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Apple temporarily cuts USB-C dongle prices to appease MacBook Pro buyers
Last week Apple announced its new lineup of MacBook Pros and revealed they include only new USB-C-style connectors, dropping all legacy ports (other than, oddly enough, the headphone jack.) While the aggressive move means owners can charge their laptop through any of the jacks, and have the new capabilities offered, it also means that simple things like plugging in an iPhone to charge will require an adapter of some kind, which is not included. As my former podcast partner Ben Drawbaugh noted, stocking up on dongles to go with your new laptop gets pricey fast, and Mac buyers have responded angrily online in our comment sections and elsewhere, However, now Apple says it will help them make the switch by "reducing prices on all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals we sell, as well as the prices on Apple's USB-C adapters and cables."
The best Lightning cable
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. Read the full article below at TheWirecutter.com After measuring the charging speed of nearly 50 Lightning cables and sending the top 11 to our electrical engineer for teardown analysis, the $9 Anker Lightning to USB Cable is the one we'd buy. Its Lightning-connector plug will work with almost any case, and it costs less than half of what you'd pay for Apple's cables. Plus, it's built with a stress-relief collar that's molded with the plastic plug housing, meaning it should be sturdier than the competition.
The $1 Lightning cable that's still half as good as the real thing
How do you make an iPhone Lightning cable at a tenth of the price of what Apple charges? In short, you can't. Cupertino holds claim to the design patents, not to mention that there's an authenticator chip built into the cable, which means Apple can charge to license out the design (in turn bumping up the cable's base price). However, to avoid such licensing issues, Daiso (arguably the de facto 100-yen/dollar store in Japan) has substantially tweaked the Lightning cable you once knew. This means it's roughly a tenth of the price of the cheapest Apple-certified cable on Amazon, but well, it's also only really half the cable.
Charging products from JustMobile: Review and giveaway
JustMobile's line of accessories that look like they could have rolled out of a lab in Cupertino just got a bit larger with the addition of two new car chargers -- the Highway Duo (US$39.95) and the Highway Max ($29.95) -- and a trio of Lightning charging cables; the AluCable, the AluCable Mini, and the AluCable Twist. Sure, these aren't the most exciting accessory products on the market, but you sure can't do a lot without a charger and cables! First, let's take a look at the car chargers. I was confused by the names of the Highway Duo and the Highway Max. Wouldn't you think that something called the "Duo" would have a pair of USB charging ports? Wrong. The Highway Max is the one with the two ports, both set up for 2.1 A output that's perfect for charging up a pair iPhones or iPads while on the road. The Highway Max comes with a knurled aluminum end piece that looks good and provides a good grip for, and it has a USB to micro-USB cable included in the box. The Highway Duo does have the ability to charge two devices at once, as there's a built-in 1 m Lightning cable that serves up 2.1 A of current to your favorite Apple device and one open USB port (1 A) for another device. Of the two chargers, I think the Highway Max would be the more useful one as it can handle two devices at 2.1 A each, and it also features a fuse for circuit protection. If you already have cables for your iPhones or iPads, you can use those and get away with saving ten dollars over the cost of the Highway Duo. Surprisingly, the Highway Duo doesn't have a fuse built in. Now let's look at the cables. Apple charges $19 for a white USB to Lightning cable in either .5 m or 1 m lengths, and $29 for a 2 m cable. JustMobile's AluCable Mini is just .1 m (10 cm) long and costs $19.95. The AluCable is a full 1.5 m long and sells for $24.95, and the coiled AluCable Twist (1.8 m length) is also $24.95. The JustMobile cables are all MFi (Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad) approved, and at least for the AluCable and AluCable Twist, are less expensive than their Apple counterparts. The AluCable line also has another thing going for it -- the cables just look cool. There's a aluminum casing around both ends of the cable, and they look like they'll last a lot longer than Apple's standard white cables. Conclusion JustMobile makes quality gear, and the new charging cables and car chargers are no exception. If you're looking for an alternative to