Tag Archives: USB-C

Ball Mic phone accessory concept is compact, cute, and easy to lose

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Some say that the best phone accessories are ones that you can easily slip into a pocket and forget. This external mic definitely fits that bill, perhaps a bit too well.

The use of smartphones as amateur equipment for making videos has forced manufacturers to step up their game when it comes to cameras and imaging. Videos, however, are only one part of the process, and audio plays an equally important role when making a professional-quality clip. Sadly, phones haven’t improved significantly in that regard, leaving plenty of room for external microphones like this concept.

Designer: foodesigner

Premium, more expensive phones naturally have more sophisticated mics and audio processing hardware. But given how much space is left inside a phone, mics often take lower priority compared to cameras and batteries. Most are content with just making sure that voices in calls come out crystal clear, which may not always work when trying to record ambient sounds, music, conversations, or even interviews.

External mic accessories offer the opportunity to add dedicated audio recording hardware to a smartphone, often at the cost of using up the charging port. These come in all shapes, sizes, and designs, though most try to emulate traditional mics or even lavaliers, including the wires. Some try to be too innovative and come up with a design that is also unfamiliar.

The Ball Mic, in contrast, is a nod to simplicity and familiarity. Looking like a small ball head mic, the accessory simply plugs into a smartphone’s port, and that’s that. The designers mention using USB-C, but it doesn’t exclude the possibility of a version made specifically for an iPhone’s lightning port. Either way, the design is so simple it’s almost impossible to get it wrong.

The design is also small, making it trivial to bring the mic along with you anywhere. It can even share the same pocket as your phone, provided you even have enough space for your phone in there. The size, however, also means it’s too easy to get lost in jeans, bags, and honestly everywhere. And this time, there won’t be a thin cable to lead the trail to its location.

The post Ball Mic phone accessory concept is compact, cute, and easy to lose first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sleek USB-C hubs to perfectly upgrade your WFH setup’s productivity

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We spend most of our day working on laptops and PCs, and maintaining a consistently high level of productivity and efficiency is extremely integral for our work routines. Hence, adopting and making use of nifty gadgets that amp up our productivity can be quite helpful. A USB-C Hub is one such accessory that promises to function as the ultimate sidekick to your laptop or any other monitor setup of choice! However, hubs aren’t what they used to be! Designers have elevated and innovated hubs to a whole new level altogether. From a LED USB Christmas tree to a sleek iPad USB-C hub featuring six different media ports– we have curated a whole collection of unique, innovative, and highly functional designs that are a far cry from the traditional hubs we’d grown so accustomed to. These handy tech gadgets are a game-changer for our work-from-home productivity!

1. The Save USB SSD Hub

Industrial designer Cheon Ryong Choi has the simplest and smart solution in the form of the Save USB SSD Hub. The hybrid accessory slots in most M.2 SSD in the given slot while leaving enough room for a USB hub with USB-C-type, MagSafe connecter, and two USB ports. That’s enough meat to satiate geeky users’ requirements for a port-starved laptop. Drawing inspiration presumably from the design philosophy of Nothing, the hybrid hard drive gets a transparent back panel that exposes all the hardware components which personally I find too cool.

2. HyperDrive 6-in-1 USB-C Hub for iMac 24”

HyperDrive 6-in-1 USB-C Hub for iMac 24” is the savior with five front-facing ports for the easiest access to memory cards, USB storage, and charging of gadgets. It even has a 4K monitor compatible HDMI port on the back to keep away the thick cords from view. Keeping up with the modern data transfer requirements the accessory has 3 USB (two USB-C and one USB-A) ports capable of 10Gbps transfer speed. For added advantage, the hub has a universally compatible microSD UHS-I reader and SD UHS-I card slot. Charging your gadgets is also going to be a breeze with 7.5W speed compatibility from the USB-A port.

