USB-C - page 9

Microsoft takes aim at iPad with new Surface Pro

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The Surface Pro looks slick.
The Surface Pro looks slick.
Photo: Microsoft

The iPad Pro is getting some fresh competition from Microsoft after the company just took the wraps off its newest tablet, the Surface Pro.

It’s been over 16 months since Microsoft’s would-be iPad-killer was last updated. Although its the 5th version of Microsoft’s tablet, this go around the company decided to ditch the number suffixes and pack the Surface Pro with more features than ever before.

Up your charging game for iPhone, Apple Watch, and more [Deals]

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collage-2017-05-10 (1)
We've rounded up some of the best deals on essential accessories for your charging-related needs.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For all the convenience of mobile technology, it can be a drag having to keep our devices juiced up. Whatever your situation, we’ve rounded up some top shelf charging upgrades that’ll offer new ways to juice up your most-used devices. We’ve got a universal Lightning dock, a wireless charging station for Apple Watch, a set of extra long set of Lightning cables and super sleek USB charging hub for your car. Everything’s going for a healthy discount, read on for more details:

The ultimate MacBook charger, smallest 4G phone and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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All the ports you need.
All the ports you need.
Photo: PowerUp

Crowdfund Roundup bugWith only a single USB-C port to work with, it’s difficult to connect anything other than a charger to your MacBook. That’s why you should treat yourself to PowerUp, a charger with three traditional USB ports built-in that lets you connect all the devices you need.

It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have the world’s smallest 4G smartphone, a smart water bottle that will help you stay hydrated, and more!

All 2017 iPhones may pack 3GB of RAM and faster charging

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iPhone 8 concept
Same size as the iPhone 7, but with a bigger screen.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Charging your iPhone is about to get a lot faster in 2017, according to a new report that also claims Apple plans to add 3GB of RAM to all three of its new iPhone models this year.

In a research note sent to investors, Wall Street firm Cowen and Company contradicts previous rumors that claimed only Apple’s high-end iPhone 8 would get the RAM boost. If true, the new memory chips should make the iPhone speedier than ever.

Western Digital’s new USB-C hard drive can also charge MacBooks

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The G-Drive packs 45 watts of charging power.
The G-Drive packs 45 watts of charging power.
Photo: Western Digital

Owners of the new MacBook Pro with USB-C can now connect an external hard drive and get their charge on at the same time.

The folks at Western Digital introduced the new G-Drive USB-C external hard drive today, which combines up to 10TB of hard disk storage with 45 watts of charging power so MacBook owners have fewer dongles and cables to worry about.

Here’s how Apple could bring MagSafe to USB-C

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When Apple left off MagSafe connection to its USB-C MacBook, Griffin came up with a solution.
When Apple left off MagSafe connection to its USB-C MacBook, Griffin came up with a solution.
Photo: Griffin

Apple killed its awesome MagSafe power connection feature on the new MacBook Pro, but based on a new patent filing, the beloved port could be ready to make a comeback.

USB-C replaced MagSafe on the MacBook Pro because it can handle both power and data on a single port. It lacks the brilliant safety features of MagSafe. Hwever, it looks like Apple found a workaround similar to Griffin’s magnetic BreakSafe cables.

Samsung Galaxy S8 sets a high bar for this year’s iPhone

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Galaxy S8
The Galaxy S8 is a stunner.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung today unveiled its stunning new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, setting a high bar for this year’s iPhone refresh.

The Android flagship is packed with impressive features and stellar specifications, and it sports a gorgeous curved glass design with an edge-to-edge Infinity Display. It’s the most impressive smartphone we’ve seen so far this year.

Should Apple swap Lightning for USB-C? [Friday Night Fights]

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friday_night_fights
Which would you prefer?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A recent rumor claimed Apple could swap its Lightning port for USB-C connectivity with iPhone 8 later this year. That’s already been debunked by one reliable analyst, but is it a move Apple should consider making in the foreseeable future?

Friday Night Fights bugLightning and USB-C both have their pros and cons. One has been around since iPhone 5 and we’re all familiar with it; the other is an open standard that anyone can use, which makes accessories, cables, and peripherals more affordable.

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over whether Apple should give Lightning the boot in 2017.

2017 iPhones probably won’t ditch Lightning for USB-C after all

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iPhone 7 lightning
Apple's not giving up on Lightning quite yet.
Photo: Apple

The rumor that Apple plans to switch to USB-C on all 2017 iPhones has been shot down by one of the most reliable Apple analysts in the game.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo sent a note to investors today claiming that all three new iPhone models supposedly set for release this fall will come with a Lightning port, not USB-C.

Should Apple swap Lightning for USB-C with iPhone 8? [Poll]

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This kevlar-encased Lightning cable is built to last.
USB-C has its pros and cons.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple is rumored to be making major changes for iPhone 8, like doing away with Touch ID in favor of a mini Touch Bar. Another big move, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal today, could be a switch from Lightning to USB-C.

An iPhone with USB-C instead of Lightning would have its pros and cons. But which would you prefer? Let us know in the poll below.

Apple’s next connector might be smaller than Lightning

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Lightning headphone adapter
The Ultra Accessories Connector will be better than Lightning.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The Lightning connector may soon get replaced as the go-to port on Made for iPhone devices, according to a new report that reveals Apple is currently working on an even smaller connector.

Apple’s tiny new connector is called the Ultra Accessory Connector, or UAC for short, and will soon be used by iPhone and iPad accessory makers, allowing them to save space by ditching Lightning and USB-C.

