Articles about USB Type-C

With cloud storage continuing to grow in popularity, USB flash drives have largely fallen out of favor with consumers. Maybe that's not such a bad thing, as USB flash drives are both easy to lose and are susceptible to failure -- the cloud is arguably more safe and secure. With that said, there should always be a need for local storage, Look, sometimes you just can't trust certain documents, such as company secrets, to the cloud.

It is hard to get excited about new USB flash drives though, right? I mean, aren't they all the same? Actually, no! They can vary on things like build quality and speed. Today, Kingston launches DataTraveler Max and the USB-C flash drive offers downright droolworthy performance. Featuring a USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, it can achieve speeds of up to 1,000MB/s read and 900MB/s write. Wow.

Continue reading →

Google's Titan Security Key dongles are a great way to secure accounts using hardware rather than only relying on software. The search giant has offered these little devices for years now with USB-A, USB-C, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Back in 2019, Google discovered a vulnerability in its Bluetooth-capable Titan Security Key that lead to a recall. With that said, it is not surprising that in 2021, the search giant is dropping that wireless connection option entirely. You see, starting tomorrow, the Google Titan Security Keys are ditching Bluetooth to instead rely on NFC -- in addition to USB, of course.

Continue reading →

USB Type-C is amazing. This reversible USB connector is not just used for data connections, but power too. For instance, there are many laptops, tablets, and smartphones that charge using USB-C. When all of your devices use USB-C, it makes your life much easier -- there are fewer wires and chargers to deal with. Even better, you can potentially travel lighter by packing less. Hopefully Apple will eventually bring USB-C to the iPhone fully -- the company already has with some iPad models.

Today, Satechi launches a trio of USB-C chargers, and since they are of the GaN variety, they are very compact. While all three are similar, they are also quite distinct. All three have foldable prongs which makes them ideal for travel, but the number of ports and wattage varies. The 66W and 108W models both have three ports, but the 100W variant has only one.

Continue reading →

If you are a gamer, writer, or just someone that appreciates a quality typing experience, a mechanical keyboard can be a godsend. Not only are they typically of higher quality than membrane keyboards, but these mechanical variants can sometimes provide tactile and audible feedback to enhance the key presses -- depending on the switch type.

ADATA is a company that makes great hardware, but isn't really known for its keyboards. With that said, the company has a new such wired product under its "XPG" gaming brand, and it looks quite nice. Called "MAGE," the full-size keyboard has an aluminum body, RGB lighting, red switches, and a USB-C port. It comes with a removable six-foot USB-C to USB-A cable in the box.

Continue reading →

NVMe solid states are insanely fast and getting more affordable every day. It is for this reason that most consumers should opt for them when possible -- they put SATA variants to shame. Even if you don't need the extra performance of an NVMe SSD, the ever-lowering prices make them a no-brainer.

While most people probably think of NVMe SSDs as something to go inside a computer, they also make exceptional external drives -- when paired with an enclosure, that is. Today, Silicon Power launches its latest USB-C enclosure. Called "PD60," it is compatible with both NVMe and SATA M.2 SSDs.

Continue reading →

USB-A ports used to be ubiquitous, but nowadays, they are becoming less common. Make no mistake, USB-A isn't disappearing anytime soon, but fewer laptops are coming with the ports. Instead, many notebooks come with USB-C only these days. And if a laptop does come with USB-A, it may only be one or two ports at most.

Thankfully, one of the best things about USB is the ability to utilize hubs -- you can turn one USB port into several. Today, Plugable launches its latest powered hub, and it is designed for both data and charging. Called "USBC-HUB7BC," it can convert either a USB-A or USB-C port into seven USB-A ports. If you need more than seven USB 3.0 5Gbps ports, you can use more than one USBC-HUB7BC with one PC -- they are designed to be neatly stacked on top of each other.

Continue reading →

Many laptops don't have HDMI outputs anymore, instead only offering USB-C ports. So this means you can't connect the computer to your TV or monitor, right? Wrong! Many USB-C ports (not all) will also output video, allowing you to connect to HDMI by using an adapter or dongle.

Of course, not all cables are created equally. While Amazon is littered with many USB-C to HDMI cables, a lot of them are of poor quality. If you don't want headaches, you should stick with a reputable brand, such as the much-respected StarTech.com. Today, that company launches a new such cable adapter, and it even features HDR10 support. The cable is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux-based operating systems (including Chrome OS and Android).

Continue reading →

Apple Silicon -- better known as the company's own "M1" processor -- is a game-changer. The new Mac computers (MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini) powered by this new ARM-based processor have been very well received by critics and consumers alike.

