Articles about USB

USB flash drives are "old hat" in 2020, right? Yes and no. True, they are no longer particularly interesting, but they are still quite necessary for some people. While cloud storage has largely made them irrelevant to the average consumer, there are still many cases where one is necessary. I like to use them for operating system installations, for instance -- I keep Windows and Linux install drives at the ready. Believe it or not, many businesses and education institutions still rely on USB flash drives too.

For whatever reason, I still have a big place in my heart for USB flash drives, so when a new  model is announced, I get interested. Transcend has released a new such drive, and while it looks fairly unremarkable, it is worth noticing for its impressive speed and build quality. Called "JetFlash 920," it uses the USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface, which is just a fancy way of saying USB 3.0. With that said, it can do up to 420MB/s read and 400MB/s write -- not bad at all. It also features an aluminum body for improved cooling and durability. Unfortunately, it does utilize a cap to protect the USB-A connector -- I prefer capless designs as there is no cap to lose. A cap is hardly the end of the world, however.

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There are many power banks on the market these days, and for the most part, they are all very similar. These devices are essentially big batteries with USB ports designed to charge up your smartphone multiple times when on the go. When you can't find an outlet, these power banks can be a godsend, but also, they can be a critical tool during a power outage. If you live in an area that gets hit by hurricanes and/or tropical storms, you should absolutely own at least one of them -- a few if you have a family.

Today, Satechi unveils a new such product that is very Apple-focused. Called "Quatro Wireless Power Bank," it has a dedicated Apple Watch charger, Qi wireless charging (perfect for compatible AirPods), and both a USB-A and USB-C port. Not only is it designed with Apple devices in mind, but its overall aesthetics seem inspired by the iPhone-maker too. It features a matte black design, but the outer rim is surrounded by a beautiful shiny metal. It weighs 0.58 lbs and its dimensions are 6.4 x 2.9 x 0.7 inches.

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If you buy a new laptop nowadays, there is a good chance it will only have USB-C ports. If you still have older USB-A devices, what are you to do? Yeah, you can buy a USB-C to USB-A dongle, but with multi-port hubs being so affordable, you are better getting one of those. After all, they often have much more value, by offering things like video output and card readers too.

Today, popular company Plugable launches its latest portable USB-C hub (it can also be used at home too, of course). The 7-in-1 hub provides all the things you would expect, like USB-A ports, 4K HDMI, SD card readers, and pass through charging. While it lacks Ethernet, that won't really matter to those that only use Wi-Fi anyway. Best of all, it is extremely affordable -- you can get it right now for less than $25...

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Electricity is something we all take for granted -- you flip a switch and you instantly have light. It is like magic, if you think about it. When there is a blackout, however, we all quickly realize how dependent we are on electricity. Just recently, in the Northeastern USA, Tropical Storm Isaias wreaked major havoc. Here on Long Island (where I live) many folks were left without power for days. Not only did many families lose all of their refrigerated and frozen groceries, but they couldn't charge their smartphones either.

This is why it is essential that everyone own at least one USB power bank for emergencies -- during a blackout, you will be glad when you can charge your phone. ADATA recently launched two new USB battery packs with digital displays that should fit the bill. Called "P20000QCD" and "P10000QCD," the former offers a 20,000mAh battery, while the latter has 10,000mAh. They both have two USB-A ports, but P20000QCD also has two USB Type-C ports. The P10000QCD only has a single USB-C.

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USB-C docking stations are rather common these days. In fact, sites like Amazon are littered with countless makes and models. Of course, not all of them are good, nor are they all the same. Features can vary from dock to dock, such as the number of USB ports or video outputs.

Speaking of video output, most USB-C docks have either one or two such ports. Today, however, Plugable launches a docking station with three HDMI ports, and yes, they can all be used simultaneously for a triple monitor configuration. Despite having so many video outputs, it doesn't skimp on other useful ports.

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USB-C is definitely the connector of the future, and many manufacturers have embraced it as the only port on their laptops. Apple MacBook and the Dell XPS 13, for instance, only have Thunderbolt 3, which uses USB-C. If you want to connect legacy devices (USB-A, Ethernet, HDMI, etc.) you will need to use dongles or docks. Some companies include dongles in the box, but as you can expect, Apple does not.

Actually, Apple is happy to sell you its USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter for a sky-high $69! That is highway robbery. Almost 70 bucks for a USB-A port, HDMI, and power delivery pass through? Insanity. Thankfully, Plugable is today launching a very similar product (nearly identical) for a fraction of the cost! And not only will it work with an Apple MacBook or iPad Pro, but Windows 10 and Linux computers too. The HDMI port is capable of 4K, the USB port is 3.0 speed, and the USB-C power delivery port supports up to 60W.

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USB flash drives and SATA solid state drives may not be cutting edge products anymore, but for some consumers and businesses, they are absolutely essential. For instance, while many computer users are leveraging NVMe SSDs these days, there are many more that don't even have computers with that option. Similarly, while many folks are storing data in the cloud, there is still a need for saving files locally and transferring them by USB flash drive.

