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Other Finally I got my first USB-C device.

T

Torty

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 16, 2013
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Finally I got my first USB-C device. It’s a neck fan. When I wanted to charge it the first time I wondered why my micro USB cable did not fit. Fortunately there was an USB-A to USB-C cable included. That’s the big new thing for iPhone 15?
Now I need to carry 3 cables. 🤬😆
 
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It’s definitely changing. I’m surprised this is the first time you’ve seen USB-C, it’s been around since… at least 2015, I guess. Items I have that use it for power/charging:
  • Rechargeable head lamp
  • Hearing aid charger case
  • Beats Fit Pro charger case
  • Raspberry Pi
  • Plus of course MacBooks & iPads

Items that still use MicroUSB:
  • Kindle (I’m sure current ones are USB-C)
  • Rechargeable flashlight
  • 9v battery charger
  • Mini vacuum
The “oddballs” in my house now, are Lightning devices that need a Lightning plug (I’m not counting iPhone or AirPods because those use MagSafe). I guess that’s just my Apple TV remotes, and the new version of that uses USB-C too.
 
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FreakinEurekan said:
It’s definitely changing. I’m surprised this is the first time you’ve seen USB-C, it’s been around since… at least 2015, I guess. Items I have that use it for power/charging:
  • Rechargeable head lamp
  • Hearing aid charger case
  • Beats Fit Pro charger case
  • Raspberry Pi
  • Plus of course MacBooks & iPads

Items that still use MicroUSB:
  • Kindle (I’m sure current ones are USB-C)
  • Rechargeable flashlight
  • 9v battery charger
  • Mini vacuum
The “oddballs” in my house now, are Lightning devices that need a Lightning plug (I’m not counting iPhone or AirPods because those use MagSafe). I guess that’s just my Apple TV remotes, and the new version of that uses USB-C too.
Click to expand...
  • Rechargeable head lamp -> Mine is from 2022 -> Micro USB
  • Airpods 2 -> Lightning
  • Raspberry Pi Zero -> Micro USB
  • ESP -> Micro USB
  • Macbook Pro -> USB-A
  • Ipad -> Lightning
  • Pencil Gen 1: Lightning
  • Eneloop Battery Charger -> Micro USB
  • Power Banks -> Micro USB
  • Keyboard for iPad (Keys to go) -> Micro USB
Seems I simply like to use gadgets longer than others 😊
 
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I love for a mix as well.

- IPad Pro usb c
- motorized salt and pepper grinders usb c
- high power air blower usb c
- electronic lighter micro usb
- Bluetooth speakers micro usb
- mini vacuum micro usb
- rechargeable screwdriver set usb c
-edit: 3 power banks use lightning, usb c and micro usb to charge

And of course iPhones, iPads and AirPods that use lightning.
 
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Cable and port transition happened numerous times in the past few decades, and may happen again. Trust me, you do NOT want to go back to the old days when different revision of the same computer was not compatible with each other, let alone cables (same physical port but not electronically compatible).

I am using mostly USB-A, USB-C and micro-USB cables now, tho for my daily outdoor activities, USB-C cable is enough. Faster charging via USB-C is the best thing for me rn. Second is faster transfer speed.
 
BTW this USB-C device doesn’t charge when plugged into apple 10W charger! WTF?
 
I only have a few USB-C items so far, but one is pretty big:
2018 MacBook Pro
Anker power bank
Jackery Explorer 300
2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness
Samsung 128GB flash drive - bought to download maps on my Mac and update the Outback

The rest is a mix of USB-A, micro-USB and Lightning.
 
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Torty said:
BTW this USB-C device doesn’t charge when plugged into apple 10W charger! WTF?
Click to expand...
I have (well, my wife has) a combo iPhone/Apple Watch charger, that has a USB-C port on it. But it will ONLY work with a USB-A to USB-C cable; if you plug it into a USB-C charger it ignores it. Seems they used the USB-C “Plug” but didn’t wire it to be fully USB-C compatible.
 
FreakinEurekan said:
I have (well, my wife has) a combo iPhone/Apple Watch charger, that has a USB-C port on it. But it will ONLY work with a USB-A to USB-C cable; if you plug it into a USB-C charger it ignores it. Seems they used the USB-C “Plug” but didn’t wire it to be fully USB-C compatible.
Click to expand...
Its an USB A to USB C cable and the neck fan doesn’t charge with an original apple 10W usb A iPad charger. I really can’t follow all this usb-c hype. Seems it makes things complicated and incompatible.
 
