This is why I don’t like Micro USB connectors

Lesson:  Don’t pack away your ATmel JTAGICE3 with the USB cable plugged in. When I wanted to use it again, I discovered that the connector was very “loose” indeed.

Atmel JTAGICE3 opened up

Here you can see that the GND pads tore right off the PCB. Note that brownish glue that was used on the two middle GND pads to keep the connector in place during SMD reflow. Thus all of the mechanical stress was placed on the two outside pads, because the two middle pads did not solder:

Broken Micro USB pads – zoomed in with Olympus SZ51 microscope

If I did not have access to a high-end Olympus SZ51 microscope and a Metcal MX-5000 Soldering, Desoldering and Rework Station, I don’t think I would have been able to repair it (but I did and I could). Sparkfun says that a lot of you prefer microUSB over miniUSB, but this is the reason why I chose to use min-B USB connector on the Scorpion Board.

What are your thoughts or preference?