I was personally fascinated by this new CPU, so I purchased my own 2020 Mac mini. Guess what, folks? The hype is real. The performance is exceptional while the fan almost never kicks in. It is a silent and powerful computing experience. It is a highly recommended computer.

Continue reading →

Nowadays, many smartphones, tablets, and laptops don't have 3.5mm audio jacks anymore. For some consumers, this is not a huge deal as they prefer wireless Bluetooth headphones anyway. Other folks, however, would rather a wired solution. For them, they will opt for USB-C headphones or a USB-C to 3.5mm dongle. No big deal, right?

Well, it is a big deal, actually. How in the hell are you going to use the USB-C port on your device for audio if at the same time you need to use that port for charging? D'oh! Thankfully, StarTech.com has two new adapters that will solve this dilemma without breaking the bank. The CDP2CAPDM turns one USB-C port into two, while the CDP235APDM turns the USB-C port into a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-C port.

Continue reading →

Some computer manufacturers have been trying to kill USB-A and push consumers towards USB-C, but so far, this scheme has not been successful. Don't get me wrong, USB-C is wonderful -- the reversible connector is far superior to the previous USB design -- but there are just too many USB-A devices in the world to have it disappear completely. While he death of USB-A is a certainty, it is still many years away.

If you have one of those newfangled computers that only come with USB-C, you can always buy a hub, dongle, or adapter. For instance, today, NewerTech launches two new USB-C video adapters. One converts USB-C to HDMI and the other to DisplayPort. These USB-C dongles aren't just great for connecting to computer monitors, but televisions too.

Continue reading →

When someone tells me that Chromebooks are only good for surfing the web, I have to do my best not to angrily laugh in their face. That opinion is just so ignorant and outdated. The truth is, Chromebooks run the excellent Chrome OS Linux distribution, which is more than capable for business, education, and personal use. You aren't limited to web apps either -- you can run many desktop Linux and Android apps nowadays. Oh, and Chrome OS is more secure than Windows 10 too.

Most new Chromebooks come with a USB-C port, letting you connect many great accessories, such as docks and dongles, to expand its usefulness. Yeah, you can even turn a Chromebook into a makeshift desktop by connecting a monitor, mouse, and keyboard. And now, HYPER has unveiled a trio of Google-certified "Works With Chromebook" USB-C products.

Continue reading →

Computer manufacturers have been trying to kill USB-A and push consumers towards USB-C, but so far, this scheme has not been successful. Don't get me wrong, USB-C is great -- the reversible connector is far superior to the previous USB design -- but there are just too many USB-A devices in the world to have it go away completely. The death of USB-A is a certainty, but it is still many years away.

If you have one of those newfangled computers that only come with USB-C, you can always just get a hub, dongle, or adapter. The problem, however, is you typically lose a USB-C port in order to gain additional USB-A ports. That's what makes StarTech.com's newest 4-Port USB-C Hub so cool -- it has three USB-A ports, plus one USB-C port. So when it plugs into the USB-C port on your computer, you will still have a free USB-C port -- on the hub. Most such hubs only offer USB-A.

Continue reading →

Do people call you a nerd? If they do, are they correct to call you that? Hey, look, there is nothing wrong with being nerdy. Hell, here at BetaNews, we are happy to be a judgement-free zone when it comes to nerdiness. If you are a weird nerd that like to tinker with computers and electronics, we fully embrace you. You are home here.

And that's why I bet you are the type of person to appreciate the second generation of a product from Plugable. Called "USBC-VAMETER," this little dongle serves one purpose -- to feed you information about the power being passed through a USB-C cable. You can use this for troubleshooting or just because it's super cool to know this info. The device can detect currents in both directions, and the second-gen model also has a rotatable screen orientation -- a huge improvement over its predecessor.

Continue reading →

There are so many docks and docking stations nowadays, that it can be hard to get excited about them. Look, I get it, they all pretty much do the same thing -- turn your laptop into a desktop while also charging it. The thing is, not all of them are created equally. In fact, some are much better than others.

With all of that said, today, trusted manufacturer Silicon Power launches an all-new USB-C multiport dock. Called "Boost SU20," it includes card readers, video output, and USB-A ports. The aluminum-bodied dock even features USB-C passthrough charging.

Continue reading →

USB flash drives may not be as popular as they were years ago, but they still have their place. For instance, even though I save most of my data to the cloud nowadays, I still depend on flash drives for installing operating systems, such as Windows 10, Ubuntu, Manjaro, and more.

The problem with traditional USB flash drives, however, is many new computers no longer have USB-A ports. And so, they require the use of dongles or adapters. Thankfully, companies are also making USB Type-C flash drives. Even better, today, Transcend unveils a flash drive that has both USB-A and USB-C connectors. Called "JetFlash 930C," it should work with pretty much any computer.

Continue reading →