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iRig Micro Amp delivers classic guitar tones with your phone
IK Multimedia is making it easier to bring a mini music studio on the road, especially if you have a newer iPhone. It just introduced an iRig Micro Amp that produces 15W while touting a USB interface, giving you a reasonably powerful yet portable amplifier with tone processing on iOS devices, Macs and PCs of all stripes. You don't need a headphone jack here, folks. It's larger than the company's earlier Nano Amp, but still compact enough that you can toss it in your backpack for impromptu practice sessions.
Chrome OS will block the USB ports on locked Chromebooks
Even when your Chromebook is locked, bad actors can access it using a "Rubber Ducky," or malicious USB drive that mimics a keyboard. Chrome OS will soon put a stop to those attacks with a feature called USBGuard, seen in a Canary Chrome build by Chrome Story. It stops the operating system from reading code or executing commands from USB devices when your Chromebook is locked. The feature is similar to what Apple introduced in a recent build of IOS 11 that stops USB activity if a device has been locked for more than an hour.
Google's Android file manager now supports USB drives
Files by Google (formerly Files Go) is helpful if you want an official means of managing the files on your Android phone, but there's been an obvious limitation: you couldn't move files to physical storage beyond the phone itself. You won't have that issue from now on. Google has released an update to Files that introduces support for external storage using USB On-the-Go. If you want to offload photos to a thumb drive, you won't have to track down third-party software.
Apple offers Safari users safer browsing with USB security key support
Apple's latest preview version of Safari features support for the WebAuthentication (WebAuthn) API that lets users login using USB security sticks, according to the release notes. Users can enable a feature that allows them to log in using USB-based CTAP2 sticks, which offer a higher level of protection than regular text-based passwords. The hardware devices are typically used in conjunction with passwords, a one-two protection punch that makes hacking and phishing exponentially more difficult.
CarPlay and Android Auto now available on older Mazda models
Mazda has lagged behind other car manufacturers when it's come to introducing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to its range, only bringing them in as standard from the 2018 Mazda 6 and 2019 CX-9 and CX-5. Now, though, the technology can be retrofitted to all vehicles equipped with Mazda Connect from the 2014 model year. But the upgrade doesn't come cheap.
Blue's Yeti Nano is built for simple, high-quality desktop recording
When it comes to podcasting and livestreaming, USB microphones are a great option due to their plug-and-play design. And perhaps no name is more synonymous with these recording devices than Blue Microphones. The company that's best known for it's popular Yeti and Snowball modes (in addition to a line of pro-level studio mics) is introducing its first new product since it was purchased by Logitech for $117 million last month. Meet the Yeti Nano.
Apple's new USB security feature has a major loophole
Apple's new USB Restricted Mode, which dropped with the iOS 11.4.1 release yesterday, may not be as secure as previously thought. The feature is designed to protect iPhones against USB devices used by law enforcement to crack your passcode, and works by disabling USB access after the phone has been locked for an hour. Computer security company ElcomSoft, however, has found a loophole.
iOS update adds security-focused USB restricted mode (updated)
Apple just released iOS 11.4.1 with an improved Find My AirPod feature and some stability fixes. It also appears to include USB Restricted Mode, a feature that was part of the 11.4.1 and iOS 12 betas. Though it wasn't in the release notes that popped up on your iOS device, we have confirmed that the mode is included.
Lamborghini’s 650HP Urus is equal parts muscle and infotainment
Lamborghini's Urus is more than just an absurdly overpowered SUV, it's packed with technology both on the entertainment and safety sides too. That means along with its 650 horsepower twin-turbo aluminum 4.0 liter V8 (whew) you also have the option for a pair of Android Auto tablets mounted to the back of the driver and passenger seats. Oh, and there's a digital instrument cluster as well, which will either make keeping it under the 305 KMH (189.5 MPH) top speed easier or harder, depending on your driving style.
SanDisk's tiny 1TB USB-C stick is the perfect smartphone upgrade
There's a kind of weird pleasure to be derived from the ever-shrinking size of data storage. Sandisk's latest prototype at CES 2018 continues the company's tradition of space crunching, with a one-terabyte USB-C dongle for your next laptop, tablet or Android phone. And, well, what else can I say? Compared to existing, sometimes bigger USB-C storage, it's adorably petite, even at this early stage. However, there's no word on when it'll appear in stores -- and how much it'll cost. I'd just caution any enthusiasm with the point that this could well be another gadget that's easy to lose.
