USB is the worst ergonomical input

[Junkmalee]

USB is the worst ergonomical input!! Every time I have to plug in a USB I can't get it in right away. Its always faced in the wrong way at the first attempt. I turn it around and it still doesn't go in and then back around again to only end up pulling the PC out to actually see where I am putting it and i have to turn it around again...Isn't there a better way?!?!

 

[PassMark]

You're not Robinson Crusoe.

Completely agree. They should have made them so that you could insert them upside down or right way up. Wouldn't have been so hard. Or made the connector so that it was asymmetrically.

Having said that, here is an article with an electrical engineer trying to justify the problem,
http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/26294/why-do-usb-connectors-only-fit-one-way

 

[ssddx]

you know they do make usb extension cables and front panel usb plates.

normally its not a huge issue.

 

[inzone]

Too bad they don't do like Apple does and make it ambedextrious, my wife just got the ipad and the adapter for the camera and power supply can be inserted either way there is no up or down. The end of the connector is the same on both sides so it just proves that it can be done.

 

[Junkmalee]

you know they do make usb extension cables and front panel usb plates.

normally its not a huge issue.

Yea but who wants to do that? then you have to go out and buy "more things" like we dont have enough lol...and then when your at a family or friends house helping them out...

 

[Junkmalee]

yes like the Apple design!...that would be a step in the best direction...It would be a while though USB has been around for a long time and many devices use it

 

[inzone]

USB may be going to be replaced eventually by Thunderbolt and that's a faster better interface then USB is anyways.

 

[Junkmalee]

Yea but even that has a design like you have to sit there like a child with your shaped building block tring to get into the shaped box... I don't wanna sound lazy but something like the Apple lighting adapter where it can be connected no matter which way you have it turned

 

[inzone]

In a perfect world............

 

[ssddx]

most computers have usb ports on the front and most laptops have them on the sides. easy.

most extension usb cables, hubs or front plates are relatively inexpensive and solve the issue in case you do not have the above luxury.

honestly even if you have a uniquely shaped port (think mini-usb, hdmi or cat5e) you still have to struggle to get a plug into an unseen port. the main problem is that you can not see where the plug is and you have to feel your way out.

try plugging in a hdmi cable or shaped power plug onto the back of a wall mounted tv and you will know what i mean.

i agree "in a perfect world......" but fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) we do not live in one.

 

[PassMark]

Front ports or not. It is just bad design in my opinion. The shell of the connector is symmetrical, but the electrical connectors aren't. It's a fail.

If they really really wanted a symmetrical connector, then it would have been trivial to colour coded connectors and ports (e.g. green on top red on bottom). But no......