Replug: MagSafe for your headphones

Dustin, I think you may be right there. But no, I don't think it'd work. As I understand it, the iPod can detect when the headphones are unplugged and pauses automatically. This breakaway system leaves the plug in the jack, so from the iPod's point of view everything's copacetic and it keeps on playing.

"Well...no. You'd have to have that built into the system hardware."

I think he may have meant if you were connecting it to an iPod...in which case, it's feasible but unlikely.

"x-box (old one, not 360) controllers had this one."

Actually, that was a breakaway cable that worked a little different. Instead of being magnetic, it just had a weaker physical connection than the point where the cable plugged into the system. Similar concept, though.

The concept wouldn't work with USB not only because it would be too easy to knock a cable free during data transfer, possibly rendering the drive useless. Sure it might be safer than the drive and/or computer crashing to the ground, but the frequency of my knocking my MagSafe connector loose is far less than that of knocking my computer onto the ground by tripping over a USB cable. Besides, either all USB cables would need to adopt this new standard, or you would need a special cable/adapter for each usb cable you plan to use. I just don't see this being practical.

This should be quite useful, I whacked my headphone connector accidentally on my old Dell laptop and something inside was dislodged. Needless to say, audio output through the headphone jack went downhill and it affected the resale price on eBay.

x-box (old one, not 360) controllers had this one. was it patented?

"When it's yanked from the port does my music keep playing or does it stop like on an ipod?"

Well...no. You'd have to have that built into the system hardware.

krve: infinitely long, because Apple patented the MagSafe connector, not the idea of magnetic connectors. There's no basis for a suit, especially since Apple does not produce a competing product.

My Panasonic hotpot has a magnetic power connector, so I doubt it is an Apple-proprietary idea.

I wonder how long it will be before Apple sues them for ripping them off.

"And oh boy, have we patented it!" [Steve Jobs]