USB

Nomad’s PowerPack is a rugged battery pack that you can track with Tile

Anthony Bouchard ∙ February 24, 2017

Battery packs are a hot commodity these days because it seems like our mobile devices never want to last as long as we’d like them to. They bring us out of the dark ages, where we used to have to sit by a power outlet and wait for our handsets to charge, and are advantageous because they allow you to charge on the go, no matter how far away from civilization you might be.

On the other hand, people who are always on the go have a tendency of misplacing things, and sometimes that means losing their battery packs. That’s why Nomad came up with the PowerPack, a trackable battery pack you can keep tabs on with your mobile device, even when you’ve forgotten it somewhere or misplaced it.

Ugreen’s Magnetic Charger for Apple Watch is slim enough to keep in your pocket

Anthony Bouchard ∙ December 31, 2016

Most people experience all-day battery life with the Apple Watch, whether it’s the single core first generation model, or the dual core Series 1 or 2 versions that were launched just this year. While this is true for most people who use their Apple Watch regularly, new apps like Pokémon GO for the Apple Watch threaten to deplete your Apple Watch’s tiny battery much faster.

With that being the case, investing in some kind of portable power pack made specifically for the Apple Watch, like the Ugreen Magnetic Charger, is a good idea.

The NomadPlus turns your iPhone power adapter into a portable battery

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

For everyday charging of your iPhone, the supplied power adapter that comes in your Apple retail packaging will suffice, but if you go places a lot, then having an AC adapter that can not only charge your iPhone, but also store power for charging when away from the plug is a must.

Nomad comes the rescue in this department with an ingenious idea; a special type of AC adapter known as the NomadPlus that includes a built-in 1,800 mAh battery inside.

Apple extends limited time USB-C accessory price cuts through end of March 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 20, 2016

Apple told The Loop's Jim Dalrymple that it is extending USB-C accessory price cuts from end of the year to March 31, 2017.

Responding to a flurry of complaints targeting the new MacBook Pro, the company originally said a month and a half ago that it would temporarily cut the prices on USB -C adapters and peripherals it sells in its stores through the end of the year.

Aukey’s 30,000 mAh battery pack stores lots of power and charges with Lightning

Anthony Bouchard ∙ December 15, 2016

There are a ton of battery packs out there, and we just showed you a couple of very stout options from Anker last month, but for those who need even more juice, Aukey has a versatile 30,000 mAh battery pack with handy unique features.

Because I was personally impressed with the build quality and features this battery pack had to offer, I’m excited to show you everything it can do.

How to access your iPhone Camera Roll on Mac or PC

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated August 4, 2022

Whether you have a Mac or a PC, you can use your computer to access your iPhone or iPad’s Camera Roll/entire Photos library for easy photo and video transfer. In this tutorial, we show you the easiest way to access your iOS device’s Camera Roll on both operating systems.

Some new MacBook Pros are shutting down repeatedly and unexpectedly

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 6, 2016

Some proud owners of the new MacBook Pro with TouchBar are reportedly seeing their notebooks shut down repeatedly and unexpectedly. According to a report from Jeff Porten of TidBits, the problem might be related to external hard drives connected to the notebook through its Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports.

Apple declined comment. This is yet another in a series of teething issues that have been plaguing early adopters of the new MacBook Pro. Just a few days ago, for example, some MacBook Pro owners reported an annoying graphics glitching issue.

Anker’s power banks and solar chargers keep your devices juiced up while on the go

Anthony Bouchard ∙ November 8, 2016

If you do a lot of traveling and like to stay connected with your friends and family via your smartphone or tablet, then you probably need as much battery life as you can get. Out and about, you won’t always have access to a plug in the wall, so it’s a good idea to have a backup plan for keeping your devices charged.

Anker makes some great solutions, including the PowerCore 20000 and PowerCore+ 26800 power banks, and a 21W PowerPort Solar charger so you can harness the power of the Sun. Any of these can help make mobile charging easier.

OWC’s new Thunderbolt 3 Dock adds 13 additional ports to your MacBook Pro

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

Other World Computing (OWC), a U.S.-based company and online store for Mac upgrades and accessories located at MacSales.com, today announced the ultimate docking station for your brand spanking new MacBook Pro.

With the new Pro the Cupertino firm is (rightly) betting on USB-C, effectively putting us in a dongle hell for now. Enter the new $279 Thunderbolt 3 Dock, a successor to OWC's Thunderbolt 2 Dock and USB-C Dock.

Billed as the best expansion solution they've ever made, it offers the speed of Thunderbolt 3 technology coupled with a whopping thirteen expansion ports to help get the most out of the new late-2016 MacBook Pro.

Review: The Kanex GoPower Watch with integrated charger for juicing up your Apple Watch

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 5, 2016

A range of portable battery packs exist for juicing up your Apple Watch when you can’t get near a power outlet for a long-enough time, but not all of them have an integrated charging puck like the GoPower by Kanex does.

Code strings in macOS Sierra hint at future Macs with 10 Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 support

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 22, 2017

Code strings found in the latest beta of macOS Sierra—originally discovered in the macOS API definitions by app developer Felix Schwartz back in June—indicate that future Macs will almost certainly support the latest USB 3.1 Gen 2 standard, which allows for up to 10 Gbps transfer speeds. While plans regarding future Macs could change, we fully expect the upcoming machines—just like existing and previous Macs—to support the latest and greatest in USB and Thunderbolt tech.

Here’s why PC notebook makers, aside from Apple, have been slow to adopt USB-C

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2016

When it debuted in March 2015, Apple's twelve-inch MacBook has ushered in an era of USB-C, then new high-speed connectivity option from the USB Implementers' Forum with a reversible, ultra-thin plug resembling Apple's proprietary Lightning port. In fact, the MacBook was the first notebook to incorporate a USB-C connection as its power port, completely replacing Apple's own MagSafe charging.

PC notebook vendors around the world were supposed to follow in Apple's footsteps and readily adopt USB-C across their products—and some have—but too many of them were, and still are, less keen to adopt USB Type C connections on their products. The reason for this is two-fold: design and cost considerations.