USB-C

iPad Pro switching from Lightning to USB-C unlocks new capabilities like charging your iPhone or importing photos and videos directly, but only if you have the right cable with you. My go-to solution is a USB-C to Lightning cable that lives on my keychain and will always be with me when I’m away from home.

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Macworld has a wishlist piece on the 2019 iPhone. Some of it is uncontroversial and very likely to happen – things like a better neural engine and improved Face ID (including landscape operation, like the new iPad Pro).

But the site’s Jason Cross also proposes something Apple is extremely unlikely to do: making the 2019 iPhone a little thicker …

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Apple already makes USB-C to Lightning cables that you can buy separately, and the iPhone XS lineup is expected to include the cable in the box in place of USB-A to Lightning. Now Macotakara reports that MFi (Made for iPhone) accessory makers have been told that Apple will soon approve MFi USB-C Lightning cables as well, but a higher cost of production is coming too.

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Apple’s decisions to remove the headphone jack starting with iPhone 7/7 Plus and going all in on USB-C with the MacBook and MackBook Pro have caused a lot of commotion. But no matter how you see the changes, an interesting result has emerged, we’ve made Apple’s dongles the best-selling products at Best Buy.

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In theory, all USB-C cables should be the same: that’s the whole point of having a standard. In practice, there are different versions of the standard. More worryingly, many cables being sold as USB-C don’t fully conform to that standard – and that can be seriously bad news …

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While the tech industry is still in the middle of a transition to USB-C, it can be easy to wind up with lots of various charging bricks and adapters. Leviton’s Type A & Type C USB Charger/Receptacle caught our eye as a way to simplify our digital lives, so we went hands-on with the handy wall outlet.

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If you were hoping to benefit from fast charging of this year’s iPhones, that may not be possible with many third-party chargers …

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If you’re not familiar with the idea behind our new Change My View opinion format, please check out our guide. The tl;dr version is that we invite you to take an active interest in opposing views, and to discuss in a respectful way.

Last time you succeeded in changing my view that MacBook Pro keyboard issues were overblown, and this time I’m going to tackle an issue where I suspect you’ll have even more to say.

My argument is it’s time for Apple to migrate iPhones and iPads from Lightning ports to USB-C ones …

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Ugreen released its new USB-C Multiport 8 in 1 Adapter earlier this year and it quickly sold out with an affordable price tag of about $50. Now, we’ve gone hands on with the accessory that packs about every I/O you could need. We’ve also got an exclusive 25% off for 9to5Mac readers who want to grab this adapter for $40. Read on for our full review and coupon code.

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Akitio’s SK-2520 U3.1 is a portable diskless enclosure that can be populated with two SATA SSDs. It results in a relatively quick RAID-enabled drive that can be powered directly via USB-C. Should Mac users give it a look? Watch our brief hands-on video walkthrough for more details.
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It’s a couple of weeks since LG announced its upcoming 34-inch ultrawide Thunderbolt 3 monitor, and now Samsung has done the same.

While LG has the higher resolution – effectively between 4K and 5K – Samsung is hoping that its curved design will win fans …

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From 9to5Toys:

Portable SSDs are finally starting to come down in price as competition is continuing to ramp up between manufacturers. In the spring we saw Western Digital unveil a new line of USB-C drives designed for Apple’s latest MacBooks. Fast forward to today, and Samsung is refreshing its popular external storage solutions with its new T5 offerings.

USB-C is at the forefront of these new Samsung drives but those still rocking USB-A will be able to take advantage, too. Hidden amongst today’s announcement is that the T5 lineup will be able to hit speeds up to 540MB/s, which is right on level with Samsung’s internal desktop SSDs. More details below.

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With Apple’s MacBooks moving from special MagSafe connectors to universal USB-C ports for charging, it’s now possible for accessory makers to easily make battery packs for expanding laptop power. Mophie’s new $149.95 Powerstation USB-C XXL is a high-capacity external battery that promises to charge new MacBooks…

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I recently got my hands on the Atomos Ninja Inferno external recorder and monitor for my Panasonic GH5. This 7-inch monitor allows you to record 4K video directly to 2.5-inch SATA SSDs. It’s a wonderful tool for my video workflow, because it allows for extra long recording times, and fast data transfers to my Mac.

The only problem is that the external monitor doesn’t ship with the needed USB-enabled caddy for transferring data from the SSD to my MacBook Pro. Atomos sells a docking station, but it’s limited to USB-A connections.

That’s where StarTech’s wonderful USB-C to SATA adapter comes in. This inexpensive adapter makes it super-easy to transfer data from a SATA-enabled SSD to the MacBook Pro via USB-C. Watch our hands-on video inside for the details.
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Satechi has just announced the availability of its take on the USB-C hub for the 2016 MacBook Pro. While USB-C ports may be standard in a few years, today they’re just not, and many creatives still rely on external hubs to get their work done. Satechi’s new aluminum Type-C Pro Hub will bring back the ports and expansion power users need.

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Apple’s decision to go all-in on USB-C on the 2016 MacBook Pro machines hit significant resistance from those who would need to purchase multiple dongles to connect to their existing accessories. The company responded by offering discounts on a range of USB adapters and cables, first to the end of last year and later extended to the end of March.

Those deals are now gone, however, so here’s a roundup of some decent alternatives …

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Shortly after announcing a USB-C external SSD, Western Digital has announced a USB-C version of its externally-powered spinning metal G-Drives in capacities of up to 10TB. They will also be available in 4TB and 8TB models.

The company says that the drives can also power MacBooks and MacBook Pro models, enabling a single-cable connection, though it doesn’t mention an important caveat …

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