> >> any more ideas on making usb modules that hang out the  back (or 
> >> front) of the computer?
> 
> Are such modules technically "legal" according to the USB spec?
> Perhaps that's why it's difficult to find a Male A PCB Mount
> connector: any reputable manufacturer making one might find 
> itself on the USB committee's sh*t-list...  (not that there 
> is any shortage of flash, bluetooth, WLAN, and security 
> dongles of this sort; there's also no shortage of cables I'm 
> quite sure aren't legal.)
> 
> Some of the flash drives seem to get by with little more than 
> a carefully shaped PCB either fabricated or shimmed to just 
> the right thickness...


Allow me to introduce the ReZap USB battery recharger -
http://users.tpg.com.au/users/p8king/rbc880.jpg.  

Simple idea, charge 2xAA or 2xAAA batteries off a USB port, or uses a Nokia
'phone charger.  Cable detaches, good or bad feature depending on your point
of view.

But the socket is a USB-A!  WTF, as is often heard.  In that (bad) picture
you can see a USB-A to USB-A cable.  Confuses the crap out of everyone I
show it to.  So now I have this weird cable.  As if the mini-B's weren't
annoying enough.  I wonder if Radio Shack stock USB A-A...

Bonus points - there is enough space to use the correct socket!  Gah!  The
thing is 25mm high, and it's mostly space!  The only reason I can think of
is aesthetics, the two power sockets (DC & USB) are the same height, so it
looks nice.  (or it's a bad joke, or USB-A sockets are 0.004 cents cheaper
than the USB-B - but tooling costs on that cable are...?)

And on the flash drives, there was a page the other day that pointed out
that veroboard tracks have the right spacing for USB power, and proceeded to
make a torch.

Tony

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