3. The ‘PSB Xmas Tree’

The ‘PSB Xmas Tree’, as it’s labeled on Github, is a clever little PCB hack that plugs into your computer’s USB port and lights up like a tiny decorated tree. It’s incredibly DIY, but that’s precisely what I love so much about this tiny gizmo – the fact that it has this handmade personal touch! The tree features a custom fabricated PCB with concentric circles that pop out to give the ‘tree’ its conical shape. These circular boards are connected via LEDs, that get supplied with power from your laptop’s USB port.

4. The HyperDrive GEN2 USB-C docking station

The HyperDrive GEN2 USB-C docking station transforms a USB port on any device into a high-powered docking station with 18 ports. Two HDMI 4K60Hz, a VGA, two USB-A 10 Gbps, a USB-C 10 GBPS, an Ethernet, a UHS-II MicroSD/SD, and more are included. A sleek minimal aesthetic is augmented further by the fact, that the device has two times the speed and power of any first-generation hub.

5. HyperDrive

Compact enough to fit in your palm, HyperDrive is small but mighty. Equipped with a 4K60Hz HDMI port, USB-C 5Gbps 60W Power Delivery port, MicroSD UHS-I port, SD UHS-I port, USB-A 5Gbps port, and a 3.5mm Audio Jack, HyperDrive can handle any of your cables at any time. While you’re all plugged in and working, the built-in shortcut key allows you to “play, pause, fast-forward or rewind your favorite songs, videos, or podcasts without interrupting your workflow.”

6. The Hubble USB-C Hub and Case

The Hubble USB-C hub and case is a side-mounted hub that provides you with all the ports you could need. It consists of two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, an SD and microSD card reader, and an audio jack. The integrated case keeps your iPad upright while you use it, while a magnetic closure ensures that your iPad is stored safely inside. The hub even has a magnetic spot to charge your Apple pencil!

7. The Satechi USB-C clamp hub

At a price of $54.99 (which shouldn’t seem much if you already shelled out the cash for an M1 iMac), Satechi’s USB-C clamp hub puts all the essential ports at your fingertips. It plugs into one of the USB-C ports at the back and grips onto the iMac using a rotating clamp. The hub comes with 3 USB-A ports, 2 card readers, and one USB-C port on the front, and has data transfer speeds of up to 5Gb/s for the USB ports and 104Mb/s for the card readers.

8. HUB-OX

Designed to be portable and compact, HUB–OX initially comes as a lightweight, palm-sized USB-C hub, which splits into two halves, both equipped with plenty of charging slots, HDMI connections, and ethernet ports. HUB–OX is compatible with MacBook Pro models that have four USB-C ports, generally any MacBook Pro from 2016 or any of its succeeding generations. When HUB–OX is split in two, users can plug the USB-C chargers into all four of their MacBook Pro’s ports, lifting their laptops to an angle of 7.7° to keep them charged and at eye level for the rest of the day. Working at our laptops for long periods of time often makes us want to crane our necks and spines to meet our screens. The small hoist HUB–OX gives our MacBook Pros is just enough to keep our necks straight and spines against our chairs.

9. The Satechi Stand & Hub

The silver lining with the Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac mini with SSD enclosure is the matching design and silver finish – reminiscent of the 2020 M1 Mac mini. However, it is sized exactly like the Mac mini and looks a natural extension for Apple’s smallest desktop computer. This useful accessory for your Apple ecosystem increases the Mac mini’s storage without the need to depend on an external hard drive courtesy of the M.2 SATA SSD enclosure. Plug it into the USB-C port, and you get additional ports in one simplified hub. This accessory has three USB-C 3.0 ports (5Gbps), USB-C data port (5Gbps), SD and microSD card readers (104Mbps), and a 3.5mm headphone jack too.

10. The USB-C iPhone

Meet the world’s only USB-C iPhone (that we know of), hacked together by Ken Pillonel, a master’s degree student in robotics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The USB-C iPhone has been on Ken’s mind for a while. In fact, he embarked on this journey 5 months ago with a video explaining how he planned on modifying an existing iPhone, and even demonstrating a work-in-progress. Now, Ken’s work is pretty much complete as he debuted his first working prototype of the iPhone USB-C. The modified iPhone doesn’t just sport a USB-C for kicks… the port actually works, and lets you charge your phone as well as transfer data.

