USB
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Say hello to the fully reversible Apple Lightning to USB cable
You may have recently read about Apple's patent application for a reversible USB cable, and wondered "how would that work?" Well, wonder no longer. Truffol have released its own reversible Apple Lightning to USB cable and the YouTube channel MacMixing has created a demonstration video which you can view below. While the amount of time saved via this product is minimal, anyone who has ever accidentally damaged a USB port by jamming a cord in the wrong way will be relieved by this technology. This isn't an official Apple cable, but provides an example of what we can expect when Apple finally releases one. As you can see in the video, the design works.
Apple patent application reveals design for reversible USB connector
Over the past few days, there have been a number of reports and leaked photos suggesting that Apple is working on a Lightning cable featuring a reversible USB connector. While Apple rumors are a dime a dozen, a recently published patent filing from Apple on such an invention lends much more credibility to what were previously purely speculative reports. Originally spotted by AppleInsider, the patent was initially filed in February of 2014 and was just published earlier today. Titled "Reversible USB connector with compliant member to spread stress and increase contact normal force", the patent reads in part: USB connectors, like many other standard data connectors, require that male plug connectors be mated with corresponding female receptacle connectors in a single, specific orientation in order for the USB connection to function properly. Such connectors can be referred to as polarized connectors. Accordingly, USB receptacle connectors include an insertion opening with features that prevents USB plug connectors from being inserted into the USB receptacle connector in the wrong way. That is, it can only be inserted one way because it is a polarized connector. Many other commonly used data connectors, including mini USB connectors, FireWire connectors, as well as many other proprietary connectors are also polarized connectors. It is sometimes difficult for users to determine when a polarized plug connector, such as a USB plug connector, is oriented in the correct orientation for insertion into a corresponding receptacle connector. Some USB plug and/or receptacle connectors may include markings to indicate their orientation such that users know how to properly insert a plug connector into corresponding receptacle connectors. However, these marking are not always utilized by users and/or can be confusing to some users. In some cases, these markings are not helpful because the markings cannot be easily viewed due to the location of the receptacle connector, lighting conditions, or other reasons. Even when visible, these markings may still be unhelpful because not all manufacturers apply these markings in a consistent fashion. Consequently, users may incorrectly insert a plug connector into a corresponding receptacle connector, which may potentially result in damage to the connectors and/or user frustration. Apple, of course, patents many things that never see the light of day, but given the bevy of alleged leaks that have surfaced over the past few days, we thought this was worth highlighting. At the same time, it's also worth mentioning that the reversible USB plug Apple envisions has not yet been approved by the USB Compliance Committee.
Samsung USB cable lets you charge three mobile devices at once
If you've owned a handful of portable gadgets in recent years, you've probably managed to build up a healthy supply of micro-USB cables. Spending 40 bucks to acquire another might sound absurd -- unless this is the cable you're looking to buy. While a bit pricey, this Multi-Charging Wall Charger from Samsung packs three connectors at the tail end, letting you power multiple devices from a single USB port. There's a 2-amp charger included in the box, which outputs two amps of power when charging one device, one amp per device when you have two attached or 667mA each when you're using all three ports. Samsung hasn't announced a ship date yet, but you can pre-order the cable today.
Feedback Loop: Favorite keyboards, dash cam options and podcasts
Happy Saturday! Here's a fresh edition of Feedback Loop, so grab your coffee and dive in! This week we're talking about our favorite keyboards, which dash cams are the best, the podcasts we're currently listening to and USB cables.
New super-fast USB cables won't mind which way you plug them in
The reversible USB Type-C standard has now been finalized, which should save the world untold man-hours in mis-plugging. Roughly the size of a current micro-USB Type-B connector, it uses matching rows of contacts on the top and bottom so that you can shove it in either way around. Type-C is a version of the 10Gbps USB 3.1 standard (twice as fast as USB 3.0), but slimmed down for compact and mobile devices. It'll also support the USB Power Delivery spec to carry up to 100 watts, easily enough to power a laptop. Unfortunately, the new connector isn't compatible with the current USB standard, except via converters. While there are no devices with USB 3.1 yet, it'll likely be standardized on most future laptops and mobile devices -- unlike its pricey rival, Thunderbolt.
