Microsoft Thinks USB-C Isn't Ready For the Mainstream (digitaltrends.com) 293
When Microsoft unveiled the Surface Laptop last week, it left many customers and members of the press scratching their heads over its lack of a USB Type-C port. According to general manager of Surface Engineering, Pete Kyriacou, Microsoft seems to think that the technology isn't ready for the mainstream. Digital Trends reports: Microsoft does not want customers to deal with the various Type-C cables, underwhelming chargers, all the adapters, and the third-party Type-C docks. That is why the Surface Laptop features only one USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A port, one headphone jack, one Mini DisplayPort connector, and the Surface Connect port. Simplicity. That latter connection is how customers can "safely" expand their Surface device experience. Microsoft's $200 Microsoft Surface Dock adds two Mini DisplayPort connectors, one gigabit Ethernet port, four USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports, and one audio out port. The dock connects to a compatible Surface device via Microsoft's proprietary Surface Connect port. Right now, it works with the Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, and Surface Book but the Surface Laptop will undoubtedly be added soon. While limiting a Surface device's connectivity seems like forcing customers into purchasing the dock, Microsoft sees this setup as brand stability. Customers won't get ticked at Microsoft because they are confused about the different types of cables, chargers, and so on. Microsoft is controlling the end-to-end experience and there is nothing wrong with that.
because (Score:5, Funny)
Microsoft has good judgement
Re:because (Score:5, Interesting)
So even by random chance, Microsoft is going to get one right every now and then. Don't be a hater, AC.
--Beau
Re:because (Score:4, Interesting)
Honestly I've never had any problems with either USB 3 or Type-C, even when they were brand new.
IMO if they wanted to do something awesome, put one Thunderbolt 3 port and one USB 3.0 port on it, and nothing else. THAT would be simplicity. Then they could make their little dock thing just connect to the Thunderbolt port and work with just any Thunderbolt 3 device. Instead what we end up with is yet another proprietary power adapter, and both the power adapter and the dock become useless once you no longer have the computer.
Another bonus of using Thunderbolt 3 is that you could use an external GPU enclosure (i.e. Razer Core) and add any desktop GPU of your choice to it. Word is they work pretty damn well, though you sacrifice about 15% of the GPU's performance vs a regular desktop setup. (That, and Mac users will struggle to get them to work, but IIRC Apple did that deliberately.)
And for anybody who doesn't know, Thunderbolt 3 is 100% compatible with any USB-C device; uses the same form factor and the pinout is compatible.
Re:because (Score:5, Interesting)
Thunderbolt is a huge security hole. I'd rather not have the ability to plug things into my PCIe bus externally, thanks. At least with USB you have some hope of securing it.
Re: (Score:3)
Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3 can both use the same physical USB-C port. That's what Apple laptops do.
So rather than one of each, just port two combined ports on - or more.
Re: (Score:3)
That's actually part of the problem. There are a bunch of ports that look exactly like USB-C ports but they don't all do the same thing. You see something on your computer or phone that looks like a USB-C port but it could be any number of things:
1. A bog standard USB-C port that implements Superspeed Gen 2 USB (10Gbps)
2. A USB 3.0 standard port (5Gbps)
3. A USB 2.0 standard port (480Mbps) - these are mostly on phones
4. A Thunderbolt 3 port that implements some unknown number of PCIe lanes
5. A USB-C port
Re:because (Score:5, Insightful)
This time, yes.
I disagree. USB-C is clearly going to replace USB-A over time. It works well and provides high speed and good power connectivity. However not many devices support it yet so if you want a machine that you can use today and still use in a few years time the best bet is a machine which supports both USB-A and C. Instead we have Apple producing machines which will be great in a few years time but bad now and MS providing ones which are great now but will be a pain in a few years time....which is why I bought a Dell with both USB-A and C so I can use it now and in a few years time.
Re: (Score:3)
I remain unconvinced.
Firstly there is lots of functionality but it is pretty much all optional. Maybe that port supports delivering lots of power to devices, maybe that port supports receiving power from a power brick, maybe that port supports host mode, maybe that port supports device mode, maybe that port supports displayport, maybe that port support HDMI, maybe that port supports thunderbolt, maybe that port supports USB 3.1 speeds, maybe that port supports analog audio. Lots and lots of room for user co
Re: (Score:2)
I can't see anything wrong with USB-C. My laptop has two of them, so I can charge from the left or the right.
