The USB has long been the source of frustration for technology users because of the way it's built. It seems that 90 percent of the time you try and plug in a USB, it has to be turned around.
While the new Type-C USB standard has been announced, which is reversible, the industry shift to that standard will be very gradual. In the meantime, there's the Ryo Adapter, a USB adapter that allows for a reversible USB plug.
"It's a really simple product, I designed the adapter to take a small daily annoyance out of people's lives. Did you know that on average, you spend more than 30 minutes a year plugging in a USB the wrong way?" said Julian Chow, project leader of the Ryo Adapter, in an email with Tech Times.
"The product is made for anyone that has a USB cable. You plug your cable into the adapter once and boom, it won't ever plug in the wrong way again. Quick and easy fix, something that you wouldn't even notice is there but you will end up using it all the time."
The Ryo Adapter is being funded through a Kickstarter project that launched on Monday. It has already surpassed its funding goal.
The concept is fairly simple. Users simply attach the adapter to the end of a USB cable, and then that adapter stays there. What the adapter does is essentially turn the USB into a specially designed connector that fits any standard USB port no matter which way it plugs in.
The adapter is also designed to keep a tight grip on the USB port so that even if the user pulls the cable out by the cable itself, the adapter will remain firmly attached.
While the adapter is surely a lifesaver for many, some might suggest that it will soon be obsolete, given the imminent rise of the reversible Type-C USB adapter. However, Chow is confident that the Type-C won't be a standard for at least another five years.
The Ryo adapter isn't just well designed, it's also very affordable. Through the Kickstarter campaign, early backers can buy a pack of three adapters for only $12. After the supply of 500 early adopters packs are gone, the pack of three will cost $15. Or, for $25, users will get the same pack of three adapters along with a cute, green mascot-like Kushi USB reversible flash drive.
The team behind the adapters has not disclosed the company that is manufacturing them, however we do know that it is based in Shenzhen, China. The exact company will not be disclosed until after the project is completed.
Photo Credit: Ryo Tech | Kickstarter
