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Raspberry Pi 4 doesn't work with some USB-C chargers
The Raspberry Pi 4 promises to be a boon for homebrew gadget makers, but it has flaw that could pose headaches for some users. Tyler Ward and others have discovered that the Pi 4 isn't using a properly designed USB-C port. Instead of giving two pins their own resistor, Raspberry Pi created a custom circuit that has them sharing a single resistor. As a result, some USB-C chargers (those with "e-marked" cables) will only recognize the Pi 4 as an audio accessory and won't charge it.
DisplayPort 2.0 supports 8K monitors
With 8K displays in the pipeline and Apple's 6K Pro Display XDR on its way, the DisplayPort standard was in need of an update. Today, the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) addressed the demand for increased bandwidth and revealed DisplayPort 2.0. It's the standard's first major update since 2016, and it will provide up to a threefold increase in bandwidth over the previous version. It will support 8K monitors, higher refresh rates, HDR support at higher resolutions and improved support for multiple display set-ups. It could also give AR and VR displays a boost.
OWC claims its USB-C SSD is the fastest yet
OWC might have your back if you want the speediest external drive you can get without sacrificing too much in the way of portability or price. The company claims that its new Envoy Pro EX is the fastest USB-C SSD on the planet, with its NVMe-based storage offering transfer speeds as high as 980MB/s -- for context, even SanDisk's Extreme 900 Portable SSD peaks at 850MB/s in ideal conditions. It's a drive that could handle 4K video editing one moment and sit in your pocket the next.
Mophie adds USB-C ports to refreshed Powerstation batteries
Mophie, the makers of a popular line of external batteries, announced today an update to its Powerstation family of portable chargers. The refreshed versions of the Powerstation line come in four different capacities, a variety of colors and now includes a shared USB-C input and output port.
Huawei's new wireless headphones plug into your phone to charge
Huawei loves to throw in a peripheral to bolster its big phone launches and in Paris, it's time for the FreeLaces to make an appearance. While it sounds more like the latest Flyknit creation from Nike, these wireless headphones actually have some considered design touches and features.
USB4 will support Thunderbolt and double the speed of USB 3.2
It was just last week when we heard that the 20Gbps USB 3.2 connectivity may show up on new devices later this year, but today, Intel is already talking about an even speedier USB4. At a Taipei event earlier today, the company revealed that this next-gen spec will once again utilize dual channels to achieve 40Gbps speeds, even on existing 40Gbps-certified USB-C cables. Better yet, thanks to Intel finally offering Thunderbolt 3 to manufacturers with open licensing, USB4 will be integrating this tech and thus effectively becoming the "new" Thunderbolt 3. In other words, USB4 will pretty much be the mother of all wired connectivity options, and will be ready for more powerful PCIe plus DisplayPort devices.
The best USB-C MacBook and laptop chargers
By Nick Guy This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full USB-C MacBook and laptop chargers guide here. If you need a new charger for your USB-C–powered MacBook or PC laptop, the safest bet is to get the same model that shipped with it. But if the stock charger is difficult to find or expensive, or if you want additional charging ports, we think Nekteck's 4-port 72W USB Wall Charger with Type-C 60W Power Delivery is the best option. We tested 19 USB-C chargers with seven computers and found that the Nekteck charger is powerful enough to charge almost every USB-C laptop at full speed, and it's USB-IF certified, which means it should be safe to use. It also has three USB-A ports for charging other devices at the same time, and it's affordable. The Nekteck charger is one of the least expensive replacement chargers available, yet it works as well as more expensive competitors. It's the same height and thickness as Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro charger and only about 0.7 inch longer, but it includes three 12-watt USB-A charging ports alongside its USB-C charging port. It also comes with a USB-C charging cable and a long power cord to help you reach far-away outlets. If you don't want the extra USB-A charging ports and would rather have the smallest possible charger for your computer, we recommend Anker's PowerPort Speed PD 60. This 60-watt charger is smaller than what Apple sells but just as powerful, and it's USB-IF certified. You have to provide your own USB-C cable—you can use the one that came with your charger, or buy a new one in whatever length you need. The 15-inch MacBook Pro requires a higher-power—and more expensive—charger. The best replacement is Insignia's Type-C Wall Charger, a 90-watt model that's perfect for the job. It's just a bit larger than Apple's own charger, but it includes a built-in USB-C charge cable for half the price of what a full replacement set would cost from Apple. Like all of our recommendations, it's USB-IF certified. Plus, it's readily available in Best Buy stores across the country, making it an easy pick if you need to grab something today. If you're okay with sacrificing some charging speed in exchange for saving some money, or if you need to charge one of Apple's 2018 iPad Pros (which maxes out at 45 watts), then the ZMI Turbo 45W Wall Charger is your best bet. It still charges at twice the speed of the 18-watt chargers Apple includes with its latest iPads, and it features a detachable (and replaceable) USB-C cable, which our cable testing equipment verified is safe.
