Articles about USB

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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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

It is hard to get excited about USB flash drives though, right? I mean, aren't they all the same? Actually, no! They can vary on things like build quality and performance. That's why the a trio of new USB flash drives from respected company TEAMGROUP has piqued my interest. All three drives are distinct in their designs. The speedy C212 uses a slide to protect the USB-A connector, while the M211 has a unique foldable hinge that reveals both USB-A and USB-C. The C211 is the least interesting of the bunch, as it uses an easy-to-lose cap.

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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.

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The COVID-19 pandemic is slowly coming to an end in the USA. Thanks to Joe Biden's successful vaccination efforts, we can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. Even though businesses are starting to open back up, many workers are not planning to return to the office. In other words, working from home will remain popular even as the coronavirus fades away.

Working from home is quite feasible nowadays, but communicating over the internet is still far from perfect. To have a better communication experience, workers should invest in good hardware, such as PC webcams and microphones. Today, AVerMedia releases an intriguing USB conference speakerphone. Called "AS311," it utilizes artificial intelligence. Yeah, it is a speakerphone with AI -- how cool is that?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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USB power banks are a dime a dozen these days. Believe it or not, they are often given away at trade shows and conferences -- they have become a ubiquitous throwaway promotional item. Not to mention, sites like Amazon are littered with these USB battery packs at rock bottom prices. Of course, that's not to say all power banks are created equally. Just like with flash drives, power bank specifications matter. It is still worth investing in a quality unit.

With all of that said, it can be very hard for such a device to stand out. Silicon Power has managed to do so. How? The company's newest such product, "QP77 Power Bank," utilizes a textured fabric on the body, which creates an overall elegant design.

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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.

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If you want to be a world famous video game streamer on Twitch or YouTube, nothing is more important than having an interesting personality or gimmick. It doesn't matter how good you actually are at playing video games; if you are a boring person, no one will tune in. As more and more people stream themselves nowadays, it is important to have quality hardware too. Viewers want good audio and video quality.

Creative has long been the king of computer audio, and its newest product should be very interesting to both gamers and game streamers. Called "Sound Blaster GC7," it serves as both a USB DAC and amplifier, and it has intuitive controls with big knobs and buttons. It even features Creative's legendary "Super X-Fi" technology. And yes, as a gaming product, it of course has RGB lighting too.

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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.

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