Kickstarter focus: A USB cable that charges smartphones twice as fast

Minsoo and Emily Seo have come up with a USB charging cable that charges iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones roughly twice as fast as ordinary charging cables. 

As they explain on their Kickstarter page, USB cables automatically try to communicate with the attached device while providing limited electric energy, whereas their DouBBleTime USB charging cable has a switch that limits the cable to charging only, shortening charging times substantially.

Source: Kickstarter.

"A simple yet ingenious special chip inside the switch talks to your computer saying, ‘I’m not a phone; I’m not going to sync, so give me maximum charging energy.’ This message allows the cable to bypass the capped out maximum power a USB can output and connect straight to the mainboard. The special chip also provides over current protection (OCP) and short circuit protection, which guarantees the safety of both your computer and device while charging," say the Seos on their Kickstarter page.

The second wave of backers can get their choice of a Lightning or Micro USB cable for US$18, with US$5 more for international shipping.
 
View the associated video here. The Kickstarter campaign ends May 23, and is already heavily oversubscribed.