Ask Engadget: Which USB-C mic will improve my vacation videos?
The support shared among readers in the comments section is one of the things we love most about the Engadget community. Over the years, we've known you to offer sage advice on everything from Chromecasts and cameras to drones and smartphones. In fact, our community's knowledge and insights are a reason why many of you participate in the comments. We truly value the time and detail you all spend in responding to questions from your fellow tech-obsessed commenters, which is why we've decided to bring back the much-missed "Ask Engadget" column. This week's question comes to us directly from the comment section of our articles. Weigh in with your advice in the comments -- and feel free to send your own questions along to ask@engadget.com! Does anyone have any advice on good, portable USB-C mics? I'm not a vlogger, but might find this useful to have on vacation to film short videos with good audio.
Apple's new iPad Pros swap Lightning ports for USB-C
Apple began its commitment to USB-C back in 2015 with the original MacBook. The ports are now standard on the company's laptops, but today, Apple announced that its new iPad Pros are following suit. Swapping the usual Lightning port out for USB-C isn't just a case of changing what charging cable the iPad Pros use. USB-C enables new features, such as using the tablets to charge other devices like iPhones or being able to easily hook them up to musical instruments or external displays with up to 5K resolution. USB 3.1 Gen 2 support also means faster data-transfer speeds from other devices like cameras. In general, the USB-C switcheroo makes the iPad Pros more peripheral-friendly and therefore more-productive, on-the-go tools. The trade-off, however, is that the new iPad Pros don't have a headphone jack, so the USB-C port doubles as that too. Get your dongle money ready.
The best USB-C adapters, cables and hubs
By Nick Guy and Sarah Witman This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full USB-C adapters, cables, and hubs guide here. When Apple introduced the 12-inch MacBook in early 2015, USB-C was merely a curiosity for most people, but now that many new laptops have dropped legacy ports, USB-C has gone from interesting to important. The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models, as well as Windows laptops from HP, Asus, Acer, and more, offer only USB-C ports, and a number of Android smartphones use USB-C as their only physical connection. This all means that a critical mass of people need cables, adapters, and other ways to get older gear working with newer devices. After 18 hours of preliminary research, we tested more than 58 USB-C accessories to put together this guide to the best ways to connect peripherals and devices to a USB-C–equipped computer. It's by no means exhaustive. USB-C can, in theory, replace every other port, and there are a seemingly infinite number of port combinations you might encounter. We focused on the most important tasks you'll likely face, such as connecting older peripherals like hard drives and hooking up an external display. We'll expand our coverage of USB-C as the field matures; we've published reviews of SD card readers, portable solid-state drives, portable battery packs, portable AC battery packs, Thunderbolt docks, Lightning cables, flash drives, car chargers, charging-port outlets, and laptop chargers, and we have more in the works. If you think we've missed something specific, please let us know.
Google's $30 USB-C earbuds offer access to Assistant, translations
Google's first attempt at wireless earbuds, the Pixel Buds, aren't for everyone. Not just because they don't live up to the hype -- due to jerky performance, overly sensitive touch controls and a tedious case design -- but also because they cost $159. If that's a lot more than you're willing to spend, Google has a budget-friendly option for you: the Pixel USB-C earbuds, priced at $30.
The best USB-C hubs and docks
By Nick Guy This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full USB-C hubs and docks guide here. After spending 20 hours testing 22 USB-C hubs and five USB-C docks, we think Vava's VA-UC006 USB-C Hub is the best option for connecting older peripherals and external storage devices to a new laptop or MacBook. It has an ideal range of ports that all transfer data at full speed, it's sturdily built, it's small and light enough to throw in a bag, and it's reasonably priced. With three USB-A ports plus HDMI (with 4K support), Ethernet, SD, microSD, and power passthrough, the Vava VA-UC006 offers the connectors most people need most of the time. It's powerful enough to leave at your desk full-time as a docking station but small enough to slip in your laptop bag and use on the go. The only downside is that the Ethernet port hinges open, a design that saves space but is more likely to break than a standard Ethernet port. For about half the price of the Vava, Dodocool's 6-in-1 Multifunction USB-C Hub offers performance similar to that of our top pick as well as an extra USB-A port, but it lacks SD and microSD card readers and an Ethernet port. We think the Vava's more versatile port selection, smaller size, and better build quality are worth paying for, but the Dodocool is a good option if you need something less expensive. If you just need more USB 3.0 ports for flash drives, keyboards, mice, and other low-power accessories, Aukey's USB C to 4-Port USB 3.1 Gen 1 Hub (CB-C64) is the best option we tested, and the least expensive. It's a straightforward plastic adapter with four full-speed USB 3.0 ports. But its lack of passthrough power makes it a poor choice if your computer has only one or two USB-C ports, as the MacBook does. If you need only an Ethernet connection, we like the Cable Matters USB Type-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter. It delivers full Gigabit speed, it comes from a reputable company, and it's inexpensive. It did get warm when we used it, which is to be expected with USB-C Ethernet adapters, but it reached the same temperature as a more expensive model we tested. Docks are larger and usually equipped with more ports than hubs, and they can provide power on their own, making them a better fit if you're looking for something to set on your desk permanently. Among the five USB-C docks we tested, Dell's D6000 Universal Dock is the best, with four USB-A ports, a USB-C port, HDMI and two DisplayPort video ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and a 3.5 mm audio connector. It worked equally well with a PC and a Mac in our testing. It also delivers 65 watts—the most charging power of any dock we measured—and it's the least expensive dock option (though it's still more than twice as expensive as the Vava hub).