I know there are different voltage levels, so I would not try to charge my laptop with a power supply not designed for it. I assume it just would not work (given that this laptop needs 15V, and most others need less).
But I do agree that using one connector for everything could be confusing if you are not used to the concept.
Re:because (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course MS knows better than us that its new proprietary connector is much more ready for mainstream than the standard USB-C.
Re: (Score:2)
The Surface connector is not new, and I believe predates USB-C.
Re: (Score:3)
Especially for external devices, if it fits it should work. Right now with USB-c there are too many different types of wires that can degrade or make devices unusable.
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
WTF since when has Microsoft had anything NIH related to hardware.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
I can't get my Nexus to charge 50% of the time when I plug it into a FULL external battery, because of USB-C. 50% of the time, My Nexus 5x thinks that the most logical default would be for the phone (at 15% battery left) to use it's remaining battery to charge the external battery, which is surely around 95% or more full already.
The whole bidirectional aspect of USB-C seems like a total failure to me. I have to remember to unlock my phone, pull down the menu at the, and change the charge direction. There is
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I mean, technically yes. Technically, it could be changed to not conform to the spec, or to conform in a different way, I don't know which. But, either of those would be cases of it "not being ready"
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, the crappy software in one specific device is a major failing of the USB-C standard.
Re:Seems like Microsoft isn't ready for USB-C (Score:5, Informative)
You either have the world's worst external battery or are plugging it in to the wrong port. The way USB power supply works, the device has to detect that it is in host mode and negotiate with the device receiving charge before it will supply more than 100mA.
So in order for your problem to manifest, your external battery must be acting as a USB device rather than as dumb charger or host. That suggests you either plugged in to the charge port instead of the output port, or the battery has a really really really terrible USB controller in it.
USB-C is no more bidirectional than any other variant of USB. It's all negotiated over the USB protocol, just the same as older USB plugs and sockets.
Re:Seems like Microsoft isn't ready for USB-C (Score:5, Funny)
Microsoft: "Industry standardized interfaces are too confusing for people, they should use our proprietary, device specific one."
I don't think that counts as "chickening out," it's Apple-like courage [theverge.com].
Re: (Score:2)
Did you even read the summary? "Microsoft is controlling the end-to-end experience and there is nothing wrong with that." What about that don't you understand? There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. Nothing.
Re: (Score:2)
I have yet to find a cable or device
I have yet to need to find a cable or device. That's kind of the point. You have a Nexus and a MacBook. Lucky you. I have a million android devices, older hubs, traditional USB devices etc etc. and I have yet to find anything I can't plug into the Surface USB-A port which includes every device everyone has ever given me (USB stick, card, camera, etc).
On the other hand I have not a single plug, cable, device or adapter that plugs into the USB-C port on my HP machine.
USB-C is the future, and for the time bein
Re: Seems like Microsoft isn't ready for USB-C (Score:2)
You don't need a fist full of adaptors. If every device you have fits into a USB A port on your surface, then all you need is one adaptor, a C to A.
Re: (Score:2)
Or you could have a USB-A port and need no adapter at all.
Re: (Score:2)
I have one better: I don't need ANY adapter.
I anticipate that maybe in 4 years some 10% of my devices may be USB-C. I anticipate my laptop will be replaced in 4 years any way. USB-C on a laptop is a liability if it doesn't also have USB-A. Especially an ultra portable which is intended to be used without lugging around anything else.
Re: (Score:3)
Biggest issue with USB-C is the botched roll out, certification issues and fears that the standard allows devices to use DRM to gimp / disable
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
... which isn't enough to outweigh the benefits of micro USB.
What are the benefits of Micro-USB?
Re: (Score:2)
Broken plugs after a few times of usage.
Huge "benefit" (Score:2)
The connectors are utterly flimsy and break with heavy use.
That's the only "benefit" of Micro-USB I can think of...
Oh wait, how about that there are actually three different micro-USB connectors that are super hard to tell apart, and almost ensure that the micro connector you have is not the one you need? At least the trapezoid and flatter variants, I swear there is a third too...
Re: Huge "benefit" (Score:2)
Re: Seems like Microsoft isn't ready for USB-C (Score:3)
Serial cables were pretty ubiquitous too. I remember the day where I only had to carry one around and it would work for everything.
Re: (Score:3)
Bizzare, there's one staring at me right now from the top of my BOSINUBAUTTA[1]. Found it while looking for something else. It's one of those with both 9 and 25 pin connectors.
