Skip to main content

The guy who invented USB finally admits it’s annoying to plug in

You know how it is. You need to get some files off your thumb drive so you go to plug it into your PC and … nope … it ain’t going in. So you flip it around and fiddle and fumble to find the port again and … nope … it still ain’t going in. So you flip it around again and … what the … somehow it still refuses to slot in as it surely should. How can that be?

The final stage of the process usually involves a thorough visual inspection of the USB drive before craning your neck to a potentially vertebrae-shattering position in a bid to ensure the perfectly aligned insertion of stick into slot. Or getting up out of your seat to approach the problem from another angle entirely, and with all the steady-handedness of a crack surgeon carrying out a life-saving operation.

If the delicate USB-docking procedure fails at this stage, there’s a good chance the drive will experience several seconds of weightlessness as it takes an unscheduled trip to the other side of the room.

It’s taken a while, but the man that led the Intel team that created the USB (Universal Serial Bus) all those years ago, Ajay Bhatt, has finally acknowledged that the design has caused plenty of frustration over the years.

Stating what hundreds of millions of people around the world have known for years, Bhatt told NPR recently: “The biggest annoyance is reversibility.”

While the 50-50 design of the USB plug can sometimes feel more like 90-10 when we go to use it, Bhatt insists there was a good reason for designing it in the way that he did: cost.

You see, if his team had created a USB connection that could be inserted both ways — thereby sparing us all a lifetime of teeth-gnashing, head-banging, expletive-shouting madness — it would have required double the wires and circuits, thereby doubling the cost. Hmm, perhaps you’re nodding your head now and saying quietly under your breath: “Goddammit, triple the cost woulda been worth it.”

“In hindsight, based on all the experiences that we all had, of course it was not as easy as it should be,” Bhatt said of his USB design, which was first adopted by Apple’s iMac in 1998 before being taken up by tech manufacturers globally.

The newer USB-C design is reversible, but it’s yet to be widely adopted, so the frustrations experienced with the regular USB port are set to continue for some time to come.

But take note — Bhatt said his team also considered a round design. Mercifully, it ditched the idea as it would have been even more difficult to plug in. So at least we have something to thank Bhatt and his team for.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Microsoft might finally embrace USB-C on next-gen Surface Pro 7
Surface Pro 6 Review

A new Surface Pro could arrive later this year, and Microsoft may give its detachable tablet design a big makeover. Part of that makeover involves making USB-C a native feature for the first time on the Surface Pro line, if a patent filing uncovered by Windows United proves accurate.

Though other PC manufacturers have embraced the USB-C connector -- and even the faster Thunderbolt 3 over USB-C in some cases -- Microsoft had been reluctant to adopt the technology, opting for legacy connectors to maintain compatibility with other peripherals. To date, the Surface Pro line includes a magnetic Surface Connector for charging, a USB-A port, and a Mini DisplayPort. On the image in the patent application, you'll find a USB-C port alongside the USB-A and Mini DisplayPort.

Read more
Microsoft finally accepts that nobody safely removes USB devices
Belkin USB-C to USB-A cable

 

Microsoft has finally capitulated. After years of politely suggesting that Windows users should manually trigger the "safe" removal of USB devices from the system before unplugging it, it's changing the way Windows interacts with USB drives. With the recently released Windows 10 build v1809, "Quick removal" will become the default USB setting, meaning that you don't risk losing any data if you just yank your devices out when you're done using them.

Read more
Best color laser printers for 2024: tested and reviewed
A Brother printer on a counter in front of a brick wall.

The best color laser printers can be a great investment, saving you quite a bit of time and money. For shoppers worried about the long-term ink costs, you'll find color laser printers surprisingly affordable. Laser printers use toner, which lasts a very long time, delivering a low cost per page for monochrome documents and fast color prints. The best color laser printers offer quick performance and reliability to help keep your home office or small business productive.

If you need to scan documents for record-keeping and photo capture or want the convenience of a color copier, an all-in-one color laser printer is an essential tool for your small business or personal use. For a small added cost, you get expanded capabilities. That's why every model on this list is an all-in-one from the best printer brands.

Read more