That's why I was happy to see that earlier today, TEAMGROUP unveiled the EX2 Elite SATA SSD and the C201 Impression USB Flash Drive. Neither product will win any awards, but still, I can guarantee that many computer users will find them intriguing.

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When people ask me for advice on buying a computer, I usually recommend a laptop. Why? Because a laptop offers more versatility than a desktop, allowing it to be taken from place to place. Unless they are a gamer or enthusiast, a desktop is probably a bad choice. Even if they plan to work from a desk with a keyboard, mouse, and monitor, a docking station can easily transform the laptop into a makeshift desktop. Why limit yourself?

Speaking of docking stations, today, Plugable launches two new models. Called "UD-3900Z" and "UD-6950Z" these vertical space-saving docks use USB rather than Thunderbolt, which should be fine for most consumers. Best of all, they are rather affordable, with a starting price below $100.

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Backing up data is an essential part of computing responsibility. Just like regularly changing your car's oil, you should regularly back up your computer's files. The sad reality is, many people don't think about their important files until they are lost forever. How sad would it be if you lost your entire music library, your work projects, or worst of all, your family photos?

Nowadays, the cloud makes data backup easy, but you should not trust that solution exclusively. What if there is a situation where you don't have internet access, or even worse, the cloud provider goes out of business? You should also backup your files locally -- redundancy is key. Depending on how much data you have, a portable solid state drive often makes a lot of sense, as they offer very fast speeds and no moving parts. Not only does an external drive allow you to move data between multiple computers, but you can easily lock it in a safe or fireproof box if needed.

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If you want to store your data externally, you can always go with a mechanical hard disk drive. That makes sense, as HDDs are typically a more cost effective option when compared to solid state drives. With that said, SSDs have dropped in price a lot lately, and are getting larger storage capacities all the time. For instance, both Sabrent and Samsung recently showed off 8TB SSDs. Not to mention, solid state drives are faster and have no moving parts, making them worth the premium for some consumers.

Lexar recently announced a new portable SSD that uses USB-C for connectivity, and it is rather affordable. Called "SL200," it appears to use a SATA drive internally, so it isn't the fastest option on the market. With that said, it is still significantly faster than a USB hard disk drive. Your PC doesn't have USB-C? Don't worry. The attractive drive comes with both a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable in the box.

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Nowadays, many new laptops come with very few ports. In fact, some computers, such as Apple MacBook laptops, have no traditional USB-A ports, instead relying on USB-C exclusively. Sure, it looks clean and nice, but it limits functionality.

Thankfully, adding the needed connectivity to one of these USB-C only computers is just a dongle away. Today, Plugable releases a new line of USB-C adapters. This line is comprised of four dongles, three of which are for video out -- DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA. The fourth is a Gigabit Ethernet adapter. They all feature flat cables and sleek bodies.

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There has been a 123 percent increase in the volume of data downloaded to USB devices by employees since working from home has become widespread due to coronavirus.

What's more, according to a report from SaaS data protection company Digital Guardian, 74 percent of that data is subject to organisation data governance policies.

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Back in January, we told you about the Samsung T7 USB-C SSD — a fast and svelte portable storage drive. There are two variants of the drive — a “T7 Touch” model which has a fingerprint reader for decryption, and a non-touch “T7” model that uses a password for the same thing.

While the touch model has been available for purchase for some time, Samsung promised the non-touch variant would hit stores in Q2 of 2020, meaning April, May, or June. Well, the T7 USB-C SSD is thankfully meeting that promised deadline, as it is available beginning today!

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We are currently in spring, and Mother’s Day is fast approaching, so you had better start thinking about colorful and whimsical gifts for mom. Sure, you can get her a foot bath, bird house, or some other crappy present, but this year, why not get her something she can actually use? Maybe something technology related...

Today, ADATA unveils a new tech product that’s not only perfect for springtime, but it should make an ideal Mother’s Day gift too. Called “T5000C,” it is a USB power bank that features a fantastically feminine floral design and pastel colors that are sure to delight your mom. The girly power bank even offers both USB-A and USB-C, so it is very versatile too.

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If you are into digital photography, picking a camera is only part of the equation -- you also need to buy a storage card. Nowadays, this is most likely going to be an SD card, but there are cameras that use other types, such as microSD and CompactFlash. If your computer doesn't have an integrated card reader, you may need to get a USB variant -- that is probably the easiest and fastest way to transfer the photos.

Over on Amazon, there are lots of USB card reader models to be had, but many of them are by unknown brands with questionable quality. Trust me, you don't want to corrupt or damage your card because you bought a cheap reader -- your photos are worth more than that. Instead, you should stick to a reputable brand. Today, one such brand, Lexar, unveils two new readers -- one is a 2-in-1 model, while the other is 3-in-1. Neither are revolutionary, but they look to be well-designed and are reasonably priced.

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