I also have a load of adapters and genderbenders somewhere, all joined together like a space ship. It's been so long since I used them they've probably seized together.
[1] box of shit I'll never use but am unable/unwilling to throw away
Re:Seems like Microsoft isn't ready for USB-C (Score:5, Informative)
Aside from Thunderbolt (which is pointless with USB 3.1), micro USB already does all of that. The only benefit USB-C has is that it can be connected upside down, which isn't enough to outweigh the benefits of micro USB.
MicroUSB does NOT provide video capability, unless you use one of those crappy dongles that does video compression. USB-C not only does actual full bandwidth video, but in the Thunderbolt 3 configuration it even provides a friggin PCI-e interface. They even make external GPU enclosures that allow you to run an actual desktop GPU on a laptop if you'd like, and it works pretty well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
Not only that, but in terms of physical durability, USB-C will WAY outlast MicroUSB.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Sure you could send a 1080p@24fps video over USB...
1920*1080*3*24*8 = 11.9Gbit/s raw video data.. then you will most likely add a few percent on top of that in protocol-overhead so let's call it 12Gbit/s required for 1080p video.
Now lets see for USB speeds:
USB 2 - 480Mbit/s
USB 3.0 - 5Mbit/s -- Aka "SuperSpeed"
USB 3.1 - 10 Gbit/s
To reach the "SuperSpeed" you need at least 4 differential pairs in the cable (8 seperate physical leads in the cable) and then you need cables for power and such too. This is nothi
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
There are multiple different versions of "micro-USB". My laptop bag has currently got cables with four different connectors (five including the USB-C one) that all look roughly the same as a micro-USB but aren't.
There's mini-A, mini-B, micro-A, micro-B and something called UC-E6, plus whatever it is my camera uses. They all look roughly the same from a distance and in the case of some them, it's difficult to tell which way round they go in the socket until you try to ram them home. "Ramming home", coinciden
Re: Seems like Microsoft isn't ready for USB-C (Score:2)
Win98/SE was the first version to support USB in general, but later updates to 95 & 98 added support for USB mice.
I believe that in theory, a highly-motivated vendor with lots of resources *could* have independently released their own drivers for Win95OSR2 & non-SE Win98, but the miniport .dll files almost everyone depends upon only came with 98SE. It's hard enough to do when you HAVE them, and damn-near impossible to do without them. I remember Linux struggled with USB performance for *years* (lots
Why greatly reduces use of adaptors is not using (Score:3, Insightful)
USB-C is not as robust as USB-A. For a device that is expected to be replaced every year like a "smart" phone, USB-C is ok. For devices expected to last longer such as a laptop, USB-A is a better choice.
That is utterly stupid and backwards. For something that will just be around in a year, USB-A would be OK because that's still well supported.
But for something you plan to use for any length of time, more and more advanced stuff will come out primarily for USB-C. I would not buy a laptop I planed to use lon
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, very true.
I'm sat here with various adapters and a couple of hubs. And ok, it seems like a costly kludge, but bandwidth and throughput are king, and that feels quite liberating, because on this laptop I can get to use an old Thunderbolt display and a bunch of Firewire drives and some eSATA drives and USB3 drives and a Thunderbolt enclosure, and so on. The point is, there's no bottleneck on account of the ports. Plus I stopped missing MagSafe when I realised I get to my desk and I plug in just ONE cable
Re: (Score:2)
USB-C is not as robust as USB-A.
That's surprising, given that one of the design goals for USB-C was to be more robust than USB-A and it is designed and tested to support more insert/remove cycles than USB-A.
Both companies are insane (Score:5, Insightful)
Apple is dropping everything and only offers USB-C while Microsoft includes almost everything except USB-C.
It's like both companies don't want to have transition periods between the present and the future.
At least Microsoft isn't braindead and is keeping the traditional headphone jack. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Apple is not dropping everything. They are still retaining their proprietary iPhone connector which allows them to bilk customers for custom chargers.
Re: (Score:2)
You do realize that you can get third party chargers for $5 don't you?
https://www.fivebelow.com/3ft-... [fivebelow.com]
Re: (Score:3)
Sure if you externalize the costs of burning your house down.
Re: (Score:2)
It's not the cord that makes the difference it is the actual plug.
You do realize that you can get third party chargers for $5 don't you?