Dell unveils slim USB-C monitor with super-bright HDR
You can certainly find HDR monitors, but those that exist tend to barely meet the official DisplayHDR standards or are too large for most people. Dell may have hit the sweet spot, however. It's introducing the Dell 27 USB-C Ultrathin (S2719DC for short), which packs bright DisplayHDR 600 visuals into a 27-inch, 1440p display that measures just under 0.22 inches thick at its slimmest point. If you don't mind the absence of 4K, it's potentially ideal for movie marathons. And as the name implies, USB-C can turn it into a laptop dock by delivering data, a display signal and up to 45W of power through one cable.
VR standard promises an end to headset connector headaches
If you've used a wired VR headset, you probably know the connector situation is inconsistent and messy: you frequently have to plug multiple cables into your PC, which is space consuming at best and potentially impractical if you have a laptop. That might not be quite such a thorn in your side if a handful of tech industry leaders have their way. AMD, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oculus and Valve have unveiled VirtualLink, an open standard that would whittle VR headset connections down to a single USB-C cable. It would take advantage of the newer port format to deliver four lanes of DisplayPort video, USB data (for cameras and sensors) and 27W of power. It's optimized for VR, too, promising low lag and a highly optimized path that would enable the "next generation" of headsets.
Anker built two Nintendo Switch-optimized battery packs
Playing the Nintendo Switch in portable mode is incredibly convenient, but the short battery life can leave users wanting. Today, Anker announced two new battery packs that are optimized for fast charging the Nintendo Switch. One is a $70, 13400mAh pack that provides up to 10 hours of additional play time. The other allows for 15 additional hours of play time with a 20100mAh battery, retailing for $90. Both devices look quite sleek, like all of Anker's products, and are branded with the Nintendo Switch logo.
Motorola aims to keep the cheap phone crown with the G6 and G6 Play
Year after year, Motorola churns out some of the best inexpensive Android phones money can buy and parent company Lenovo is eager to keep that streak alive. That's where the new Moto G6 and G6 Play come in — Motorola has embraced some of the trends that have made this year's premium phones so palatable, and that's great news for smartphone shoppers who don't feel like shelling out flagship-level wads of cash.
Mu One is an incredibly compact USB-C laptop charger
While laptops these days are getting thinner than ever, their chargers still aren't very briefcase-friendly. We've already seen a good attempt from MIT spinoff FINsix, but now we have something even more impressive from the other side of the pond. Made in Mind, a company best known for co-founder Min-Kyu Choi's foldable UK plug design, has just unveiled a super compact 45W USB-C international charger dubbed Mu One. This sweet little device supports USB Power Delivery with a maximum voltage of 20V, yet it maintains the same 14mm thickness as its 12W predecessor, thus making it the world's thinnest 45W USB charger. What's more, it's noticeably smaller and lighter than Apple's 29W USB-C MacBook adapter.
DxO's snap-on smartphone camera is coming to Android
DxO, the company best known for its lens and camera scores, is also behind one of the nicer smartphone-attached cameras out there, the $499 DxO One. Up until now, it has only supported the iPhone and iPad, but the company has revealed that it will soon release the DxO One Android via an early access program. It didn't give many details, other than saying it will attach to type-C USB connectors, so it'll likely only work with newer Android devices.
USB 3.2 doubles your connection speeds with the same port
Your future computer or phone will be capable of stupidly fast transfer speeds. The USB 3.0 Promoter Group unveiled the USB 3.2 specification that effectively doubles the current USB 3.1 spec by adding an extra lane. As such, it will allow for two lanes of 5 Gbps for USB 3.0, yielding 10 Gbps, or two lanes of 10 Gbps for 20 Gbps with USB 3.1. As a bonus, the "superspeed" USB-C cable you're currently using already has the capability for dual-lane operation built in.
The best SD card readers
By Justin Krajeski This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. When readers choose to buy The Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. After spending eight hours researching and testing 12 card readers, we found that the IOGear USB-C 3-Slot Card Reader is the best option for anyone who needs an SD card reader for a new laptop with USB-C ports. The IOGear delivered fast, consistent speeds, and supports SD, microSD, and CF cards.
