Micro USB cable and light combine to bring needed light in the darkness

posted by Maxwell R. / Feb 02, 2013, 5:27 AM

Micro USB cable and light combine to bring needed light in the darkness

This is a simple concept and makes one wonder how something like this is not already on the market.

It’s dark and you’re lying in bed. Your smartphone is on your bedside table, you realize that you forgot to plug it into its micro USB charger. Do you turn on your bedroom light and zap your eyeballs with sudden light? Or, maybe you fumble around in the dark feeling for your charging cable.

Once you get the cable in hand, you have to line up the plug so you don’t break anything. You can always light up your phone and check the orientation of the plug, then use a sense of feel to guide everything in place.

Dustin Orndorff has a solution for you, a light-up USB cable. The concept is indeed simple, a small LED embedded in the USB connector that lights up with the push of a button. This is a far more subtle solution compared to some products out there that light up the entire cable like a rave accessory.

A relatively modest goal of $9,000 has been set up on Kickstarter to get this cable to market. With 25 days to go, they are already about a third of the way there. If this is the light you have been looking for, check out the source link. The “early bird” prices are not expensive and delivery is expected in April 2013.

source: USB Micro Light Charger (Kickstarter)

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30 Comments

1. Atlas

Posts: 158; Member since: Apr 15, 2012

Yes, yes a million times yes!

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 5:32 AM 12

2. aelliott

Posts: 32; Member since: Oct 01, 2010

Or just buy a wireless-charging NOKIA Lumia 920 or 820 and simply plonk the phone down on its charging pad or pillow!!

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 5:55 AM 8

15. tyger11

Posts: 290; Member since: Oct 29, 2012

That's a solution that's vastly worse than the problem.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 4:07 PM 0

3. rishabh2795

Posts: 5; Member since: Jan 18, 2013

When is the micro-usb 3 going to be launch to beat the lightening cable of iPhone5

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 6:10 AM 4

6. gmracer1

Posts: 646; Member since: Dec 28, 2012

lmao the Lightening cable doesn't have competition..........................because it's garbage.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 9:49 AM 4

13. Hemlocke unregistered

Yes, because you need a light to plug the Lightning cable in the dark and because it scratches the phone if you don't hit the socket square. Plus, we all want dumb connectors that only transfer or charge. We don't need a smart connector like Lightning that is reversible and will stream to any stereo with a USB port.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 1:50 PM 1

16. gmracer1

Posts: 646; Member since: Dec 28, 2012

Anything by Apple is garbage, and I have seen most people (normal people, that is) use a 3.5mm aux cable to play music. Troll on, sir.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 4:31 PM 1

17. Atrixboyyy

Posts: 596; Member since: Nov 03, 2011

I read that first one slow.. had me thinking you were going to praise it, but I almost spit frosted flakes on my tablet laughing when I seen the end.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 7:39 PM 1

23. Abdul92

Posts: 43; Member since: Aug 23, 2011

Dude, really? It's a USB cable. WTF does Apple have to do with this?

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 3:13 AM 0

4. Techsplash

Posts: 41; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

so simple yet so unique.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 6:14 AM 1

5. D_Tech-tive

Posts: 104; Member since: Feb 12, 2012

Simple yet effective!

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 8:55 AM 1

7. crysiswarmonger

Posts: 81; Member since: Feb 06, 2012

Several things. This giant part with the light in it will not work with any phone that has a cover on it. You would have to take the cover off. Why not have this magnetic plug anyway? Why not use induction charging? (wifi, Bluetooth for info) Why are these retarded plugs have only one way to install, should have designed to have contacts so that you could plug in either way. Same issue with larger USB plugs. I can put the plug in my phone in pitch black of night. However, still a good idea.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 10:06 AM 1

21. haroonazeem638

Posts: 141; Member since: Mar 29, 2011

I agree with you. I don't know why you got so many thumbs down. Im happy that people are coming up with better ideas. This however, is not the best solution. What we need is a redesigned micro usb port. Something even better than Apple's lightening port.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 2:02 AM 0

8. phonemonkey

Posts: 168; Member since: Feb 13, 2012

yeah your gonna need that when your piece of crap charge port breaks on your android

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 10:36 AM 0

9. JeffPom unregistered

Why didn't I think of this?

