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Thread: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

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    News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    Type-C USB plug is part of USB3.1 spec and will be finalised next summer.
    Read more.

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    Because cable orientation has always been a terrible drain on the world... it only has two possibilities to try, how really hard is it?

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    I agree, it's never been a hassle to me. Yes, all very clever, but what about backwards compatibility? will it be and all these adaptors to make the older plugs fit.
    I suppose it may be better, it can't get any worse than the HDMI fiasco, or can it?

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible


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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    More than just being able to flip the connector, this new standard supercedes USB-A too, breaking the current USB hardware enforcement of 'one connector type for hosts, another for slaves' (USB-A or mini-A for hosts, USB-B, mini-B and micro-B for slaves). It'll be USB-C for everything. that means that USB-C will be doing some sort of negotiatins to determine is something is acting as a host, and the elimination of USB-OTG cables.

    Nice in that you no longer need adapters for many tasks, but it'll be a massive headache now the clueless consumers will be able to plug anything into anything else and complain it doesn't work (whereas previously the cables would physically not fit).

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    Quote Originally Posted by Agent View Post
    ...every time Creative bring out a new card range their advertising makes it sound like they have discovered a way to insert a thousand Chuck Norris super dwarfs in your ears...

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    One plug to rule them all sounds like a good idea. Will there be a USB 1/2 adapter?

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    why do phone companies not put a small raised "marker" to identify which side is the "up" for those of us trying to charge the phone in the dark. This simple addition would avoid pointless frustration when trying to plug cables in.

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    Quote Originally Posted by big_hairy_rob View Post
    why do phone companies not put a small raised "marker" to identify which side is the "up" for those of us trying to charge the phone in the dark. This simple addition would avoid pointless frustration when trying to plug cables in.
    My understanding is that USB cables have the USB logo on the side new meant to be facing up (not helpful round the back of a PC ). Many cables have these as a kind of embossed shape so you might be able to feel for the ridges in the dark. But I agree, still could do with improvement.

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    Having a reversible connector is useful for more than just convenience. There should be less wear on the connector and receptacle if people aren't attempting and failing to plug it in the wrong way.
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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    This has been sorely needed for quite a long time for USB. Those joke cartoons above are funny because they're true. And the tonnes of different USB sockets there are now, never mind the host/slave sockets, etc, are getting beyond a joke (micro-usb 3 being one of the bigger jokes right now).

    It is right that they're breaking everything for the future, although the transition period will see a lot of adaptors (also specified in this specification thankfully) and devices with both sockets on them.

    I hope this means that small notebooks (ultrabooks, whatever) can now include more than two USB sockets!

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    Quote Originally Posted by edzieba View Post
    More than just being able to flip the connector, this new standard supercedes USB-A too, breaking the current USB hardware enforcement of 'one connector type for hosts, another for slaves' (USB-A or mini-A for hosts, USB-B, mini-B and micro-B for slaves). It'll be USB-C for everything. that means that USB-C will be doing some sort of negotiatins to determine is something is acting as a host, and the elimination of USB-OTG cables.

    Nice in that you no longer need adapters for many tasks, but it'll be a massive headache now the clueless consumers will be able to plug anything into anything else and complain it doesn't work (whereas previously the cables would physically not fit).
    Theres already a negotiation, its not like it actually matters to the host (or slave) what its plugged into. I'd imagine by the time devices are available to general consumers everything you'd expect to will support hosting anyway. Most host devices still either don't support usb 3 or only do on a couple of ports. I'd guess 3.1 adoption is a long way away. And people who are daft enough to complain when two memory sticks don't 'back up' onto each other if you plug them into a f-f coupler will always exist (thats a real life example from when I used to work in maplin by the way. Some guy telling me with a straight face he was going to sue because he had something important on it and our 'automatic backup device' didn't work. Took about 5 minutes to figure out what the hell he was talking about.

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible



    Actually I think this new USB connector sounds like a good thing.

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    Quote Originally Posted by kingpotnoodle View Post
    Because cable orientation has always been a terrible drain on the world... it only has two possibilities to try, how really hard is it?
    Quite hard actually when I'm driving my car and realise I need to plug the USB charging cable into my phone before the GPS drains it completely.
    It seems to take me like... 10 attempts with reversing the cable each time.

    So with this new reversible cable, it should take me like... only 5 attempts I guess...

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    @Dooms @Aidanjt - So true.. haha. xD

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    Re: News - Next-gen USB plug will be slimmer and reversible

    Quote Originally Posted by Noli View Post
    Quite hard actually when I'm driving my car and realise I need to plug the USB charging cable into my phone before the GPS drains it completely.
    It seems to take me like... 10 attempts with reversing the cable each time.

    So with this new reversible cable, it should take me like... only 5 attempts I guess...
    Probably why you shouldn't play with devices like a GPS when driving. Set it up properly before you go or stop to fiddle with it. Safer, and saves getting stopped by the police for not driving with due care and attention...

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