New USB-C hub makes MacBook Pro backward-compatible

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Type-C hub
The hub to end all the hubbub about the MacBook Pro's USB-C ports.
Photo: SCOSCHE

Apple has made accessories companies busy working furiously to create the perfect dongle or hub for users furious over a new MacBook Pro will only USB-C ports.

We crave change and innovation from Apple, then moan when we are not ready for it. SCOSCHE Industries hopes to ease your transition with a new USB-C AV multiport adaptor with three ports for your peripheral devices.

Apple’s smartest moves of 2016

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2016 wasn't all missed deadlines and mysterious battery problems for Apple.
2016 wasn't all missed deadlines and mysterious battery problems for Apple.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

2016 Year in Review Cult of Mac Apple pissed off a lot of people in 2016. In hindsight, some of Cupertino’s moves look clumsy, and others seem truly clueless, but Tim Cook and Co. also made some brilliant moves during this turbulent year.

Let’s go to our happy place and relive the smartest moves made by Apple in 2016.

Does the new MacBook Pro deserve the criticism? [Friday Night Fights]

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fnf
Are you pleased with the new MacBook Pro?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar might be Apple’s fastest-selling Pro machine to date, but a lot of fans are far from happy with it.

Friday Night Fights bugIt’s thinner and lighter than its predecessors, and it boasts the fastest storage we’ve ever seen on a Mac. But it’s also a lot more expensive, and it’s missing traditional USB-A ports that the vast majority of us still rely on every day. The SD card slot is gone, too.

But, does it really deserve all this criticism? Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we debate the new MacBook Pro and whether Apple messed up this year’s refresh.

‘Catastrophe theory’ explains MacBook Pro backlash

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Apple's 2016 MacBook Pros, which Apple fans hate.
Apple's 2016 MacBook Pros, which Apple fans hate.

Apple’s launch of the new MacBook Pros prompted a surprisingly virulent backlash — one that can be explained by “catastrophe theory” in mathematics.

Normally, reaction to Apple’s new products is remarkably consistent. Apple loyalists are pleased, the wider public approves and the tech press cynically dismisses the new products (because they hold Apple to a higher standard than the rest of the industry).

This time, it was different. There was a very loud and very negative reaction. The negativity came not from the tech press, but from the most loyal and ardent Mac enthusiasts. The very people who evangelize Apple products and who are deeply invested in the whole ecosystem were the ones most vocally expressing disappointment, frustration and outright anger.  

So what exactly happened? What was so bad about these new machines to provoke this reaction?

As best as I can tell, the answer is nothing at all.

The pros and cons of Apple’s new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, this week on The CultCast

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The reviews are in on Apple's new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar...
The reviews are in on Apple's new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar...
Photo: @YSR50

This week on The CultCast: Happy? Disappointed? Downright pissed off? Don’t miss our “Hello Again” Mac event reactions! Plus: Pros and cons of Apple’s new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar; and the two big omissions in Apple TV’s new TV app.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off any hosting plan.

Adapt to the MacBook Pro with these USB-C docks and dongles

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USB-C adaptors
An adaptor, like this hub from Satechi with a MacBook, will let you plug in your peripheral devices into the USB-C ports on the new MacBook Pro.
Photo: Satechi

Allow yourself to bask in the glow of a brighter screen and the multifunction Touch Bar. But when the high subsides and you’re ready to order the new MacBook Pro, you will need to deal with a slight inconvenience: all those USB-C ports.

But because Apple prepared us for the new industry standard last year when it introduced a single USB-C port on the 12-inch MacBook, accessories companies responded with loads of affordable adapters that allow users to plug in peripheral devices.

HTC plans to copy iPhone 7’s most hated feature

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The HTC Bolt in silver.
The HTC Bolt in silver.
Photo: Evleaks

Apple isn’t the only smartphone maker that wants to kill headphone jacks.

Removing the 3.5mm audio port from the iPhone 7 was the most controversial design decision Apple has made in years. Now some leaked photos have revealed that HTC plans to copy the move on its next flagship device.

Should the MacBook Pro be next in line to lose its headphone jack? [Friday Night Fights]

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fnf
Could you live without it?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you’re an early iPhone 7 adopter, you’re already getting accustomed to life without a headphone jack. But what if it started to disappear from other devices you use everyday, such as your iPad or MacBook?

Friday Night Fights bugWith a MacBook Pro refresh on the horizon, fans fear it will be the next device in Apple’s lineup to see its headphone jack disappear. The move could allow Apple to make its most powerful portable even slimmer, but would it be worth it?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we discuss whether the MacBook Pro should lose its headphone jack this year, or whether Apple should give consumers and the industry time to adapt to other standards.

MacBook Air might not be scrapped after all

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Adding an OLED touchpad could make the MacBook Pro even more magical.
The MacBook Pro might not be the only laptop Apple updates this year.
Photo: Martin Hajek

The death of the MacBook Air has seemed pretty much inevitable ever since the introduction of Apple’s super-thin retina MacBook last year, but it appears that Apple may have at least one more update in the pipeline.

Apple is supposedly planning to release a new MacBook Air with USB-C, according to the latest rumor out of Asia, though no timeframe has been given on the launch date.

Xiaomi’s first MacBook clone will be a powerhouse

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Xiaomi plans to ripoff the MacBook Air next.
Xiaomi plans to ripoff the MacBook next.
Photo: GizmoChina

Like most of the products in its lineup, Xiaomi’s next big thing will be inspired by Apple. But it won’t be another iPhone clone. Instead, the Chinese firm is building its very own MacBook rival, and leaked specifications suggest it will be a tiny powerhouse.