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 11:04 AM 0

10. GoBears

Posts: 456; Member since: Apr 27, 2012

Verizon already has car chargers just like this. Seems like a direct copy and nothing worthy of kickstarter money. http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/accessory?action=accessoryDetails&archetypeId=13631&accessoryId=53194&initialPhoneId=5963

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 12:18 PM 3

18. kozza3

Posts: 778; Member since: Oct 17, 2012

HOLLY COW MOTHER! that's some good research

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 8:21 PM 0

22. haroonazeem638

Posts: 141; Member since: Mar 29, 2011

Great find!

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 2:04 AM 0

27. grech03

Posts: 13; Member since: Feb 24, 2010

They also have home chargers with the light just like the car ones.. (I have both)

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 4:10 PM 0

11. p0rkguy

Posts: 685; Member since: Nov 23, 2010

Nope, wrong path to take cable companies... Apple did something right and that was allowing the device to be used on both sides. There are modified standard USB ports but all the other ports are limited by its shape.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 12:40 PM 2

12. ghostkilla1388

Posts: 50; Member since: Jun 11, 2012

This is pretty cool but will it be able to use a 2.1 amp charger?

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 1:02 PM 0

14. Twisted247

Posts: 282; Member since: Oct 12, 2012

Patent it then License it to a big cable manufacturer and sit back and collect the cash.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 1:53 PM 0

19. 1ceTr0n

Posts: 549; Member since: May 20, 2012

Farking brilliant

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 12:42 AM 0

20. haroonazeem638

Posts: 141; Member since: Mar 29, 2011

I feel sad watching this. Though, it's amazing to see people come up with ideas, it seems like the solution is already here and people are trying too hard. I know it's a pain to plug in my micro-usb port to my phone everyday. Most of the times, I get it wrong because I try to plug in without looking....and it's even harder to do this in the dark. BUT, as much as I hate Apple (as a company) and their mostly non-innovative products, I really like their USB lightening cable. It is not an innovation, I know. But it definitely makes it easier for one to plug in the cable correctly in the phone. I am waiting for a micro usb port to come out that is even better than Apple's lightening port. This idea of putting a light however is something I don't like. Maybe a different design would be better. It looks so thick and it will definitely not be compatible with most of the phone cases. WE all know this. Even right now with the current micro usb's, they don't fit in the phone with most cases on. I have had this problem in the past and now carefully choose my cases so usb fits in with the case on. This is even thicker.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 2:00 AM 0

24. illiad

Posts: 132; Member since: Feb 07, 2012

if you have the old GSII charger plug, you will notice it is not square - one side curves, and the other is straight.. so it is easy to get it the right way round in the dark! :) BTW is this charger cable a

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 5:01 AM 0

25. illiad

Posts: 132; Member since: Feb 07, 2012

oops.. :( I was gonna say, charger cables are standard mostly.. there are plenty of illuminated micro usb cables about.. http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=illuminated+micro+usb+cable

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 5:11 AM 0

26. saffant

Posts: 274; Member since: Jul 04, 2011

I usually appreciate enhancements such as these but damn this is so stupid lol. I can easily "feel" the cable to know which side is the shorter one and that's the one that goes up when plugging into the phone—don't need a freakin light for it lol.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 10:20 AM 0

28. Terrell

Posts: 1; Member since: Feb 05, 2013

Yes this is a great idea and unfortunately it is already in the market. I work for a major wireless manufacturer and developed the solution. We currently sell a car and home charger with guide "LED" built into the connector overmold (micro USB cable) to Verizon Wireless. These units launched in December in the US. You can now find this solution in any Verizon Wireless store. The product we make for them features a capacitive touch LED versus mechanical switch. Activated from users touch I was not allowed to add link to this posting but if you check Verizon Wireless corporate site and view chargers you will find this solution currently available During development we originally had a mechanical switch design and changed. I will inform all, between my company and our customer we have filed for patents for each design and we are protected for both capacitive touch and mechanical switch.

posted on Feb 05, 2013, 12:51 PM 0

29. DibelDibil

Posts: 27; Member since: Jun 19, 2013

get up from the bed, turn on the lights, plug in the phone, turn off the lights and go to bed. lazy people.