Actually I dont have a problem with Nokia using their own connector for charging as long as one charger fits all, given the marketshare of nokia here atleast it means that when you forget your charger you can find one in almost any house. while a miniUSB will be more difficult. Of course in the long run I would like to see a global standard charger for all handsets like the miniUSB..

micro USB sorry

i have used nokia for a very long time, and when i switched to Helio and the Ocean, i noticed i could charge via USB and was like FINALLY! but then was saddened when i realized that many phones had this ability and my nokia shielded eyes never got to see it before.

Wait, didn't John Dvorak complain about this once?

What I want to know is why is USB charging a good thing. Generally speaking, it's easier to use an outlet (that's always on) versus a USB port. Now, if you are talking about just the phone side of the cord, whether it's plugged into an outlet or a computer, than it makes sense, except for the micro USB always sticking straight out instead of a more flush 90 degree angle.

This is going to sound way too picky, but the POP port is the single greatest reason I have refused to buy a Nokia phone (and I'm in the market foro new phones relatively often).

I had a Nokia 3300 and I loved it. I had a qwerty keyboard with MP3 player and calendar/email functions in 2002! The main drawback was the difficulty in listening to music, because the headphones didn't stay attached to the phone. That POP port lost Nokia my business.

Nobody mentions Motorola has the feature but disables it unless you buy their "software".

"What I want to know is why is USB charging a good thing. Generally speaking, it's easier to use an outlet (that's always on) versus a USB port."

Just to clarify things, USB charging does NOT stop you charging from normal mains wall sockets. :-)

With USB charging you have two choices of charging method: the first is the normal plug-it-into-the-wall method (using a wall charger with a microUSB/miniUSB-shaped plug), and the second is the USB-cable-into-a-computer method.

If you look at the link to the original AAS article above, you'll find that the Luna phone comes with a normal charger as well as a USB cable. The only difference between the Luna's charger and Nokia's other chargers is that the Luna charger has a microUSB plug instead of a round plug.

All that USB charging really means is that the charging jack and USB port have been combined into one socket. The functionality is identical to both of the separate sockets.

The advantage of mobile devices moving towards USB charging is is huge, it means you could use any charger from any device on any other device. One charger would be able to power all of your mobile gadgets. It also means you can use a USB cable instead of a charger, if you have access to a PC, and your device will automatically charge when it's connected by cable to a PC.

the nokia pop port was to be a universal accessory port for music-enabled nokia phones AND/OR OTHER ACCESSORIES. ive even seen a creditcard reader attachment for the pop port!

i wish the luna wasn't so damned expensive

Smart move Nokia! I usually have strict criteria for phones when it comes to purchasing one and this is one of them. Motorola, HTC, and RIM seem to have it right. That is why I always give them first priority when it comes to getting a new phone. But I guess I can say I'm a hypocrite too because I have a iPhone but seeing that there port seem to be very popular too I think its fair to say that Apple is an exception. I guess the last of them should be Samsung and Sony Ericsson should hopefully follow (mainstream wise).

One problem with a Mini USB port is the concern for headset and charging at the same time. I know there is bluetooth for an option, but many wouldn't like it as much as a hard wire earphone. lets just hope Nokia makes it compatible for a charger/earphone splitter to work with their phones. HTC has it so could they.

It could also be that they are taking a hint from the So. Korean and Chinese...they announced a couple of months ago that they were mandating that ALL Manufacturers over there would have to set a common device for all phones. For charging and data...

They should have all started with this nonsense a long time ago. We consumers need to start beating them on the head...and ALL Consumer Electronics makers. Start a common interface and STOP Patenting every button etc. Or we will hit our legislatures up to FORCE you into it.

Back in the day the pop-port had some pretty cool accessories. The external camera flash, for example. It's not entirely pointless, as this article argues,

Micro USB has some neat features. You can directly connect devices with each other. You can also hook up things like hard drives.

@IAMNOTDRTRAN
On the list of things i'd like to be able to do with my phone, connecting a hard drive is definitly not in the top 100.
But then again, any added functionality (albeit useless) adds to the 'gadget' factor and that still remains a plus :).

As for which connector, i couldn't care less if it were microUSB, POP or even a frickin' candy necklace, as long as it's universal for power and/or data. And looking at the Nokia marketshare at the moment there is no point in arguing that the Nokia power connector is the most universal at the moment (and one of the main reasons i always went back to nokia).

I'm glad you added "or one of the first" as the Nokia 6300 has been out for several months and it has a mini-B USB for synchronisation. It happily acts as mass-storage mode via this too (in addition to Nokia mode and Print mode), which is handy for when you've stuck a 2GB microSD in there and want to update your MP3s.

However, Nokia has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and -
1) The 6300 doesn't seem to charge via a standard USB cable, though a cheap doohicky to go from USB to power plug is widely available.
2) Dislodging the cover over the mini-B connector requires fingernails that are long, strong and regarded as disposable - this eliminates everyone who is female and/or chews their fingernails.

Ian