I'm shopping for a new laptop and many specs list USB ports as "1 powered USB, 2 USB 2.0". What's the difference? Aren't regular USB ports powered, as in capable of powering an external device?
Update things are getting confused. I have a netbook which lists a "powered" USB port, and being a netbook it could well be that it's the only port capable of powering an external hard disk. But then I have another laptop that lists a powered USB port too, and it's color coded, and the software on the laptopo speaks of an "always on" port that could be used to power a device even when the laptop is off. So it could well be that "powered USB port" could refer to both types.