Why the unusual interface for the AC adapter?

[elee532]

Is there a functional reason for this? Allows for faster charging? Something else? I can't stand it, so at least tell me it servers a purpose.

 

[Sin]

Do you mean the magnetic connector? If so, then I think that is just to improve the foolproofing of someone walking away with the device and not disconnecting it from the power supply. It has already happened to mine, when my daughter pick my Surface up for me and didn't disconnect it first. With the magnetic connector, no issue at all. If that was a standard micro-USB, the port would be loose. What has been the issue your having?

 

[Mr.NK]

The used charger has 24W and allows faster charging than usb. The designers wanted to maximize usability when you're on the go, but i think it's a mixed bag: Yes it charges faster, so if it runs out of electricity and you have only a small timeframe (like on an airport) it is a better solution, but if you're in a car a usb-charger would be a nice addition.

 

[leeshor]

I'll take the fast charging any day. You can always purchase a relatively inexpensive inverter to plug into your car's lighter socket and charge all you want.

 

[tomroeder]

I do like the charger format, but I see some things that I don't like also. For example, the wife and I both have iPhones, and she has an iPad 2. One nice feature of the Apple chargers is that you can take the USB cable from the charger and replace it with a cheaply purchased 10 ft cable. Very nice to have, if you want to lounge on the couch wile charging, and have a nice long cable that allows you freedom to move around. I wonder if anyone will be manufacturing a cable extension that will plug into the existing one? Now to be fair, Microsoft did make the included charging cable much longer than the one that comes with Apple devices, but it would be nice to have the freedom to have a longer cable, but by no means a deal breaker. My $.02

 

[J515OP]

I do like the charger format, but I see some things that I don't like also. For example, the wife and I both have iPhones, and she has an iPad 2. One nice feature of the Apple chargers is that you can take the USB cable from the charger and replace it with a cheaply purchased 10 ft cable. Very nice to have, if you want to lounge on the couch wile charging, and have a nice long cable that allows you freedom to move around. I wonder if anyone will be manufacturing a cable extension that will plug into the existing one? Now to be fair, Microsoft did make the included charging cable much longer than the one that comes with Apple devices, but it would be nice to have the freedom to have a longer cable, but by no means a deal breaker. My $.02

Why couldn't you just plug into a standard extension cord in that case? A cheap extension cord can be had for only a couple of dollars and chances are you already have one laying around someplace.

 

[Frederuco]

I can appreciate the convenience if a 6-10 ft. iPhone charging cord, but another thing to consider is the added resistance this yields. On my TF101, it uses a USB3 connector and is 3' long. Charger uses 15 VDC to charge. Adding a 6' USB3 extension to get 9' of length adds more resistance to the charging circuit. This draws more amps, and causes my wall wart to overheat.

 

[Araungzeb]

I love how fast it charges and how it disconnects easily if you trip or walk away with it by accident, but did they really need to make it so darn hard to connect in the first place? I was hoping it'd be simple and easy to get in there like the MacBook chargers, I just don't understand why for a tablet so based on tiny details and usability why they would make an oversight as massive as that. Not a dealbreaker, just irritating...

 

[J515OP]

There is a thread here which details how just filing the edges of the connector a little bit makes the attachment of the cord to the tablet much easier. Sounds like a slight error in the manufacturing tolerance is responsible for the slight effort to connect.

 

[tomroeder]

The extension cord is certainly a practical fix, but it doesn't look nearly as clean as just one long cable. I'm getting a bit nit picky I know, but just would be nice to have the option

 

[elee532]

Thanks for the replies. I'm glad to hear that it serves a functional purpose, and I can certainly appreciate some of them. My one issue has been with the difficulty in getting it connected... especially trying to get it lined up at night when I'm in bed and there's no light. Seriously, there are times when I'm in a rush, know the tablet could use a charge, but I don't bother because its just a little too inconvenient to get the connector lined up.

 

[J515OP]

Thanks for the replies. I'm glad to hear that it serves a functional purpose, and I can certainly appreciate some of them. My one issue has been with the difficulty in getting it connected... especially trying to get it lined up at night when I'm in bed and there's no light. Seriously, there are times when I'm in a rush, know the tablet could use a charge, but I don't bother because its just a little too inconvenient to get the connector lined up.

Have you ever used micro-usb connectors under the same scenario? Probably the worst plug out there for ease of connectivity.