Apple sells a micro-USB to lightning adapter (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD820ZM/A/lightning-to-mic... ; as low as $2-$5 for third-party versions) that allows them to comply with European micro-USB charger mandate, but it's so small I'd be more worried about losing the adapter than having to carry around another cable.

On proper USB cables, it's always logo-side up, isn't it?

Yes, but sadly one particular very large Korean manufacturer whose name begins with an S thinks that the "proper" orientation of a micro USB port places the narrow/tapered side "up" instead of "down". And they print all their cables opposite of everyone else. Sigh.

But even so, there's no tactile difference. So cabling a phone in the dark (pretty routine at bedtime) is a crap shoot either way. I personally solve this with a bedside dock, but it's a legitimate fault.

Thus my use of the word 'proper'. =)

I've had a lot of non-conforming USB stuff pass my door and it's all really really awful.

It should be, unfortunately it's not always immediately obvious with all devices which side of the port is supposed to be "up".

If your plug is sideways, which way is up? Therein lies the rub basically.

On USB cables, yes, but there is no convention for devices. I have two phones, each of which has the micro-USB port upside-down from the other.

Not the nexus 7 :@

Not on the htc one s.