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The world’s first USB-C iPhone exists… and it wasn’t built by Apple

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Apple may have until 2024 to comply with the EU’s demands to have USB-C as the standard charging port for smartphones… but it seems like a Swiss robotics student may have beaten them to the punch. Meet the world’s only USB-C iPhone (that we know of), hacked together by Ken Pillonel, a master’s degree student in robotics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

The USB-C iPhone has been on Ken’s mind for a while. In fact, he embarked on this journey 5 months ago with a video explaining how he planned on modifying an existing iPhone, and even demonstrating a work-in-progress. Now, Ken’s work is pretty much complete as he debuted his first working prototype of the iPhone USB-C. The modified iPhone doesn’t just sport a USB-C for kicks… the port actually works, and lets you charge your phone as well as transfer data.

At the very heart of Ken’s solution is a redesigned PCB ribbon cable that fits inside the iPhone X, replacing the lightning charging PCB. Ken’s initial experiments from 5 months ago involved using a breadboard to work out the circuitry, before he actually fabricated a pretty professional-looking ribbon PCB that could actually fit inside the iPhone’s housing, sandwiching itself between the other components. The outer chassis of the iPhone had to be CNC machined too, to fit the new, wider port. Ken’s working on a much more in-depth video to showcase his final result and the process behind it, but he decided to give the world a taste of his prototype in a short YouTube snippet.

For now, Ken’s modded USB-C iPhone is probably one-of-its-kind. It isn’t entirely clear if Ken plans on taking his PCB to the market, although I imagine there’s an entire building of lawyers in Apple’s HQ waiting for a chance to fire up lawsuits and cease-and-desist notices to people and companies who create such kits that involve meddling with the iPhone’s hardware.

As a customer, however, the idea of a USB-C iPhone seems quite tantalizing. Imagine having just one cable for your MacBook, iPad Pro, and iPhone, and not needing multiple cables and solutions to charge different devices (or transfer data between them if AirDrop isn’t an option). That being said, unless Apple makes the USB-C iPhone official, Ken’s little hack isn’t going to sit well with the folks at the genius bar when you go to get anything repaired. Don’t expect any of your product warranties to still be valid!

Designer: Ken Pillonel

These USB-C hubs perfectly complement your laptop, giving your setup the performance boost it needs!

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We spend most of our day working on laptops and PCs, and maintaining a consistently high level of productivity and efficiency is extremely integral for our work routines. Hence, adopting and making use of nifty gadgets that amp up our productivity can be quite helpful. A USB-C Hubis one such accessory that promises to function as the ultimate sidekick to your laptop or any other monitor setup of choice! However, hubs aren’t what they used to be! Designers have elevated and innovated hubs to a whole new level altogether. From the world’s first 13-in-1 USB-C hub integrated with a laptop stand to a Satechi’s cool new USB hub that gives you front access to all the important ports on your 2021 Apple iMac – we have curated a whole collection of unique, innovative, and highly functional designs that are a far cry from the traditional hubs we’d grown so accustomed to. These handy tech gadgets are a game-changer for our work-from-home productivity!

The HybridDrive  is a lot like if your external hard drive and your USB hub had a love-child. Think of it as the one, true, all-powerful accessory to your MacBook or your iPad Pro, or even your Android phone. Armed with a two-piece design that can plug into each other, the HybridDrive is like the Yin and the Yang of computing accessories… the Yin being extra ports, and the Yang being extra storage. Compatible with most USB-C devices, the HybridDrive offsets your need for multiple hubs, dongles, and drives. With a multiport on one end, and an SSD on another, and a USB-C interface connecting the two, the HybridDrive bridges the gap between your portable devices (laptop/tablet/phone) and your desktop – in the sense that it gives you extra ports and expandable storage… something most desktops have in common.

