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USB-A

smirking said:
Adapters are easier and cheaper than having to keep a library of cables and chargers.
Click to expand...
I wish it were easier than it is. We've got 5 Gbps and 10 Gbps USB-C and then there's Thunderbolt 3, 4 and 5 (oh, yeah, and USB4 and USB4 version 2.0). Not all computer USB-C ports drive displays (thankfully Apple seems to get this right, but our kid's ASUS notebook PC's USB-C port is data only, not USB-DisplayPort-Alt mode). Not all USB-C cables are equal in terms of their data transfer rates or charging speeds. Not all USB-C chargers are equally powerful...an issue if you want to charge your notebook computer and your charger is too weak.

There are some efforts to clarify (like putting a special symbol beside a Thunderbolt port), but when I read in my tub of spare cables (and varied other things) and pull out a USB-C cable...I don't know just what it can do.

The various versions of USB-A (and why anybody came up with that weird-looking USB-B connector type?) weren't clear cut, either.
 
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Ratcheter said:
I was just looking at that cable closer, it seems as if it won’t work because the cable that came with my scanner has a little bit of a recess that the port is in. I believe that is to give strength to the plug because the molded part of the plug fits tightly into the recess. I’m not sure if that’s a standard that I would be able to find in a different cord or not.
Click to expand...

It’s a standard Micro B cable. Doubt there is a difference.
 
List of USB type-A devices I use regularly:
  1. MIDI controller
  2. Two external hard drives
  3. Audio interface
  4. Webcam
  5. USB SuperDrive (yes, I use one)
My external SSD and iPhone 16 Pro are the ONLY USB-C devices I have.

I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that it is incredibly annoying, and very inefficient, and looks truly ugly, to have adapters and dongles plugged into more adapters and dongles just to achieve this, which should be simple. Why does Apple need to make this stuff difficult?

Additionally, the SuperDrive needs power, which few hubs can provide.

This is partially why I have a 6-year-old 2019 iMac in my college dorm. IT HAS PORTS ON IT. So does my Lenovo laptop.
 
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Why are you blaming Apple and not Brother for selling you a device in 2025 without either a USB C cable (along the USB A one) or a $1 dl adapter?

We’ve been transitioning to USB C for more than a decade, it’s time to let USB A finally die. Most new devices come with either USB C or dual USB A / USB C cables / adapters.

Brother has no shame.
 
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apparatchik said:
Why are you blaming Apple and not Brother for selling you a device in 2025 without either a USB C cable (along the USB A one) or a $1 dl adapter?

We’ve been transitioning to USB C for more than a decade, it’s time to let USB A finally die. Most new devices come with either USB C or dual USB A / USB C cables / adapters.

Brother has no shame.
Click to expand...
What you say is not true. There is a huge amount of new products being sold today with USB-A and no included adapter or any talk of USB-C in the instructions.

If you go to Amazon and search for USB thumb drive, the vast majority of them are USB-A.

USB-A is not a legacy connector, it is a connector that is in full use in our current world. Apple leaving it out of a desktop computer is not reasonable.
 
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Ratcheter said:
I’m talking about the molded part of the plug, on the one you linked to it is an oval shape and won’t fit into the recess on the scanner.
Click to expand...
Any number of companies make the same cable, Amazon Basics has one: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basics-Charging-10Gbps-High-Speed/dp/B01GGKYIHS/
If not that one, you may Google “USB-C to micro-B 3.0 cable” to find many other cables available out there.

Surely some cable will fit, if not, a USB-A to USB-C adapter will work because it’s 100% compatible with the data protocols of the scanner, and the scanner does not use too much power and every type-C port will power it, often you will get 7.5 watts out of type-C ports in base power mode and the scanner says it’s comfy with 2.6 watts, plenty. At least on PCs and Macs, on like a phone with USB-C it’s not guaranteed to supply power, but that’s not too unexpected, funny enough iPhones with type-C will give out 4.5 watts I think, so you can use the scanner with the iPhone with type-C, if it has a driver that is (I believe iPhones carried over a lot of MacOS drivers but you would have to try it out to see for yourself).
 
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Ratcheter said:
I’m just curious, why would the new Mac Mini not come with USB-A ports on the back?

I understand laptops not wanting to try to fit these larger ports in their already very tight space. But why would a desktop not include such an inexpensive and useful port?

I want to upgrade from my old Mac Mini to a new one and now I have to go out and get not only a USB hub, but one that is powered because my little mobile scanner that I use on my desktop needs a powered USB-A port.
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Because USB-A has low bandwidth and is a waste of space. This is now 2025. Tech evolves. Just port to a powered hub and you can power multiple devices USB-A.
 
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russell_314 said:
Windows computers are still holding onto USB-A. Maybe it’s slightly cheaper to make peripherals in USB-A? Apple always does stuff early and sometimes too early. A good example is removing the CD/DVD drive from laptops or if you really want to go back further floppy drives.

The reality is though people are still holding onto USB-A so even Apple has brought it back on the MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...
?? No, Apple has not brought low-bandwidth USB-A "back on the MacBook Pro."
 
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rm5 said:
List of USB type-A devices I use regularly:
  1. MIDI controller
  2. Two external hard drives
  3. Audio interface
  4. Webcam
  5. USB SuperDrive (yes, I use one)
My external SSD and iPhone 16 Pro are the ONLY USB-C devices I have.

I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that it is incredibly annoying, and very inefficient, and looks truly ugly, to have adapters and dongles plugged into more adapters and dongles just to achieve this, which should be simple. Why does Apple need to make this stuff difficult?

Additionally, the SuperDrive needs power, which few hubs can provide.

This is partially why I have a 6-year-old 2019 iMac in my college dorm. IT HAS PORTS ON IT. So does my Lenovo laptop.
Click to expand...
So you already describe having more devices than one would expect to have USB-A ports on a computer. One Apple Thunderbolt port can provide bandwidth to service all your devices on a powered hub with as many USB-A ports as you like. Sheesh.
 
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rm5 said:
List of USB type-A devices I use regularly:
  1. MIDI controller
  2. Two external hard drives
  3. Audio interface
  4. Webcam
  5. USB SuperDrive (yes, I use one)
My external SSD and iPhone 16 Pro are the ONLY USB-C devices I have.

I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that it is incredibly annoying, and very inefficient, and looks truly ugly, to have adapters and dongles plugged into more adapters and dongles just to achieve this, which should be simple. Why does Apple need to make this stuff difficult?

Additionally, the SuperDrive needs power, which few hubs can provide.

This is partially why I have a 6-year-old 2019 iMac in my college dorm. IT HAS PORTS ON IT. So does my Lenovo laptop.
Click to expand...

list of usb type-A devices I use regularly:

1. midi contorller
2. audio interface
3. korg minilogue
4. korg microsampler
5. zoom r8
5. two bay hdd dock
6. 2x nvme enclosure

all plugged in to a single thunderbolt dock that only takes up one port on my MacBook Pro while also driving a monitor, providing power to the macbook and charging my phone
 
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nathansz said:
all plugged in to a single thunderbolt dock that only takes up one port on my MacBook Pro while also driving a monitor, providing power to the macbook and charging my phone
Click to expand...
Which brand dock and what cost? Thunderbolt docks with a lot of ports tend to by pricy. I hope to get one someday.

To be fair, I don't think anyone has pushed to put USB-A ports instead of Thunderbolt ports. It seems to be the non-Thunderbolt USB-C ports (not all, even just one) where the controversy is. Even the 10 Gbps USB-C are much lower bandwidth than Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5.
 
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