[SoupySioux]

Am I the only person experiencing the infuriating change in usb behaviour since the 2.1.0.1032 update?

My playbook will no longer charge while connected to a PC, causing considerable battery drain. I now have to carry around the ac charger wherever I go. And it also means that I have to disconnect the playbook from the PC just to charge it, during which time I cannot transfer files to and from the playbook/PC. Extremely annoying!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone have a solution.

Hopefully there will be a quick bug fix.

[anon(1544756)]

The no charging via usb bug was there when it was in beta also. Weird they didn't fix it, before put this version out.

[rkonert]

My playbook still charges, albeit slowly, through the PC. Usually start a back up before bed and in the morning it's back up to 100%.

[Chaddface]

The warning is new for me but it still charges just like it always has.

[MJGibb]

I also get the warning about not charging however it appears to be a false one as my playbook then charges just fine. Went from 15% to 100% charged overnight no problem via usb.

[VerryBestr]

Peter Hansen, author of the "Battery Guru" utility, wrote:

| http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...8/#post7643656

Charging with USB is fine if the PlayBook is in standby. It's the screen being on which sucks so much power that the USB port can't keep up. Even with screen off, however, it will take about 12h to charge fully, from empty.

See Peter's page on PlayBook power usage here:
| PlayBook: Power Consumption

I think a PC USB port can supply up to 2.5 watts (2500mW). According to Peter's measurements, that is about enough to power the PB with its screen on, but backlight at 50%, with the PB not doing anything heavy (such as playing videos). With any more power consumption, the USB port would slow down the battery discharge, but would not be charging the PB. The PB should be in standby for charging from a PC USB port.

[kbz1960]

Even last year in July when I got mine the only way it would charge by usb was if the screen was off and it wasn't being used. Nothing new here other than the notification.

[Morten]

Peter Hansen, author of the "Battery Guru" utility, wrote:

| http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...8/#post7643656


See Peter's page on PlayBook power usage here:
| PlayBook: Power Consumption

I think a PC USB port can supply up to 2.5 watts (2500mW). According to Peter's measurements, that is about enough to power the PB with its screen on, but backlight at 50%, with the PB not doing anything heavy (such as playing videos). With any more power consumption, the USB port would slow down the battery discharge, but would not be charging the PB. The PB should be in standby for charging from a PC USB port.

That is correct - and the "issue" is not only for Playbook, but for all devices in need of more power.
Some motherboards "can" channel more power to USB when needed, but has to be controlled by firmware/software. ASUS is one of the makers who does this, but not for the PlayBook, yet..

[Ned_Flanders]

As the others have already pointed out its not a bug per se, but a new warning letting you know in that in most situations your Playbook will not charge or will take a very long time to charge using the USB.

I will often hook my Playbook up to my work laptop just to keep it from loosing charge if I know it's going to be used a lot out in the field that day.

I wonder you can find an adaptor that plugs into two USB ports and merges them into one to get the extra power from an additional port? I have a few of these hard wired into external devices such as DVD drives etc.

Edit: They do make them... Here is one pictured in the middle of the other adapters.

http://www.cartft.com/catalog/il/37

[SoupySioux]

The issue seems to have resolved itself. Two reboots later it starts charging via usb again. Very strange behaviour indeed.