Tech reporters like to complain. We can be a group of people who are not happy about things like the invasion of our privacy, the death of the headphone jack, or the use of artificial intelligence. As I emptied out boxes of old tech gear to start the new year fresh, I was thankful for one of the best decisions the tech industry has made in the past few years.
When Apple introduced the new MacBook in 2015, I called it the one port to rule them all. My love and appreciation forusb-c has only grown.
As far as I can tell, the invention of theusb-c was a group of engineers from multiple companies.
While emptying out a few boxes of pre-2016 gadgets and gizmos, I felt like I could never find the right one, as I dug around for random cables and felt like I could never find the right one.
One pair of headphones had a proprietary port. There are two phones that are charged via Micro-USB and Mini-USB. One hard drive and one microphone used different types of cables. Other devices used the same type of power connections.
Those were the dark ages.
In the past couple of months, I have charged over 25 different devices using the same exact charger.
There are 4 different phones.
There are 3 laptops.
There are 3 pairs of headphones.
There are 3 pairs of earbuds.
There is a remote control.
I own a Nintendo Switch.
My camera has a lens.
A couple of electronic devices.
A brick.
A bike helmet.
A portable speaker.
A mouse.
A wireless keyboard.
A bike pump.
A blender.
It is a relief to know that when my Nintendo Switch is discharged, I can just use my laptop charger. I can only bring one or two powerful chargers if I am going on an extended trip. The peace of mind is provided by theusb-c.
Sometimes even the ability to use an underpowered charger can be useful, as long as you use a powerful one that can scale down to your device. I have used a weak phone charge to keep my PC from running out of battery when I don't have the laptop's power brick with me.
God bless theusb-c.
I have used a high-speed cable to connect my laptop to a variety of devices, including external graphics cards, monitors, audio devices, hard drives, printers, headphones, and mice.
It means I don't have to worry about not having the right accessory handy, with the exception of a few devices.
The port is not perfect. Making it clear to consumers which devices and data speeds are compatible with the USB-C is one of the things to improve. I occasionally test a product that won't charge using a high-wattageusb-c charger, forcing me to find a lower output charger
That can be confusing for someone who doesn't understand the specifications, and I wish theusb-if would find a way to make them simpler for consumers. Not every device has adopted theusb-c The standard can deliver more power than some laptops need. Sometimes, there are devices that benefit from other types of chargers, such as devices that are too small or need an extra layer of waterproofness.
We are better off than we were a few years ago. Sometimes the tech industry makes changes for the better, and it shows that interoperability is good for consumers. I refuse to test anything that doesn't support charging with theusb-c unless it has a good reason.
If only Apple would put a stick on the phone.