New malware can live inside any USB device undetected
It turns out that the stalwart USB thumbstick, or any universal serial bus device, isn't as trustworthy as once thought. A pair of security researchers has found we need to worry about more than just malware-infected files that are stored portable drives, and now need to guard against hacks built into our geek-stick's firmware according to Wired. The proof-of-concept malware Karsten Nohl and Jakob Lell have created is invisible and installable on a USB device and can do everything from taking over a user's PC to hijacking the DNS settings for your browser. Or, if it's installed on a mobile device it can spy on your communications and send them to a remote location, similar to the NSA's Cottonmouth gadgets. If those don't worry you, perhaps that the "BadUSB" malware can infect any USB device -- including keyboards -- and wreak havoc, will. What's more, a simple reformat isn't enough to disinfect either, and the solution that Lell and Nohl suggest goes against the core of what many of us are used to doing.
IntelliPaper SwivelCards: Business cards with brains
TUAW usually doesn't talk about crowdfunding campaigns until they're live, but in the case of IntelliPaper SwivelCards, I thought I'd make an exception. The company is hoping to launch a Kickstarter campaign later this month and sent me a pack of their business cards to try out. What's so special about the cards? Well, they fold origami-like into a USB drive with a tiny amount of capacity -- Get Info showed it to be about 5.1MB -- that can hold a link to custom landing web pages, Dropbox folders, or even screen sharing software for demonstrations and presentations. Here's a video explaining how it works: What's impressive about the SwivelCards is not just the technology -- printing a USB drive onto paper -- but the fact that it enables those who hand out the cards to pull up analytics on exactly who has actually looked at the information. Having brought home a gaggle of USB flash drives from trade shows that usually have tons of empty space and a few marketing brochures on them, I think this is a great idea. Rather than wasting a perfectly good USB drive, just give the person an inexpensive paper business card that contains a clickable link to those same marketing materials. I did notice one oddity in the video and on the card -- a QR code. This makes sense, since it's quite easy to use any one of a number of iOS apps to read those codes from an iPhone or iPad since those devices don't have USB ports. So for mobile devices, the QR code serves the same purpose as the linked and configurable file on the USB drive. If you're interested in backing the SwivelCards Kickstarter campaign once it goes live, be sure to visit swivelcard.info and sign up to be notified.
Belkin's MIXIT Lightning to USB cables: A better Lightning cable?
You might think that there's not much you can do to improve on the standard old Lightning to USB cables that you get with new iPhones and iPads, but you're wrong. For one thing, the plastic-coated standard Apple cables have a tendency to fray and crack, the plastic shells can crack if the cables are dropped, and the plain white exterior just doesn't match Jony Ive's design sensibilities. Belkin went to the drawing board and came back with MIXIT Lightning to USB cables. Today I'm taking a quick look at the Metallic Cables (US$24.99 for 6-inch, $29.99 for 4-foot) designed for the iPhone 5s. Specifications Type: USB to Lightning Length: 6 inches or 4 feet (15 or 122 cm) Colors: Space Gray, Silver, Gold MFi-certified by Apple Aluminum tips, braided cable Design Highlights Hey, a USB to Lightning cable isn't all that exciting, but the MIXIT cables immediately demonstrate some advantages: first, the cable has a nice braided surface that flexes more easily than a plastic sheath will, hopefully keeping the cables from cracking or splitting for a longer prior of time. Next, they're in colors that match your iPhone 5s. I know that sounds like another non-big deal, but I am so bored of plain white and black (or sometimes pink or orange) plastic cables. These just look a lot classier, and if they happen to accentuate just how sweet that iPhone 5s looks, so much the better. The Lightning end of the cable has a plastic end that is slightly larger than that of the standard Apple cable; I think it makes it a bit easier to grab. The USB end is pretty much identical to the Apple cable in both width and length. Functionality Highlights Are you kidding me? It's a USB to Lightning cable. Plug it in, it works. It's no faster or slower, but it does look better. And if it happens to last a bit longer than the standard Apple cable because of the construction, then it's worth the money. Frankly, the stress-relief plastic on the Apple cables is longer, although that on the Belkin cables has a larger diameter. Speaking of price, the 4-foot Belkin MIXIT cable is the same price as Apple's 2 meter (over 6 foot long) cable. Apple's boring white cable is $19.99 in the 1 meter length, $29.99 in the 2 meter length. If you're just looking for cheap and don't care about the looks, I'd recommend heading over to Monoprice where you can get perfectly serviceable and inexpensive USB to Lightning cables for less than what you'd spend for either the Belkin MIXIT or Apple units. The 6-inch cable is really quite overpriced. I use a similar short cable for charging my iPhone while I'm sitting at my desk; I bought it for $12 at Monoprice. Conclusion Pricey and good-looking, like me. If you're looking for a Lightning to USB cable that's a bit more stylish than your average one, then you're going to love Belkin's MIXIT Metallic Cables. If price is more important than looks, then these are not the cables you're looking for. Move along. Rating: 2-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible
New littleBits modules make the Synth Kit more powerful and versatile
Click 'em together, make some noise. Littlebits are like Lego for music nerds (like us). That's fun and all, but currently, once you've built your mini-modular synth creation, there isn't really much else you can do with it. That won't be the case for much longer though, as three new modules are coming along to spice things up. We are raising the ceiling of complexity of what you can do with littleBits, adding wireless control, programmability, and now audio control to allow you to make sophisticated electronics in a fraction of the time and cost, allowing for whole new experiences. -- Ayah Bdeir (Founder, littleBits) A new MIDI block lets you hook into music making software like Ableton or Logic, while the CV block means you can connect your littleBits to older/analog gear. If you just want to play with sound, a USB I/O module will let you pipe the littleBits' audio directly into your PC. No word on price, but expect to see them come to market in time for the (now noisier) holidays.