HyperDrive 6-in-1 USB-C Hub for iMac 24” is the savior with five front-facing ports for the easiest access to memory cards, USB storage, and charging of gadgets. It even has a 4K monitor compatible HDMI port on the back to keep away the thick cords from view. Keeping up with the modern data transfer requirements the accessory has 3 USB (two USB-C and one USB-A) ports capable of 10Gbps transfer speed. For added advantage, the hub has a universally compatible microSD UHS-I reader and SD UHS-I card slot. Charging your gadgets is also going to be a breeze with 7.5W speed compatibility from the USB-A port.

At a price of $54.99 (which shouldn’t seem much if you already shelled out the cash for an M1 iMac), Satechi’s USB-C clamp hub puts all the essential ports at your fingertips. It plugs into one of the USB-C ports at the back and grips onto the iMac using a rotating clamp. The hub comes with 3 USB-A ports, 2 card readers, and one USB-C port on the front, and has data transfer speeds of up to 5Gb/s for the USB ports and 104Mb/s for the card readers. The Satechi USB-C clamp hub ships in September and comes with an all-aluminum body, although Satechi hasn’t really indicated whether they’re offering the hubs in the same color schemes as the iMacs.

Designed to be portable and compact, HUB–OX initially comes as a lightweight, palm-sized USB-C hub, which splits into two halves, both equipped with plenty of charging slots, HDMI connections, and ethernet ports. HUB–OX is compatible with MacBook Pro models that have four USB-C ports, generally any MacBook Pro from 2016 or any of its succeeding generations. When HUB–OX is split in two, users can plug the USB-C chargers into all four of their MacBook Pro’s ports, lifting their laptops to an angle of 7.7° to keep them charged and at eye level for the rest of the day. Working at our laptops for long periods of time often makes us want to crane our necks and spines to meet our screens. The small hoist HUB–OX gives our MacBook Pros is just enough to keep our necks straight and spines against our chairs.

The silver lining with the Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac mini with SSD enclosure is the matching design and silver finish – reminiscent of the 2020 M1 Mac mini. However, it is sized exactly like the Mac mini and looks a natural extension for Apple’s smallest desktop computer. This useful accessory for your Apple ecosystem increases the Mac mini’s storage without the need to depend on an external hard drive courtesy of the M.2 SATA SSD enclosure. Plug it into the USB-C port, and you get additional ports in one simplified hub. This accessory has three USB-C 3.0 ports (5Gbps), USB-C data port (5Gbps), SD and microSD card readers (104Mbps), and a 3.5mm headphone jack too.

This durable stand has multiple height adjustable angles and forward and backward position adjusting liberty for laptops or even tablet – tested for over 20,000 uses. This adjustability gives you the ability to orient the laptop/tablet screen position in more ways than not. Adding to the inherent feature of keeping the device sturdy in place without any lateral movement and the intuitively positioned ventilation holes, Maotoam’s offering has something more! The world’s first ergonomic laptop stand with an integrated 13-in-1 USB-C hub, making it a one-stop solution for connectivity to all your gadgets. As the name implies, it has 13 ports to cover all modern-day devices.

The designers of DGRule describe it as an “invisible hub” and I guess we can see why. The DGRule promises to be a convenient alternative to the limited Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports since they aren’t always compatible with all devices. Subtle, discreet, and far from bulky, DGRule snaps onto both sides of the MacBook Pro. The cushion pad ensures it stays glued onto the laptop, no matter which position you work in. Available in Space Gray or Silver, it camouflages with your laptop, appearing to be a natural extension of it. Created from CNC aluminum, this allows the hub to comfortably merge with the MacBook Pro. However the resilient aluminum has other purposes as well, it lends its durability to the hub making it sturdy and reliable.

