The Consumer Electronics Association's (CEA) Technology and Standards' Mobile Electronics Committee recently announced a working group to develop an industry standard for a common portable device connector.

This standard would create an electrical and mechanical specification for a standard docking connector suitable for portable devices that need to be cradled and controlled in both cars and at home. Until now, the portable device industry has far invented a variety of proprietary docking connectors that are not generally interoperable.  An open, industry-wide standard for docking connectors will give consumers greater access to the digital entertainment they have stored on devices whether at home or on the road.

The working group will create an industry standard docking connector specification that could be adopted by any host or portable device manufacturer regardless of the format or protocol that it supports.  The working group is chaired by Jai Jaisimha, lead program manager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft, and includes aftermarket electronics providers, OEM integration kit providers, chipset providers and portable device manufacturers.

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