My next mobile and standardisation
Is it just me or are things in general way more complicated than they really need to be?
I’ve been lugging an XDA Exec (HTC Universal) smart phone/pda around for ages now and was getting quite excited about the Sony Ericsson Experia X1 as its an HTC device with a qwerty keyboard. Its a bit smaller and lighter than the Universal with built in GPS etc etc so sounded like an ideal replacement.
That is until I found out that it uses a proprietary connector. To connect anything to it you need an adaptor or the supplied lead/head phones. I hate adaptors because I always mislay or loose them. To compound the problem you can’t even plug in standard 3.5mm stereo headphones without an adaptor. Worst of all is that I can’t charge it via mini usb. I would need an adaptor. I don’t want to use adaptors. I want to use all the mini usb chargers scattered around the house/cars and mini usb leads connected to almost every PC I use. Perhaps Sony think I am happy to throw away all my chargers and buy new leads but they are wrong. I don’t mind if they want to use a new connector for new features. The X1 has video out so it would make sense to include a lead for that feature but don’t throw away standards and conventional wisdom chasing a few extra pounds.
So what now?
Fingers crossed that the HTC Dream (also known as the G1) that runs Google Android uses a normal, everyday, average, ho-hum, hum-drum, common or garden 3.5mm stereo head phone socket for connecting headphones preferably and mini usb for charging and data comms. Other wise the search will continue.