Critical Heathrow Airport security files found in the bushes
When you're unemployed, you tend to notice the world around you a bit more than the average working stiff. That's how a regular, unemployed fellow in London happened to find intimate and detailed security protocols and maps for London's main airport, Heathrow, lying on the ground in broad daylight The unnamed man noticed a USB stick in a row of bushes lining the sidewalk on Ilbert Street, along Queen's Park, in West London, so he grabbed it. It wasn't exactly outside the airport's security offices. That's eighteen miles from the airport, or about 40 minutes by car.
Legacy ports on a MacBook Pro will cost you $1,999
Give our regards to anyone still clutching a four-pin USB cable out there: Apple is slowly winnowing down its MacBook Pro line and eliminating the remaining machines built with anything other than USB-C Thunderbolt ports. After Monday's WWDC 2017 keynote, the low-end 13-inch, non-TouchBar MacBook disappeared from the Apple Store. That leaves the aging MacBook Air and the $1,999 previous-generation 15-inch MacBook Pro as the only Apple notebooks that won't need a dongle to charge your iPhone.
Oculus explains how room-scale VR taxes your USB ports
We've been dealing with USB for about two decades now, and to be honest, we're not usually asking that much from it. Plug in an adapter, microphone or game controller, then keep it moving. All of that changes, however, when it comes to virtual reality. As Oculus explains, plugging in a bunch of room scale sensors sends enough data through the ports to potentially overwhelm the 400MB/s capacity of the controller chip on your motherboard. Because of this, the answer isn't to simply plug in a hub and get more high-speed USB 3.0 ports, in fact, Oculus says you should probably get good results by using two USB 3.0 connections, plus one older USB 2.0 port if you need to go beyond two sensors to get some more mobility in your VR experiences. The blog is currently helping gamers get through the setup process, so go ahead and check out all of the posts to make sure everything is positioned and working correctly.
AirBar gives your MacBook Air a touchscreen for $99
Sure, the new MacBook Pro has that fancy Touch Bar, but some Apple laptop owners long for a machine with a full touchscreen display. A company called AirBar already gave the PC faithful a USB accessory that gives a 15.6-inch screen a more tactile function, and at CES it's doing the same for the 13.3-inch MacBook Air. The company calls the device "plug-and-touch," which means you don't have to worry about futzing with drivers before you can use the gadget.
Scientists developed a USB stick that can perform an HIV test
When is comes to HIV tests, a drop of blood and a USB stick may be all patients need in the near future. Scientists at the Imperial College London developed a device with the help of medical testing company DNA Electronics that detects HIV levels in the bloodstream and creates a signal that can be read using a computer or handheld gadget. The disposable testing units could be used to help HIV patients monitor their treatment as well as improve how doctors manage the virus in remote locations.
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 Morning After: Friday October 28th 2016
Apple's big MacBook event introduced a new family of Pro machines, with nary a mention of the MacBook Air. The company also expelled standard USB 3.0 ports in its new range, replacing them all with (USB-C-shaped) Thunderbolt 3.0 ports -- but hey, at least there's a fancy OLED "Touch Bar." Meanwhile, Turkey's government shut down internet across 11 cities in the Kurdish area of the country, Oh, and Twitter killed Vine.
Native Union made a USB hub that blends into your home
If you're reading this, chances are you're a gadget freak and may need to recharge multiple devices on a daily basis. That's when you're greeted by a pile of messy cables plugged into a dull-looking and maybe under-powered USB hub. Cable boxes may hide the ugliness, but they're bulky and don't actually solve the issue. Not one to admit defeat, Native Union -- the mad folks behind the marble iPhone case -- came up with the ultimate solution: a stylish, cylindrical USB hub dubbed Eclipse. On the outside, it looks like a piece of home decor thanks to its wooden top, but it's really the inside that got our attention: as you touch the top gently, the main body slowly rises up to let you uncoil the cables tucked inside, while the base emits a subtle halo for night-time usage. It's rather mesmerizing to watch.
Blue's Raspberry mic is small, but delivers stellar audio quality
It's no secret that Blue's line of USB microphones are a go-to choice for podcasters and anyone else who wants a simple, easy-to-use recording device. The company's Snowball and Yeti mics may be the most popular, but its last few products have focused more on technology that helps you streamline the postproduction editing process. The same can be said for its latest device, the Blue Raspberry. The Raspberry's compact stature and built-in audio tools make it ideal for on-the-go recording, even with the $200 asking price.
USB-C's new audio spec could get rid of your headphone jack
Like it or not, the effort to get rid of the headphone jack is well underway. The USB Implementers Forum has published its long-expected Audio Device Class 3.0 specification, giving device makers the standard they need to pipe sound through USB-C ports on everything from phones to PCs. And the organization isn't shy about its goals, either -- this is mainly about letting companies removing the ages-old 3.5mm port, according to the Forum. In theory, that means slimmer devices, better water resistance and opening the "door to innovation" through room for other features.