Apple swapping older European iPhone chargers due to overheating risk
Apple recently launched a takeback program for faulty, third-party iPhone chargers, but should've looked inside its own glass house first. It has just issued an advisory that Apple-branded iPhone USB adapters sold between October 2009 and September 2012 could pose a safety risk by overheating. The affected model number "A1300" came with European versions of the iPhone 3Gs, 4 and 4s. The good news is that you can get it replaced free of charge with a redesigned adapter (A1400) at an Apple Store, authorized service provider or through Apple technical support. Apple has a full list of the affected countries (including most of Europe but not the UK), along with information about how to swap it at a dedicated support page. In case you've already purchased a third-party replacement adapter, Apple will also give you a full refund. Update: Apple has told us that it voluntarily introduced the program, meaning it's not a recall per se. We've update the post's headline to reflect that, and Apple's full statement is below. Apple has voluntarily introduced a program for customers to exchange the Apple 5W European USB Power Adapter which came with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S models through September 2012, because in rare cases the adapter may overheat and pose a safety risk. For full program details, visit http://www.apple.com/support/usbadapter-european/.
Jimi: A brilliant little innovation for iMac owners
The late great rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix was an innovator, doing things with amplifier feedback that had never been done before and changing the sound of rock music forever. Now design firm Bluelounge has given Jimi's name to a nifty little innovation that makes life easier for owners of the newer slim unibody iMacs. While it won't have as lasting an impact on history of the world as Jimi Hendrix's music did, the Jimi USB Port Extension (US$14.95) at least gives iMac users something to be thankful for every time they want to plug in a USB cable. Jimi is cleverly designed to transition the vertical USB port on the back of the iMac to a horizontal USB port that pokes out from the bottom of your computer. Rather than blindly fumbling around trying to plug something into a port on the iMac, it's right at your fingertips at the bottom of the display. Jimi is unobtrusive and works on all four USB 3.0 ports on the 21.5" iMac slim unibody and the three leftmost (as viewed from the back of the computer) USB 3.0 ports on the 27" iMac slim unibody. There's really not much more to be said about this little J-shaped port extender, other than if you have one of the late 2012 or newer iMacs, you need to buy at least one Jimi. The first time that you use it and don't have to grope the back of your iMac trying to find a port, you'll thank me. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
NYT: NSA embeds radio transmitters to access offline computers from miles away
Tonight's fun NSA revelation comes courtesy of the New York Times, reporting on an agency program to access and alter data on computers that aren't connected to the internet. Cherry picked from the NSA's tool kit of developments -- often used to bug equipment before it reaches the intended destination -- the technology described relies on a circuit board or USB device (called Cottonmouth I) installed on a PC that communicates wirelessly with a base station nearby. The base station itself has already been described by security expert Jacob Appelbaum; codenamed Nightstand, it's capable of hacking WiFi networks from up to eight miles away and retrieving or inserting data as necessary. The programs described are not exactly up to date, and the NYT's experts suggest recent developments are focused on making the US less dependent on physical access to do its hacking. Like the Dropoutjeep software created to attack iPhones, we're told these techniques are designed for use in places like Iran and China. Still, with an estimated 100,000 or so installations it probably wouldn't hurt to give your USB ports and internal expansion slots a once-over just in case.