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Torty said:
Its an USB A to USB C cable and the neck fan doesn’t charge with an original apple 10W usb A iPad charger. I really can’t follow all this usb-c hype. Seems it makes things complicated and incompatible.
Click to expand...
After all, even if they require certain standards to get cable certified, illicit manufacturers and sellers can just deceive customers. For those legit properly built cables, they are not really cheap. The moral of the story we often tell is: don't just buy cheap dollar shop cables. Get a proper one.
 
Torty said:
Finally I got my first USB-C device. It’s a neck fan. When I wanted to charge it the first time I wondered why my micro USB cable did not fit. Fortunately there was an USB-A to USB-C cable included. That’s the big new thing for iPhone 15?
Now I need to carry 3 cables. 🤬😆
Click to expand...
This made me laugh. Neck fan. LOL. Precisely a device that does not have to have USB anything, and yet it does ;-) LOVE IT!
 
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It will take us years to converts our Apple devices to all being USB-C from USB-A / Lighting.
Outside of the Apple ecosystem, we dont have many devices to begin with, which is good, but for instance, we have several Trek/Bontrager bike lamps (front and rear) and I can't imagine new models arriving with USB-C anytime soon - probably won't happen for another decade. I have work headset by Jabra which I have to charge daily and the micro-USB port if such a f... disaster. I can't wait for this thing to die so I could request a one with USB-C so I don't have to deal with this garbage port.
 
mlody said:
It will take us years to converts our Apple devices to all being USB-C from USB-A / Lighting.
Outside of the Apple ecosystem, we dont have many devices to begin with, which is good, but for instance, we have several Trek/Bontrager bike lamps (front and rear) and I can't imagine new models arriving with USB-C anytime soon - probably won't happen for another decade. I have work headset by Jabra which I have to charge daily and the micro-USB port if such a f... disaster. I can't wait for this thing to die so I could request a one with USB-C so I don't have to deal with this garbage port.
Click to expand...
The only unpleasant thing about the micro usb port is that you can't reverse it. otherwise the port is very robust, I never had a loose contact or anything.
 
Torty said:
The only unpleasant thing about the micro usb port is that you can't reverse it. otherwise the port is very robust, I never had a loose contact or anything.
Click to expand...
That was the point of the microUSB standard; the older miniUSB couldn’t handle all the connects/disconnects without failing.

microUSB is fine from that standpoint, as a power connector. But as a data connector it doesn’t work. You’re basically limited to 2.0 speeds, unless you add on the extended micro next to it and end up with something wider (albeit thinner) than USB-A. USB-C solves the reversibility issue, AND the speed issue. Plus it offers up to 100w for charging.
 
mlody said:
I can't imagine new models arriving with USB-C anytime soon - probably won't happen for another decade. I have work headset by Jabra which I have to charge daily and the micro-USB port if such a f... disaster. I can't wait for this thing to die so I could request a one with USB-C so I don't have to deal with this garbage port.
Click to expand...
In the EU all portable devices from 2024 on have to have USB-C.

So it will be a fast process.

U’ll see now also Beats bringing all their headsets to USB C. After years of un updated over ear headphones with micro USB.
 
maerz001 said:
In the EU all portable devices from 2024 on have to have USB-C.

So it will be a fast process.

U’ll see now also Beats bringing all their headsets to USB C. After years of un updated over ear headphones with micro USB.
Click to expand...
End of 2024 and already available devices can still be sold. We will see what does last longer: The EU or non USB-C devices.
 
Torty said:
End of 2024 and already available devices can still be sold. We will see what does last longer: The EU or non USB-C devices.
Click to expand...
Well well. But i don’t think developers are waiting for the EU to fall apart just to not have to integrate a USB C port;)
 
Torty said:
Its an USB A to USB C cable and the neck fan doesn’t charge with an original apple 10W usb A iPad charger. I really can’t follow all this usb-c hype. Seems it makes things complicated and incompatible.
Click to expand...

I think there's a power delivery standard that the cable has to support. There's a power delivery negotiation that happens between the devices. That prevents, for example, overcharging.

USB-C cables are a mess. You can never tell what a particular cable supports unless it's labeled.
 
My first usb-c device was a neck fan as well, that I bought 2 years ago. My portable charger box, neck fan, iPad Mini 6 and iPad Pro 12.9, are the only devices I have that use usb-c. My iPhones use lightning. I hated carrying around 2 cables, but I’m now used to it.
 
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