Apple's Lightning cables, the AluCable series is well-built and competitively priced. We also recommend the dual-port Highway Max for its fuse-protected design, high output, and excellent price. The Highway Duo doesn't receive our recommendation, as it is priced higher than competitive car chargers and does not offer circuit protection. Giveaway Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before October 9, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Five winners will be selected, which each person winning one of the following five products from JustMobile -- the Highway Duo valued at $39.95, the Highway Max valued at $29.95, the AluCable valued at $24.95, the AluCable Mini valued at $19.95, or the AluCable Twist valued at $24.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Griffin Lightning Connector cables available next week
Just in time for the holiday buying season, a lot of new cables and accessories featuring Apple's new Lightning Connector are starting to appear. Griffin announced four new Lightning cables yesterday that will be available next week. The first is the US$24.99 4' coiled USB to Lightning Cable, usable in the car with existing USB plugs or anywhere you need a mid-length cable that doesn't take up a lot of space. The cable is identical to the one used in the PowerJolt SE Car Charger with Lightning Connector (also $24.99) that was reviewed on TUAW a few weeks ago. If you need some room to stretch out, Griffin also released a 3-meter (almost 10 feet) USB to Lightning Cable for $29.99. Shorter 2-foot ($16.99) and 3-foot ($18.99) USB to Lightning Cables round out the offerings from Griffin.
Apple to hold conference for iDevice accessory makers, school them in using Lightning connectors
Apple may have shaken things up with its Lightning connector's unique internals, but a leaked schedule reveals it's holding a conference to help accessory makers get a handle for crafting products with the tech. Taking place between November 7th and 9th in Shenzhen, China, the MFi (Made for iPad / iPhone / iPod) Technology Summit will acquaint manufacturers with the new standard and guidelines for developing gear with the cable. Rather than divulging how to create Lightning connectors, it appears that Apple will be keeping the specifications close to its vest and assume the mantle of gatekeeper. According to one of TechCrunch's sources, Apple will control the supply of pins for its connector and will only sell them to partners when accessories meet Cupertino's standards. This tactic would match up nicely with the current requirements for the MFi certification program, which already makes parts from Apple-approved suppliers a necessity. It sounds like a potentially pricey proposition, but the source also claims that Cook and Co. have a fair asking price for components doled out in bulk, considering the technology behind them. Curious to see what else is on the docket for the three day shindig? Hit the first source link below for the full schedule.
Apple starts shipping Lightning to 30-pin adapters
According to a report in MacRumors, Apple is starting to ship pre-orders of its Lightning to 30-pin adapter. Apple is supposedly sending out shipping notifications with October 9th delivery dates to Australian customers who pre-ordered the adapter. The adapter will arrive two weeks after the iPhone 5 went on sale and almost four weeks after pre-orders started. Apple's iPhone 5 and new iPod touch ship with a new 8-pin Lightning port that is not compatible with the 30-pin connector used by all iPhone, iPod touch and iPad accessories to date. This adapter will make it easy for iPhone 5 and new iPod touch owners to use these older accessories while they wait for new 8-pin compatible products to hit the market. The Lightning to 30-pin adapter is available from Apple for US$29. Apple is also offering a $39 Lightning to 30-pin adapter that has a short cable.
Don't like your Lightning cable? Double Helix will mod it for you
If you would rather have your Lightning cable look bold instead of bland, then you should check out this custom mod by Double Helix cables. The cable maker is offering to take your Lightning cable and turn it into something that stands out from the crowd. The customized cable is crafted from a stock cable and can be shortened to your preferred length. You can also enclose it in a silver or black sleeve and add a gold USB plug to the end. Not only does it look striking, the gold plug also won't get stuck in your computer's USB port, a problem that some people are reporting with the stock cable. The Double Helix cable will set you back $85, if you buy the cable as part of the package. If you provide Double Helix with the Lightning cable, the company will knock $20 off the price of the mod.
