Cables

Are USB Type-C advancements making the standard more feasible?

It wasn’t long ago that I shared my thoughts about why the USB Type-C standard wasn’t perfect yet, but some vital, forward-thinking milestones have started trickling their way down the manufacturing lines, and it smells like progress.

While many USB Type-C cables continue to display limitations regarding data speed, power delivery, or both, some brands are making a difference by offering the best of both worlds. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t quite say the standard is perfect yet.

USB Type-C is great, but the standard isn’t perfect yet

USB Type-C is a forward-thinking I/O standard that aims to bundle both ease of use and versatility in one universal package. Not only is it becoming popular in the mobile device market, but it’s also finding its way to the game console and portable notebook markets among others.

If you own any of Apple’s new MacBooks or MacBook Pros, then you’re likely already accustomed to the USB-C life. While it takes a little bit of getting used to at first, it can be a smooth transition after some time. Nevertheless, I have a beef with the USB-C standard; at least in its current form.

Twelve South CableSnaps tame unruly cables [video]

Everyone has a rats nest of cables. It's a problem. I know I have a whole drawer full of tangled cords. Even my go-bag has quite a bit of a problem. I wrap certain cords certain ways, which helps, but there has to be a better way. There are tons of cables ties and wraps online, but if you are one who likes their Apple products, you may be happy with a slightly nicer cable tie.

My favorite accessories to use with the 2016-2019 MacBook Pro

Last year, I shared a roundup of my favorite accessories for my 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro. Times have since changed, and I was recently convinced to pick up a new 2017 15-inch MacBook Pro.

In this piece, I’ll pick up where I left off in my previous post by going over additional accessories that I consider essentials for my 2017 MacBook Pro. Worthy of note, these should all work with the 2016 MacBook Pro too.

Nomad’s new Lightning cables cross durability with function

When you decide to pick up another Lightning cable for your iPhone or iPad, you could choose to go chintzy with another OEM cable that’ll just wear out again in no time at all, or you can go with a beefier option that will have a much longer operating life.

Nomad offers an awesome lineup of MFi-certified heavy duty ballistic 1,000D nylon braided lightning cables that are reinforced with K-29 Kevlar. But what makes these different from the competition?

Spotting the signs of a fake Apple Lightning cable

Whenever you buy a new iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, it'll come with a Lightning to USB cable that you will use to charge and sync your device. On the other hand, you have to be careful when you buy these cables separately, especially online, because you could end up with a counterfeit cable.

A counterfeit is a cable that tries to look just like Apple's OEM Lightning to USB cable, even though it isn't. Using these cables could have an adverse effect on your device, so we'll show you how to spot the differences between a counterfeit and genuine Lightning to USB cable in this piece.

Griffin’s new USB-C power cable brings MagSafe charging to 12-inch MacBook

Apple's twelve-inch MacBook is one hell of a laptop in terms of portability, build quality and features, but some people are fretting over its limited expandability. With just one USB-C port, folks who wish to connect more than one accessory to the notebook must buy pricey USB-C adapters.

Sadly, the adoption of USB-C on the one-port MacBook has also meant nixing Apple's tremendously popular MagSafe adapter.

If you're concerned about sending your notebook flying by accidentally tripping over its USB-C charging cable, Griffin has a solution for you in the form of a newly announced charging cable that brings MagSafe-like technology to the new MacBook.

AmazonBasics Retractable USB cable saves space, avoids tangles

This past weekend, as I packed for a road trip, I crammed my overnight bag full of clothes, toiletries, gadgets, and cables for all of my various devices. My side pocket looked like a robot spider had spun a USB web. It was a mess.

AmazonBasics' Retractable USB Cable would have saved me a lot of hassle. It stretches to two feet in length, but when closed up, fits neatly into small compartments so you don't have a tangled mess to deal with when you unpack.