I have an older Mac and interested in getting an iPad. I've noticed that the Apple website says the iPad requires a USB 2.0. Will the iPad not work with an older USB? Are there any converters for older USB connections?

Should be backwards compatible with USB 1.1 but the transfer speeds will be intolerable.

Plus the version of iTunes may not run great on your old Mac, if it's still supported.

May require 10.5 or 10.6 for instance, which may eliminate some old Macs with G4 or older processors.

It won't charge on the older USB ports. It barely charges on a USB2.0 port on my new Toshiba.

that's an understatement.

it requires 10.5.8 or later and itunes 9.1 or later, which more than likely won't work well on an old mac, if at all.

it will charge if it's off, but it's going to take a while.

Just curious, why do folks charge from the USB port? It's so much faster to charge directly from the wall outlet.

1) insufficient wall sockets
2) Lead takes up less space than a charger
3) You can charge while using the computer

Because I don't want to carry another charger. I plug in my laptop and overnight can charge many other devices from that one point.

If I may continue the discussion? Presuming we're still talking about the iPad, you aren't carrying "another charger"....it's the same cord but with a small adapter added to the USB end to fit into the wall socket. You've got to carry the cord anyway.

Yeah, that "small adapter" is "another charger". (Are you thinking of the little 5W iphone adapter? The iPad one is pretty large, actually)

I generally prefer not having a gazillion different things to plug in when I travel, and having too many specialty cords. I rather like how I can do most of my travel charging, syncing, and just about everything else right now with exactly two small 4" cables: an iPod cable[1], and a 4" mini-USB cable.

The only other thing I usually carry with me traveling in the US is an outlet splitter (one of the little cube ones), so that I don't have to play hunt-the-outlet in airports and coffee shops. I find a seat near an existing outlet, and ask someone using that outlet if they mind if I unplug them for a second. I'm shocked more people don't carry these.

[1] The place I got the 4" iPod cable from no longer makes them, unfortunately.

I use the iPhone adapter to charge both the phone and the iPad.

The cord is much smaller, lighter and more flexible to pack than the little cube. Every little bit helps...

Personally I'd be much, much happier if the Apple devices used the microUSB plug like everyone else is so I didn't need a special cable either, but I'll take the small victories where I can get them.

I have a bunch of these and throw a couple in each of my carry-ons. Can be had for around a buck or less on eBay.

Thanks, might actually grab a few of these.

In the UK Pound shops stock them. In fact right at this moment I'm using one to keep my Touch charged while I work & listen to podcasts

In this case, it has nothing to do with the ports being 1.1 or 2.0.

The difference is that for their newer machines, they started providing way more power from the USB port than on earlier machines. A typical USB port shouldn't provide more than 500mA. The iPad needs way more than that to charge (especially if it's on).