Decide what it is you want to talk about before we continue the conversation.
Re: (Score:2)
The *plug* is not proprietary so it's irrelevant as far as cost. You can just as easily buy the same cheap dangerous plug for an Android device as an iPhone. And you can use the same plug for either one. The cord is proprietary and you can buy a lightning cord with the same price/quality tradeoff as a standard USB cord.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
It's there. (Score:5, Insightful)
My new laptop at work (ZBook 15 G3) has USB-C. It's everything USB should have been since the beginning.
Reversible, Just Works(Tm). It'll drive 2 4k external TVs.
Laptop itself has Ethernet, VGA, 3xUSB3.0 and 2xUSB-C ports. Holds 64GB of RAM, 2xM.2 NVMe drives and 1x 2.5" drive.
The dock could still use some work. You shouldn't have to issue a white paper on how to hook up monitors [hp.com] (Which is still wrong, the HDMI port drives 4k just fine.).
If I *need* to do some GPU work I can plug in an external GPU [amazon.com]. Or gigabit ethernet or any other PCIe device.
Microsoft screwed up on this one. They're releasing old hardware. I bet they could have easily charged a surface on over USB Power Delivery [usb.org]. It's taken us a while but USB-C is pretty damn good as far as a physical connection. And Thunderbolt 3 is equally as good of a protocol. [wikipedia.org]
For most people if the 'desktop is dead' it's because USB-C/TB killed it. I just want to plug my laptop into cluster of CPUs when I'm at my desk.
Re:It's there. (Score:5, Insightful)
Which means that your ZBook 15 G3 has a Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C port. But you've simply called it USB-C, which could also be merely USB 3 Gen2, USB 3 Gen1, or even technically USB 2. Which provides a perfect case study for Microsoft's point.
Of course, you charge your device through the USB-C port, right? Nope! [hp.com] Your laptop still has a separate charging port. But USB-C should let you charge a device at up to 100W [belkin.com]. Don't you have USB-C? You said it could easily be done. Why not?
Which is Microsoft's point...
Re: (Score:3)
you charge your device through the USB-C port
Where did I claim that? I have a business laptop with a Xeon and 64 GB of RAM. This is a Surface.
But USB-C should let you charge
Which is all nice and good. I have a 150W adapter. It's a different device and market than the Surface.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
No thanks. I like charging a laptop via a magnetic connector. Apple's biggest mistake was moving away from magsafe.
Also while USB-C is everything USB always should have been, it's also everything that USB is not yet. Why the hell would I buy a device where I need to adapt everything to it? In 3-5 years I may consider it. Right now USB-C is a liability.
If you only provide one port that is. Frankly they could just as easily include a USB C port next to USB A.
But charging, no they made the right decision stick
Re: (Score:3)
Maybe because you're a twat. No checking to see if you have the plug facing the right way, you simply plug it in and you're done.
Re: It's there. (Score:3)
Micro USB is almost *impossible* to plug into "by feel" -- at best, you'll be wrong half the time, *guaranteed*, if you try. And probably 10-25% of the time when you *look*. It's just too thin to easily distinguish which end is the wide/narrow one without good lighting & active effort.
Mini-USB was pretty easy to plug in, though, which probably explains why so many portable hard drives continued to use it long after micro-USB became the norm for almost everything else.
Re: (Score:2)
Microsoft for the win (Score:2)
USB C can't happen fast enough for me (Score:5, Insightful)
USB C is, finally, USB done right. The connector is small, which is good for small devices; there is only one connector (no A and B variants); since there's only one connector you don't need a huge variety of cables (just USB A to USB C plus USB C to USB C and you are covered for 99.9% of scenarios); the plug doesn't have a "top" or "bottom", it just plugs in; and it was even designed to deliver useful amounts of power (enough to charge a small laptop).
My phone and my wife's phone are USB C and I just bought a Samsung Chromebook Plus, which charges by USB C (and it has two USB C ports, making it better than the Apple netbook). I'm planning to ask my employer to give me a laptop with USB C ports. I'm just waiting for a compact camera that uses USB C for charging and data and I'll buy that too. If I can manage it I won't buy another gadget with Micro USB or Mini USB ever again.
So congratulations, Microsoft! You managed to give me yet another reason to not buy your mobile devices!