Native Union's Jump charging cable can juice up your devices on the go
It only took a little over 24 hours for Native Union's Jump, a charging cable with a built-in battery pack for juicing up on the go, to reach its funding on Kickstarter. Still, the company hasn't abandoned its booth here at CES to go out and celebrate, so we dropped in and laid some paws on the accessory. In case you need a recap, Jump consists of a central hub which contains an 800mAh battery, one braided cable with a Lightning adapter (or micro-USB) at the end, and another with a USB plug. The hardware is lightweight, easily pocketable and feels quite sturdy. Even the cords themselves feel like they can withstand a significant amount of wear and tear. While at first sight, the cables might appear as if they retract, they simply wrap around the central box and fit into small grooves. stretched from end to end, the contraption measures up at roughly 18 inches in length. On the face of the gadget sit a trio of lights that indicate the built-in battery level when a button on its rear is pressed. Not only does the device feel solid, but it's also quite smart. When plugged in, it'll make sure the gear you've connected will be charged up before topping off its own battery. While Jump will be available for $50 when it launches in May, you can snag it now through its already-successful Kickstarter campaign for $40.
Native Union's Jump is a charging cable with a little built-in battery
We've covered a few cool Native Union accessories before, but this one easily beats them all in terms of thoughtfulness. The Jump, which is debuting at CES, appears to be a Lightning or micro-USB cable that goes through a little cable wrapper, which is intentionally designed to fit into your trousers' tiny coin pocket. The fun part is that this gray pebble also packs 800mAh of battery juice (with 1A current output), so it's good for emergency use. But that's not all! You can use the Jump as a normal cable to charge up your phone, and when the latter is full, the intelligent circuitry -- which had been a tough challenge for Native Union -- diverts the power to the Jump's own battery. To put it simply: you're hitting two birds with one stone here. No need to remind yourself to plug in your portable battery separately at night. The Jump has just been launched as a Kickstarter project, and you can grab one now for as low as $30 (it's a limited offer, of course). Want more? Just add $35 for every additional Jump. Expect this handy little gadget to ship some time in May.
Korg outs two new USB audio interfaces for serious digital sounds
Most of what we tend to see from Korg involves the creation of new sounds, but the firm's just announced its new AudioGate USB DAC that promises to improve the audio files you already have. There's a choice of two hardware interfaces depending on your budget/requirements -- the DS-DAC-100 and the DS-DAC-100m. Both sport quarter-inch stereo outputs, while the DS-DAC-100 (the one without the "m") also comes with XLR and RCA connections. The main selling point being that Mac and Windows users can use the interfaces in conjunction with Korg's AudioGate 3 software to output sound in DSD with a sample rate of upto 5.6MHz. Fancy some of that? Then you only have to wait until March, when both models will be available for either $600 or $350 depending on your connectivity requirements.
LaCie's Culbuto is a $50 USB thumbdrive inspired by roly-poly toys
Ever wished your thumbdrive were a bit more whimsical? If so, LaCie has just announced an accessory to fill that void. The storage outfit teamed up with French designer Constance Guisset for Culbuto: a USB flash drive with a design inspired by roly-poly toys -- complete with weighted bottom to keep it upright. Further explained as "a storage device disguised as a decorative object," Culbuto is coated in molded rubber with a solid gold metal base and connects via USB 3.0. As if that weren't enough, the cap doubles as a photo or business card holder when not in use. How's that for getting the most bang for your buck? The Culbuto is available in both 16GB and 32GB capacities starting at $50. One thing's for sure: the 504 Boyz will have a new go-to storage option.
LaCie partners with Christofle on Sphère: a silver-plated limited-edition hard drive
Last year at CES, LaCie unveiled the Philippe Starck-designed Blade Runner to grab the attention of those who prefer their storage gadgets to be extra dapper. This time around, the outfit has teamed up with French silversmith Christofle on Sphère. The globe-influenced external hard drive is silver-plated and touts a 1TB capacity. File transfers are sorted via a USB 3.0 connection that doubles as the device's power supply. Just like its predecessor, the shiny Sphère is going to be in short supply when it arrives later this quarter with a $490 price tag, ready to upgrade the look of that workstation. We were able to take a closer look at the Sphère just ahead of the proper start of CES 2014. Despite what appears to be a weighty silver shell, the drive is quite light. The shiny exterior may double as a mirror in a pinch, but mucking it up with fingerprints will happen quickly. Aside from the branding inscriptions on the front and the iconic blue light, there aren't any other details aside from a cable slot around back on the unit's black base. Of course, less is more definitely applies here.