It’s ironic that we pick an iPad for its compactness, portability, and is a minimal device; and yet we look for attachments that can help us make it more conventional (in terms of functionality) as a laptop or desktop. If this sentiment resonates with you, then you have to take a look at the BoltHub – a device that is the world’s first truly invisible USB-C hub – and specifically designed for the iPad. The hub fits flush to the bottom of your iPad and allows you to connect it to 4K HDMI, 3.5mm headphones, Micro/SD card readers, and USB-C. While you are connected to your gear, the hub charges your iPad efficiently and quickly. The L-shaped device matches the iPad Pro in terms of color and texture.

Meet the X-Kit from UGREEN… a slim, portable Hub-Stand that folds down to become no smaller or slimmer than a selfie-stick. With its innovative X-shaped folding design, the X-Kit condenses its functionality into a form that’s easy to carry along with your laptop anywhere you go. Designed with two halves that separate when pulled apart, the X-Kit transforms from a slim, baton-shaped form into a broad platform to dock your Mac or Windows laptop on in mere seconds, with an angling mechanism that can be set at 4 different positions to give you the right angle you need to minimize fatigue… something that most WFH setups fail to achieve.

The SuperHub isn’t so much a multi-port device as it is a way to multitask. Designed around the emerging culture of working from cafés, restaurants, or co-working spaces, the hub replaces the clunky power adapter that you use to charge your laptop with a slick, well-designed brick that takes care of all possible power needs. Armed with an AC power input on one end, and two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a 4K HDMI port on the other , the SuperHub take ownership of both power as well as data delivery. You can connect multiple devices, including your laptop, to the SuperHub, charging them simultaneously, while also letting you plug an external display in to broadcast your phone, tablet, or laptop’s screen on it.

The best iPad accessories for 2024

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Once you’ve decided which iPad you want, the next step is finding the right accessories. For getting work done, you’ll likely want a mouse and keyboard. For drawing and note-taking, a stylus is the obvious choice, but we also recommend a paper-like screen protector for added texture. Power banks let you recharge your slate whenever you need to and a hub helps you get the most out of your iPad’s processing power with connections for wired peripherals. After testing (and owning) iPads over the years, we’ve singled out a dozen-plus accessories that help expand what Apple’s tablets can do.

Which iPad generation do you own?

Before you splurge on a bunch of accessories, you should double check which iPad generation you own. There are a couple of ways to do this: first, you can check the back of your tablet for its model number, which will start with an “A” and end with a series of numbers. You can also go into Settings on your iPad, then General and look up the model number in the top section. If you see a series of letters and numbers with a slash (“/“) in it, just tap that to reveal the iPad’s true model number.

The most recent iPad is the 10th-gen iPad, which was released in 2022, but Apple still sells the 9th-gen iPad as well. Other iPad models include the 5th-gen iPad Air, the 6th-gen iPad mini and the 6th-gen iPad Pros. Apple usually announces new iPads in the fall after its iPhone event, but it’s unclear if the company will do so this year.

The most important iPad details to consider before buying accessories are the charging port, screen size and Apple Pencil compatibility. Most iPads now have USB-C charging, save for the 9th-gen iPad that still uses a Lightning connector. Make sure to double check your iPad’s screen size before buying a case or a screen protector. As for the Apple Pencil, both the 9th- and 10th-gen iPad support only the 1st-gen stylus, while all other iPads can use the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil.

Paper-feel screen protectors

If you’re a heavy user of the Apple Pencil or some other stylus, you should consider getting a screen protector for your new iPad. They pull double-duty: Not only do they act as a first line of defense if your iPad goes careening onto concrete, but they can also enhance the digital drawing and writing experience. Using a stylus on an iPad is strange at first because gliding the stylus nib over a glass surface feels nothing like “normal” writing. Matte screen protectors can get closer to replicating the pen-on-paper experience, and they also prevent the stylus nib from wearing down as quickly.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-ipad-accessories-130018595.html?src=rss

HP says its latest Envy 14 runs for up to 16.5 hours on a single charge

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HP has unveiled a number of new devices and upgrades to current ones at CES. Among them is the Envy 14. HP claims the latest model’s 16:10, multitouch-enabled IPS display has a viewing area that's 11 percent greater than a typical 16:9 ratio screen....