P.S. I'm waiting for someone to make a kit that includes two or three USB C cables (USB C on both ends) plus a bunch of adapters: USB C to USB A, USB C to Mini USB, USB C to Micro USB, USB C to USB B, USB C to Ethernet jack, etc. Plus a USB to serial and USB to parallel and USB to IDE and SATA. It would be one kit that would let you connect almost anything to your laptop.
Re: (Score:2)
You're ahead of the curve. The vast majority of people and by far the vast majority of devices out there are NOT USB-C. It makes no sense to get a USB-C only laptop yet. Mind you it doesn't make much sense to release a USB-A only laptop but it makes more sense right now than a USB-C only device.
Unless you have the opinion of fuck you customer you can just dongle the dongle dongle and that way everything will work.
Re: (Score:3)
P.S. I'm waiting for someone to make a kit that includes two or three USB C cables (USB C on both ends) plus a bunch of adapters: USB C to USB A, USB C to Mini USB, USB C to Micro USB, USB C to USB B, USB C to Ethernet jack, etc. Plus a USB to serial and USB to parallel and USB to IDE and SATA. It would be one kit that would let you connect almost anything to your laptop.
Your kit already exists ! [xkcd.com] And as a bonus it's only one cable.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
I like the feel of USB-C. Every cable I have tried goes in easily and with a satisfying click. So far I only have factory provided cables though, maybe third party ones are that bad. I have to admit I'm a bit afraid of ordering more cables.
Look for Benson Leung's review before buying: https://www.amazon.com/gp/prof... [amazon.com]
He does standard compliance testing to verify that each cable, charger or hub fully and correctly implements the spec. There is a lot of crap out there, but there's also plenty of good stuff.
Re: USB C can't happen fast enough for me (Score:2)
Yep. I've had a Nexus 6p for a year, and *still* own exactly one cable that works reliably. I have two others I bought on Amazon that are flaky for data, and almost useless for charging (it won't fast-charge with them). The USB organization has really dropped the ball when it comes to certification & enforcement. Finding good USB-C cables is still mostly a blind shot in the dark on Amazon... and it'll be a cold day in *hell* before I pay $30+ for a cable at Best Buy.
Re: (Score:2)
USB-C Really isn't ready (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
One port to rule them all seems like a great initiative to throw away all those proprietary power bricks for laptops, monitors, scanners, TVs, NUCs that eschew bulky internal power supplies. My home office alone has 5 of them. (That's not to mention USB A cables to four separate output types in B, micro, mini, USB 3 micro B)
A question though, do those commonly found USB-A ports at coffee shops, university desks, at airports and on long distance trains, coaches and aeroplanes draw enough current to charge a
Re: (Score:2)
A question though, do those commonly found USB-A ports at coffee shops, university desks, at airports and on long distance trains, coaches and aeroplanes draw enough current to charge a laptop with a USB-A to C cable?
Nope. USB-C is a complex beast, and if you want high-power charging you need devices on both ends of the cable to support the USB Power Delivery protocol, and of course be able to deliver or receive high power.
Mainstream (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yes. I know two people that own a Surface.
Re:Mainstream (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
We bought them for our managers. Six of ten kept the surface pro tablets and four went back to laptops (zbook g3). So they are around.
Re: (Score:2)
You should get your short term memory loss issues addressed. You're showing early onset of dementia.
Remember 1995! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Missing something is not the same thing as adopting a standard that is unlikely to become mainstream for several years on a device that is only expected to last several years.
Re: (Score:3)
The second release of the book added more of the same.
That's an additional 20,000 words added to the second release. That's an additional 80 pages of material to cover up the fact the Bill Gates had a cracked crystal ball.
Fried Laptops? No thank you. (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
There is no reason modern electronics should fry unless they receive something truly out of spec (like a spike of 220VAC).
Re: (Score:2)
The ports should be smart enough to not take the full voltage. I've already seen a few folks fry their expensive phones by plugging in the wrong USB C cable.
The problem is bad cables. I don't know why the USBIF is allowing so many manufacturers to call their cables "USB type C" when they don't comply with the specifications. Avoid buying bad cables and everything will be fine. On Amazon, look for Benson Leung's reviews.
Re: (Score:2)
Until they solve that problem, it isn't ready for the mainstream
It's all part of the USB-PD standard. Problem was solved in inception. Don't buy $5 electronics which don't follow standards.
Re: (Score:2)
Pay more to get the same functionality as you had before.
