy.

So, what's the moral of all this? Generally, we have a galaxy of connectors to ensure you use the right cable ( =correct power flavour) into the right device.

OK, there are some crazy things on mains voltage power leads, but this is almost entirely caused by old varying standards across the world. It's also ever-so-slightly caused by idiot designers, but not by good designers. 'nuff said.

Uncle Meat aka JoeM

differentiation of connectors among differing voltages and amps is mostly a safety issue. humans are careless by nature, lazy by design, and love to get free shock money by lawsuits at the drop of a hat. all those various adapter plugs i see at Radio Shack and others amused me until one day i tried to put 12 volts into a 5 volt device and smoked the gadget. my lesson learned, i understand why those are made so vastly different. 120vac is a diaster waiting to hapen with hemaphroditic types. standard power cords are best. most power supplies are usable 120 or 220 vac in most new equipment. switching power supplies seem to be very accomodating.