>> In general, the way devices will handle this is to only draw 100 mA
>> (which is typically enough to run, but not to charge a battery),
>> link up, and once the driver is installed, ask the driver for
>> permission, then switch up to the 500 mA (or higher in many cases) >> mode.
> Aha!
> This seems to explain why the Motorola RAZR V3 can ONLY charge its
> battery on a PC USB cable if the cell phone is turned on with enough
> power to run the cell phone.
> If the battery is so low that the cell phone can't "ask for
> permission", then the usb cable to the PC won't charge the phone.
> There must be enough energy left in the battery to power up the phone
> so that the phone can ask for permission.
Yup, also true, although in many cases 100mA is enough for the phone to power up and ask for permission before starting to charge.
Still a pain though.
"The only British idiom I know is that fag means cigarette." "Well then tell this cigarette to shut up" -- Family Guy