Samson's Go Mic: A capable and compact microphone for podcasting
As many of my TUAW TV Live pals and my co-workers at TUAW know very well, my wife and I love to travel. Since I need to stay productive while we're on the road, I've gotten into the habit of trying to do a lot of blogging from an iPad, and it works very well. When it comes to the podcasting chores for the Daily Update, I've usually left those for one of my teammates while I'm traveling. Due to changes in both our podcast feed and host recently, that wasn't going to be a viable option for a trip I'm on, so I had to find a way to record the podcast on the iPad with the best possible quality. Fortunately, just before I left on my trip a book editor I'm working with sent me a Samson Go Mic (US$89.99 MSRP, available for $39.99 from a number of online sources) to use while recording sound snippets for an enhanced ebook. It has worked so well that I felt a review was in order. The Go Mic is designed to clip onto the top of a laptop screen, and it works just as well clipped onto the top of an iPad propped up by a Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover The mic swivels on a small ball mount, so you can orient it into a number of positions while it's clipped to a screen or your iPad. The Go Mic uses a USB to mini-USB cable for connectivity, and for connecting it to the iPad Air I found a combination of the Camera Connection Kit USB adapter and Lightning to 30-pin Dock Connector adapter worked perfectly. [No word yet if it works with the iPad Lightning USB Camera Adapter, which in theory would provide the same signal path as the combo Steve tried. -Ed.] The Go Mic has a switch that moves between omnidirectional and cardioid pickup patterns. For recording something like a podcast, the cardioid setting works well as it is very directional. If you're recording a group of people, the omni setting is perfect. There's also a center position on the switch that basically mutes the mic quite a bit – I discovered that by accident when a recording came out very quiet and I found that the switch was in the mute position. I found the sound quality to be pretty decent for a small, pocket-sized microphone that fits into its own little carrying case. While I won't say it was as crisp and clean as the audio from my usual podcasting mic (a Blue Microphones Spark Digital), it's a lot more portable and doesn't raise eyebrows in airline security lines. Samson also makes the Meteor Mic ($149.99, available for $69.99 from many sources) that comes with a built-in folding tripod. I have to say that I really prefer the Go Mic, as the microphone ends up being closer my big mouth while recording. While I started recording the podcast on the road in GarageBand for iPad, I found out from a listener that for some reason the audio playback was dropping out completely about three-quarters of the way through the recording. I decided that it would be a good idea to look at some alternative podcast recording apps. Fortunately, the good folks who make the BossJock app ($9.99) were kind enough to come to my rescue with their great software, and I was up and running the next day with a podcast that played back perfectly. I'll be writing up a review of BossJock in the near future. Hats off to Samson for making an extremely portable microphone that still offers a lot of capability at a bargain price.
EU may force Apple to change Lightning connector
EU lawmakers today agreed to a draft regulation stating that all consumer electronics manufacturers must use a common standard battery charger device. While the law may not take effect until 2017 or after, that means that Apple -- which uses its own Lightning adapter rather than the micro-USB connectors adopted by most other smartphone and tablet manufacturers -- would be forced to change its connector standard. The draft legislation could be voted on as soon as March 2014, at which time it will need to be turned into national laws by each EU state. Manufacturers will have another year after state adoption to comply, which means that 2017 is about the earliest that Apple might have to change the Lightning connector. However, this entire situation -- which was brought on by consumer advocates -- might be a moot point. A new USB connector, under design by one of the original USB architects, Ajay Bhatt, is being considered for adoption and would provide a reversible plug similar to the Lightning connector. This new standard will be called the Type C USB connector, and it might be well worth Apple's investment in time and money to influence the design to be compatible with Lightning. Other changes are included in the draft legislation, including common rules for radio equipment including mobile phones and data modems, as well as forcing manufacturers to register products prior to market release. A similar registration program is already in place in the United States, where the Federal Communications Commission must approve products prior to sale.
Next-gen USB connector will be smaller and reversible
In order to squeeze the ultra-fast 10Gbps USB 3.1 standard into the next gen of slim devices, the USB 3.0 Promoter group has just announced the USB Type-C connector. It'll be similar in size to existing USB 2.0 Micro-B connectors, while bringing USB 3.1 speeds and other distinct advantages over current cables. For starters, the new design will be reversible like Apple's Lightning ports, meaning at long last you won't have to worry about which end goes up. In addition, Type-C will bring scalable power charging and the ability to support future USB standards. The downside is that it won't be compatible with existing connectors, but if we don't have to do the flippy dance to insert a phone cable anymore, we'll take that trade-off in a New York minute.
