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Having seen the type of messes that result from do-it-yourself type projects, I can state categorically that this qualifies as a rather bad idea. However, since I'm not the one who will have to live in those houses, that's not my problem.
Most computer ports won't charge an iPad, because most computer USB ports don't put out enough power. There are three versions of USB, the first two operate at 2.5 watts while the latest operates at 4.5 watts. Moreover, some ports are dedicated charging ports, which place a short circuit in the port to disable data transfer and allow higher current. I suspect it's these dedicated charging ports that can charge an iPad.
On that note, this begins to get into one of the problems with USB wall jacks. Power signals and data signals have different requirements. Moreover, power signals for one device are different from power signals for another. Apple conveniently provides a good example. This is why most computer USB ports won't charge an iPad, but they will charge an iPhone. The iPhone and iPad have different adapters for their wall outlets to provide for the different power requirements of the devices.
Getting back to do-it-yourself projects, a simple Google search illustrates the problem with people installing these things on their own. Searching for "iPhone charger" spat back several pages where I could buy, look at, or read about the adapter to charge an iPhone or iPod. When I searched for "iPad charger" I instead got several articles of reviewers sounding surprised that an iPad wouldn't charge off a standard USB port. That rather keenly illustrates the knowledge (or more precisely, the lack thereof) that the typical consumer has regarding electricity.
Now, these wall sockets are professionally designed and tested, so I doubt they're going to be burning up devices. What's going to happen is merely people **** up their home wiring trying to install them. It's your wiring and your house, so by all means, feel free to **** it up. Just remember to shut off the breaker. If your box isn't well labeled, I would recommend throwing the main switch just to be safe. You'll be sticking your hands into something that can kill you if it's not off.
Moving on to other reasons why this is not really a great idea.
Lenas mentioned stationary devices powered by USB, and the article mentioned losing USB power adapters. I'm going to focus on those two points.
For a mobile device, this in no way alleviates the problem of losing your adapter. What are the chances that your wall outlets at work are installed with USB power outlets? How about hotels? Other people's houses? You will still need to have that adapter to charge your device, even if you replace all of the outlets in your home. Businesses can't really put these in, because that's just asking for trouble with building inspections.
Even assuming building code incorporates them, businesses would then have to pay to have all of their outlets replaced. That's a considerable chunk of money for dubious benefit. Is the expense going to bankrupt anyone? No, not at all. However, why do they need to pay the money? Most of those devices come with adapters. In the end, it is cheaper and more efficient to provide a $5 adapter to you, the consumer, than it is to change existing infrastructure. It would be a different story if we were starting all over from scratch, say building the Google Lunaplex, but we're not. So no matter how many of these outlets you put in your own home, you're still going to need that adapter.
Now let's consider the case of a stationary device. Here we have something that doesn't move. It sits on your desk plugged into some sort of power outlet that energizes it. Okay, here it looks like those USB outlets in the wall would be promising. It doesn't matter now that you don't have them at work, because you don't take the device to work. Well, that also defeats the purpose of having the device powered by USB ports in the first place. If it's a stationary device, then it's no different than the charging station for my electric shaver. That device also has a power adapter on it, I just can't remove the adapter from the power cable without a pair of wire cutters.
The primary purpose of a USB jack is for data transfer. The reason they provide power to certain small low-power devices is because most computers now have USB jacks on the front (or USB hubs sitting on the desk), or else the computers are laptops with easily accessible USB ports. It's very convenient to plug your iPhone into your laptop or desktop. It's far more convenient than reaching around behind the machine to plug it into the wall. When you place the jack in a wall outlet, you remove the single most compelling reason to use USB power in the first place.
Actually, I should backstep a bit. The most compelling reason to use USB power is for a device like a keyboard or a mouse that needs to receive power and data simultaneously. Your power company doesn't provide a data signal, so my prior statement about removing the most compelling reason for USB power still stands. In fact, you're removing the top two. With those to reasons removed, why are you using a USB port for power?
You would spend the same amount of money on a USB wall outlet as you would on an adapter for a stationary device, or a replacement adapter for a mobile device. You would have to install it yourself. You would still need the adapters for your mobile devices if you planned on using them outside your house. It looks cool, and it's a way to show off and impress your friends with how tech savvy you are, but it's not a great idea.
If you really want USB ports on your power outlets, the best place to put them would be on a surge protector or battery backup unit (which your laptop or desktop ought to be plugged into anyway). That still doesn't make them particularly convenient, and still creates the problem of not being a data port, but at least you don't have to install it yourself, it isn't likely to raise the cost of either unit, and it's easier to put surge protectors or battery backup units into a work environment than it is to rewire a building.
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