What the hell are you talking about. There's nothing "the same" about the new and old USB standard. Well actually there is one constant, a $5 may blow up your device both with the new and old standard. It may also burn your house down. Either way you're not paying "more" for the "same".
They would say that wouldn't they? (Score:2)
I bought a nice laptop with a USB-C port replicator. Didn't work worth a damn under Windows 10 (kept disconnecting-reconnecting every few seconds).
Installed Fedora and it has worked perfectly ever since.
There's a real reason USB 3 is a problem (Score:2)
There's a real reason USB 3 can be a problem.
Don't we all remember this?
https://plus.google.com/+BensonLeung/posts/LH4PPgVrKVN [google.com]
https://www.reddit.com/r/Nexus6P/comments/3robzo/google_spreadsheet_for_usbc_cables_with_benson/ [reddit.com]
usbA/usbC (Score:2)
We will get there eventually.
How about having a reasonable number of USBX ports?
Every computer should have at least 4 imho.
Sure I could use a hub but that's not the point.
Eh.. (Score:2)
I'm not sure if the excuse works as the connector is going for almost every new smartphone/tablet/laptop released these days, but I have to agree with Microsoft (even though I think the Windows 10 S is an incredibly stupid idea) on this one.
USB Implementers Forum not only failed all my expectations, they managed to make me see USB Type C as worse than regular USB. It had the potential to fix all the problems of USB and make it even better, but somehow they managed to make it worse.
Ok, the connector is small
Re: Eh.. (Score:2)
The supply doesn't force it's rated power and cause the load to fry. The supply only produces enough power to supply what the load consumes. Circuits will only fry if they are poorly designed.
Adapters... (Score:2)
IIRC (Score:2)
Problem With Marketing (Score:3)
My big problem with USB-C is that there is a ton of confusion about what it actually is.
USB-C is always sold as "super fast", "allows high-wattage, bi-drectional charging", "high data volume for video and the like", etc. etc. But USB-C is just a connector format. So I bought a motherboard with a USB-C port thinking I was getting all these great benefits, only to realize that the port I got was USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 (what bozo decided that the confusing renaming of 3.0 to 3.1 Gen 1 was a good idea???), no better than the other 3.0 ports I had always had.
And this confusion happened to me, someone who is very technically-inclined. Even a ton of the tech sites I read when trying to sort this issue out conflate USB-C (the connector) with USB 3.1 Gen 2 (the spec). How is the general public supposed to figure this out?
Re: (Score:3)
And the problem for Microsoft is that Windows has to support third-party everything. Making the hardware as well as the software would solve Redmond's reliability problems.
Re:they're not wrong (Score:4, Interesting)
C to C cables don't seem to have any problems. If more PC vendors would just adopt C ports, then we could just abandon A/B cables and adapters outright.
Re: (Score:2)
All USB protocols and connectors are royalty-free to members of the USB Implementers Forum, and Microsoft is on their board of directors. And even if they weren't, I'm pretty sure they could find the US$4,000/year membership dues in the cushions of Satya Nadella's couch.
Re: (Score:2)
Is it a licensing issue? Are the royalties excessive?
Duh. They want to be like Apple. Instead adopting USB-C they have the "Surface Connect" port -- a la Microsoft's own Lightning connector. I'm sure all the accessories that use it are either made by them or by companies paying them a licensing fee.
Re: USB-C is a shit spec (Score:2)
Most industrial automation electronics run a 24v control circuit.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Pardon me, but you are a fool.
The reason that the voltage on the cable is 20v is to reduce the I^2R losses in the cable and connectors. To deliver a useful amount of power at 5v, you would need to have cables that were physically bulky, with matching heavy connectors. Since power = voltage * current, increasing the voltage decreases the current proportionally. Since dissipation in the cable and connectors is proportional to the square of the current, the effect is substantial. Remember, a 10% reduction in t
Re: (Score:2)
Someone tell me one modern electronic device we use that runs on greater than 12V internally.
Your lack of knowledge of electricity is astounding. There's a reason why you would step up voltages for delivery and it has nothing to do with the final voltage of a device.
CPU power input: 12V
And here is a perfect example of why you have no clue. No part of the CPU uses 12V, yet there's a 12V delivery to it. Think about that for a moment.
I can guarantee plenty of devices are going to fry when the cable or controller fucks up
If the device fries it would be suicide from the device and nothing to do with the controller or the cable. You'd know this if you read the standard.
Re: (Score:2)