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Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

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Re: Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

#11

Post by baldfat »

jewel wrote: post #8
Someone1234 wrote: post #2

If laptops can charge via USB, international travel will be so much nicer. USB has already made international travel much better (thanks to 90% of your key electronics being USB, and international USB adapters being cheap and reliable, or heck just buy a local one in each country, they're $5/each). Most laptops have a "brick" which works in most countries, but you still need to find the correct local cable or have an…

> If laptops can charge via USB, international travel will be so much nicer. I got the HP Chromebook 11 for just that reason. It charges with a micro-usb port, i.e. the same cable as android phones. It's nice to not need to bother packing a charger or cable for it. It's too bad all ultrabooks don't add a micro-usb port just for this purpose (in addition to the normal charger). The current chargers are much thicker th…

Latest rumor is Apple's Air is going to have only one USB 3.1 port for everything. http://9to5mac.com/2015/01/06/macbook-air-12-inch-redesign/

No maglock power supply, no display port, just the one port.

Re: Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

#12

Post by fuzzywalrus »

Someone1234 wrote: post #2

If laptops can charge via USB, international travel will be so much nicer. USB has already made international travel much better (thanks to 90% of your key electronics being USB, and international USB adapters being cheap and reliable, or heck just buy a local one in each country, they're $5/each). Most laptops have a "brick" which works in most countries, but you still need to find the correct local cable or have an…

I'd like to see an interim conversion adopted for charging from USB3.1 to things like Magsafe on the MacBooks. In the dark days of laptops, stepping on the power cable could end your laptop, USB 3.1 looks like it'd be a return to that if used as a primary charging source.

Other than that, USB3.1 looks fantastic. Thunderbolt 1.0 speeds, big power, and much better connector.

Re: Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

#13

Post by masklinn »

> USB cables have been carrying power for years, but the interface has never been rated to feed devices more than 10 watts.

7.5W (1.5A@5V) according to the Battery Charging Specification 1.2. 10W chargers are out-of-spec extensions, as were 5W chargers before 2010.

Re: Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

#14

Post by seanp2k2 »

doczoidberg wrote: post #5

Even better than USB 3.1 is Wigig and wireless charging. Broadwell does support Wigig. Where are the Wigig docking stations now?

Wireless charging is pretty lame in that it only works I suspect Wigig will be as popular as WiDi, another Intel wireless technology: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/WiDi Keep in mind how long it took Bluetooth to really take off and work reasonably well between devices (4.0 IMO): http://www.bluetooth.com/Pages/History-of-Bluetooth.aspx (Bluetooth is 15 years old).

I remember having a Nokia 6600 back in 2003, with a Sony Ericsson bluetooth headset, and getting a lot of questions about it. The phone had 3G and a video camera, web browser, smartphone OS (at the time; Symbian S60) with apps, and the Bluetooth headset I had (HBH-660) had called ID and a button to hang up, was very light, and lasted quite a while on a battery (IIRC, it would connect to Bluetooth on demand, since low-power 4.x wasn't a thing then). It's kind of disappointing to me how this stuff hasn't advanced terribly in functionality in the 10 years since. It's still wearables which work ~poorly, Bluetooth inter-op issues (cars are pretty notorious), battery life struggles, etc.

Re: Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

#15

Post by pinaceae »

Someone1234 wrote: post #2

If laptops can charge via USB, international travel will be so much nicer. USB has already made international travel much better (thanks to 90% of your key electronics being USB, and international USB adapters being cheap and reliable, or heck just buy a local one in each country, they're $5/each). Most laptops have a "brick" which works in most countries, but you still need to find the correct local cable or have an…

well, plus a super attack vector.

plugging into power is safe, as no data access is possible. some high-sec site solder USB ports shut. already a headache with smartphones and tablets that use the single-port concept (USB, Lightning).

that free USB charging station in beijing airport might not be so free after all...

Re: Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

#16

Post by seanp2k2 »

helper wrote: post #4

When can I buy a phone with a Type C connector?

Well, Nokia is on board, and I expect all the other mfgs will follow in 2015: http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/18/7239695/nokia-n1-first-ta...

Welp, time to buy 15 new USB cables again! At least it's worth it this time, vs mini -> micro, which has been a lot less durable in my experience (the shape of the mini B connector + height made it a lot less likely to bend at the flexible plastic part you grab)

Re: Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

#17

Post by rgersten »

As others have pointed out, there's a lot to be exited about. I definitely see this as a big step forward.

That said, I think the connector shape is flawed. I've seen too many micro USB connectors break off in phones because it's hard to make something that small strong enough for movement from the cable. I wish they would have chosen something closer to the lightning connector or magnetic for durability. I'd hate to have to replace the main point of connectivity of an ultra-thin laptop.

Re: Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

#18

Post by valarauca1 »

baldfat wrote: post #11
jewel wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If laptops can charge via USB, international travel will be so much nicer. I got the HP Chromebook 11 for just that reason. It charges with a micro-usb port, i.e. the same cable as android phones. It's nice to not need to bother packing a charger or cable for it. It's too bad all ultrabooks don't add a micro-usb port just for this purpose (in addition to the normal charger). The current chargers are much thicker th…

Latest rumor is Apple's Air is going to have only one USB 3.1 port for everything. http://9to5mac.com/2015/01/06/macbook-air-12-inch-redesign/ No maglock power supply, no display port, just the one port.

Its kinda limiting. That's means I have to lug a hub around with me at all times, a spare port would be nice for phone charging, usb drives, etc.

Re: Reversible USB Type C connector and 10 gigabit USB 3.1 are here

#20

Post by scentoni »

pinaceae wrote: post #15
Someone1234 wrote: post #2

If laptops can charge via USB, international travel will be so much nicer. USB has already made international travel much better (thanks to 90% of your key electronics being USB, and international USB adapters being cheap and reliable, or heck just buy a local one in each country, they're $5/each). Most laptops have a "brick" which works in most countries, but you still need to find the correct local cable or have an…

well, plus a super attack vector. plugging into power is safe, as no data access is possible. some high-sec site solder USB ports shut. already a headache with smartphones and tablets that use the single-port concept (USB, Lightning). that free USB charging station in beijing airport might not be so free after all...

Practice safe charging: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1137339450/lockedusb-ad...
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