This is more public service announcement than anything else.



Several months ago, I announced that USB C will be the new standard connector... eventually. Well... my household is going through a round of phone upgrades, and everything is USB C... just as expected. After all these years of installing adapters in the house and vehicles for USB A (that rectangular plug on all your USB cords), I am now shopping my *** off with my Amazon Prime to update our charging capabilities.

First off... things got waaay more complicated with USB C. I'm going to spill my alphabet soup here, but don't even try to keep up... it's that bad. If you buy a USB A to USB C cable, make sure it's QC 3 charge capable - then you have to make sure the charger is QC 3 capable. The charger that comes with new smart phones has a USB C jack instead of the USB A jack, so all of your current cords are completely useless on both ends. If you want to get a longer cord, make sure you buy a PD 30 capable cord. Now... if you want a car charger that makes use of the device's quick charge, make sure it has USB A with QC 3 and a USB C with PD 30 charging.

Without explaining the backstory on everything above... I'll just say if you don't focus real hard on the new charging standards of PD 30 and QC 3 when you buy stuff to support your new electronics - you can expect to gripe "But the box says it can charge to 50% in 20 minutes - that's false advertising!"

 

All I know, is whichever way I'm standing, North...is always up. So, that makes you standing, directly south of an idiot...😊

 

Again, another example of people trying to justify their jobs by fixing something until it's broken.

****ing idiots.

 

Their eff'n idiots when you "know", but if you don't "know" your a good damn genius to the manufacturers.
. Me and my brother just has a discussion about new trucks. His boss mentioned to him, after the fact, how he griped about the pricing of trucks these days... He said, look at the time, technology..etc, that's into these things..bla ah blah. So, he gets where his boss his coming from. I said however, I'm contempt with a bare truck, with roll up windows, vinyl floors..etc,...his response was, I'm not what the manufacturers are geared after....has a point considering the environment in which I live, everyone can handle a payment that calls for a left nut and right arm...

 

In all fairness... once everybody gets on USB C, we'll all be better off than where we are now. I carry a warehouse of USB cables in my backpack to make sure I can connect to whatever the hell I need to connect to. Apple devices (iPad, iPhone, computers) use USB C, as does Android, and my Windows laptop has USB C. It is finally the one universal standard that has the same connector on both ends of one cord.

 

But that standard will change again in two to three years and we'll be having this conversation next time.

All I am complaining about is that it would be nice to just leave stuff alone.

 

Yup, right there with you.

 

It's just not in our nature to leave stuff alone.
The endless void that must be filled with the perpetual need for more.

Sometimes it works out for the better...
And we end up with thing like the fine concoction of 1's and 0's put together on a silly cone chip that enhance the experience of driving one of our trucks.

Sometimes it works out for the useless idiot with an unkle in the right place...
And we end up with fidget spinners...

And drill press conical safety shrouds...

Child leashes.

Men in rompers...

 

I'm still usb micro B (also the one guy with a blackberry it seems). Bought myself and the wife (samsung S 9000 or something) new car and house chargers. I think both phones are QC 2.0 capable. My car charger works well and went to reorder for her but was out of stock so got her something different. Much faster than what I was using before. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me. Looking forward to see what comes next. Now excuse me while I go charge my first gen Zune...

 

I just jumped carriers and phones (Android to Apple). My iPhone X has the lightning port and the cable has the USB A connection so I'm guessing Apple is going to be a bit slower than everyone else converting over.

 

The reviews of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X point out that fast charging is not available with what comes in the box. You have to buy a USB C to Lightning cable and a fast charger with a USB C port.



Sony was slow to adopt VHS and stuck with more expensive Betamax during the war with VHS - they were eventually forced to abandon Betamax. Sony learned their lesson and didn't keep the high price tag on BluRay during the format wars with HD-DVD. HD-DVD is long dead, and I smell a repeat with Apple's lightning... as USB C is on every new device I buy. My new Company Pixel 2 with USB C is ordered and on the way... and my iPhoney 6 with the lightning port is destined for the dumpster.

I'm not saying Apple's iPhone is dead, nor am I saying the lightning connector is a POS... I'm saying that everything in the market except the iPhone is jumping on USB C because of the power capacity, universality, and the convenience of reversible connection. Hell... even the venerable iPhone needs an adaptor to USB C for the sake of quick charging. Once iPhone is truly the "odd duck" because of something as simple as a connector, I don't see how the masses will let that go unchallenged.

 

Most of the tech articles I've read since last year talk about everything going to USB C and that Apple was on board with this new "industry standard" and that it would be on the iPhone X (obviously that design change did not make it). People could plug in there phone in the dark since orientation wouldn't matter...plus it's way faster.

I've been an Android guy (and Apple basher) my whole cell phone life but have given up on the platform. I keep my phones for years and don't do all the custom launchers and developer stuff and I'm tired of the warranty service, crashes, freezes, and lack of updates after a year or so. My wife convinced me to jump sides and it's not as bad as I had thought. While the phone does feel more proprietary than universal hopefully Apple converts their plugs over before I get my next phone in a few years.

Thanks for the info on the connectors. I am getting ready to buy some phone cables for the cars so I will go the USB C to lightning route.

 

All I can say is it's a good thing we have two cigarette lighter sockets in the cab. I have been unable to find hardware that has a few USB C ports in one product. When it comes to USB A, I have seen as many as 7 ports on a charge adapter for a car. USB C? Home, office, or car - the most I have seen in one device is 2 - and that is on a $300 universal hub. Belkin and the others need to get on this soon.

 

With that approach, we would still be living in caves and starting fires with flint.

 

This is one way of how industries create new sales.
As new product is created/revised/updated/etc to sell, make subtle hard changes that will not plug and play/accept previous revisions without another sell.