All USB-C cables are equal. But some, as the saying goes, are more equal than others. This little gadget from Plugable is a fantastic bit of kit. Plug your USB-C power supply into one end of the gadget, plug the gadget in to your laptop, phone, or any other USB-C device. Watch the screen to see how much power is flowing. Action Shot https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/plugabble.mp4 Features A black and white screen! A button to flip the display over! That's it! There's…
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I'm writing this post in the hope someone will rip off my idea and start selling it on Ali Express. Many years ago, I got a "Pressy". It was a little dongle which fitted into your phone's headphone jack. It had a single button on the top. It came with an app so when you tapped the button the app would do something. For example, tap once to open email, double-tap to switch to flight mode, etc. Most modern phones eschew headphone ports. They let water in, are fragile, and a cheap DAC produces …
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The good folk at ChubbyCable have sent me a trio of gorgeous USB-C cables to review. If, like me, your work colleagues always "borrow" your cables never to be seen again - these are a godsend. They're available in a range of colours - you can even design your own. You'll never have to say "where's my boring black cable? Janice? Do you still have it?" No, you'll see the dayglow colours from miles off! So, let's put them to the test. The Good They feel great in the hand. They're weighty…
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I've been looking for this rare beast for ages - a hub which has multiple USB-C outputs! You see it is a truth, universally acknowledged, that computers don't have enough ports on them. And laptops? Pah! A couple of USB-C if you're lucky, and one of them has to be used for power. What a world! This is the MOKiN USB-C Triple-Display Docking Station - MODK1402. It's a bit over £100 depending on the deal you get. Shiny! This turns one USB port on your laptop to fourteen extra ports. So, …
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Winter has come! And with it the risk of power-cuts. Thankfully, we already have a Uninteruptable Power Supply for vital things like WiFi and security. But what about lights? Hurrah for candles! They're not just for birthday cakes, you know. But how do you light candles? I vaguely remember something about rubbing two stones together? But who can be bothered with that! "What about matches?" I hear you cry. Look. This blog deals with high-tech stuff. I'm not reviewing a splinter of wood…
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Are you too hot? Can't run an air-conditioner? Stuck on a sweaty tube train? You need a USB-C powered personal cooling device! There are loads of personal electric fans available - but I've gone for something slightly more high-tech. A neck-wearable Peltier cooler. It looks like this: And fits round your neck like this: Terence Eden is on Mastodon@edentReplying to @edentThere is a USB-C cable running from my computer into my neck. I am now fully jacked in to the cybermatrix.Time to leave…
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Back to the office! The only thing which makes other people bearable is being able to block out their chatter (sorry colleagues, I love you all dearly!). So I picked up this pair of on-ear Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancelation. They're pricey (a bit under £200) but are they any good? First impressions Not great. None of the buttons are labelled, so it's surprisingly hard to figure out how to turn it on and start pairing. It isn't either of the two large, prominent buttons, but …
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The fine folks at Poweradd have sent me one of their gadgets to review. This is their 26800mAh USB-C power bank with Power Delivery. It's pretty similar to most normal portable batteries - but because it has USB-C-PD, it can charge MacBooks, Nintendo Switches, and other high-power devices! Let's take a look: In the box A big black battery. A weird hybrid cable. It is USB-A to Micro-USB and has adapters for USB-C and Apple's Lightning. It isn't a USB-C PD cable. There's also a…
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I've been sent a Flyland USB-C hub to review. It's a small but versatile unit - perfect for people who need to connect legacy equipment to something with USB-C ports. For £21, you get 7 ports: 3x USB 3.0 1x HDMI 4K 1x Micro SD 1x SD 1x USB Power Delivery It worked perfectly on Linux (more below) and Windows. No drivers required. It also worked on Android. Simple plug and play. Exactly the way USB-C should be. Downsides Under heavy use, it does get a bit warm. Not hot to the touch, but …
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The only thing I miss about my old MacBook was its magnetic charging cable. It was just so convenient to be able to hover the plug near my laptop and have it snap into place. If I walked off with my machine, I knew the cable would easily spring out - rather than jerking me back or breaking. So here's a gadget to convert any USB device to magnetic charging! Chinese company TOPK have sent me some of their Magnetic Charging Cables to review. How it works Plug the receiver into your gadget.…
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All printers are objectively awful. But this might be the cutest little printer I've ever used! This is the Phomemo M02 Pro. If you remember the late, lamented Little Printer you'll immediately understand the appeal. Connect your phone to it, and immediately print out text, graphics, drawings, rules, Tweets, the weather, ANYTHING! It uses thermal paper, so there's no ink to run out and no expensive refills. Phomemo sell their own paper in a range of colours and styles - but it looks like it …
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My quest to move my entire life to USB-C continue. Headphones, laptops, Switch, phone, eReader - all taking the same power port. Bliss! But that means I need more USB-C chargers. This is the YLpower 87W USB-C Charger. First off, 87? What? The USB-C port is capable of 85 Watts - enough for even the most demanding laptop. The USB-A port supplies the remaining 2 Watts. Perfectly fine for most other uses. £28 gets you a charger, UK plug, and a chunky USB-C Power-Delivery cable. Good It …
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