Tag USBC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI8iOQwCUWg

The MagDisk is a device that really shows how far technology has come. It brings together a MagSafe-compatible SSD, a power bank, and a USB-C hub, making it more than just another gadget. It shows that technology is getting more integrated, packing storage, power, and connectivity into one sleek package.

Designer: EON Electronics

Click Here to Buy Now: Starting at $109 $149 (27% off). Hurry, only a few left! Raised over $185,000.

The MagDisk stands out due to its storage capacity, ranging from 512GB to an impressive 4TB, making it suitable for everyday users and avid content creators. However, its real strength lies in its speed – it can read and write data at speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, courtesy of USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 technology.

This feature is particularly beneficial for those who work with large files, such as video editors and photographers, as it significantly reduces data transfer times, allowing you to resume work sooner.

Pairing the MagDisk with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max ensures ample storage and extra battery life when needed. As an iPhone user for over a decade, I’ve witnessed its evolution into a powerful tool for content creators worldwide. The iPhone 15 series sets a new standard with its 48MP camera, marking a significant stride in mobile photography.

In addition to its impressive photo capabilities, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max stand out in video capture, thanks to Apple Log and ACES (Academy Color Encoding System). ACES, a global color standard used in major films, provides unrivaled color accuracy to smartphone videography, rivaling professional equipment. Apple Log further enhances this by capturing a broader color spectrum, producing videos with balanced High Dynamic Range (HDR) and rich details. However, high-quality recording requires ample storage, and that’s where the MagDisk comes in. It pairs seamlessly with the latest iPhones, allowing users to capture high-resolution photos and videos, supported by fast and reliable storage. The MagDisk offers sufficient storage space for large video files. This ensures users can fully utilize the iPhone’s advanced video features without worrying about storage, paving the way for new possibilities in mobile content creation.

The MagDisk offers varying recording times depending on the model: 34 minutes on the 512GB drive, 69 minutes on the 1TB, 138 minutes on the 2TB, and 278 minutes on the 4TB version. Personally, I would choose the 4TB version to prevent running out of storage during crucial projects. The design of the MagDisk is both stylish and practical. Made from a rugged aluminum alloy, it’s strong but not heavy and resists corrosion and UV damage. This means it’s built to last, whether you’re using it in a professional studio or out in the field.

The MagDisk is a versatile device that serves as a wireless power bank and is compatible with MagSafe. It has a 2400mAh capacity and Qi2 certification, making it faster and more efficient than traditional Qi wireless chargers. This feature significantly benefits anyone who relies on their devices all day, whether a busy parent or a professional videographer. The MagDisk is compatible with both Apple’s Find My and Android’s Find My Device networks. This allows users to track their devices using encrypted Bluetooth signals, ensuring that valuable data remains secure and accessible. This feature is handy for those who frequently travel for events and projects, where the risk of misplacing our devices is always present.

Another crucial feature of the MagDisk Pro is its Dynamic Thermal Guard technology. This feature maintains the device’s safe operating temperature, crucial for its high-speed performance and data-heavy tasks like 4K60 video recording. It protects the device and safeguards the stored data while keeping the surface temperature low. This adherence to the international safety standard IEC62368-1 ensures users won’t suffer from low-temperature burns during use.

It’s noteworthy that MagDisk also includes a genuine USB Type-C cable. This is significant because not all USB-C cables provide the same data transfer speed or charging rate. The company suggests using the provided cable to ensure the best performance and to prevent the device from being recognized.

In our technologically driven world, the integration of various tech advancements is key to making our lives easier. The MagDisk is a perfect example of this. Not only is it an excellent external hard drive, but it also seamlessly interfaces with other technologies like gaming consoles. Moreover, it offers interoperability between Android and iOS. The team recently announced that MagDisk now fully supports Android devices for external storage during filming. This is achieved through the use of apps like mcpro24, similar to the capabilities enjoyed by iPhone 15 Pro users.

In simple terms, the MagDisk is not just a new gadget on Kickstarter. It shows how technology is evolving and connecting us. It has various uses – storage, wireless charging, and easy tracking. As we keep adapting to new technology, devices like MagDisk will become standard in our daily lives, shaping our everyday use of technology.

Click Here to Buy Now: Starting at $109 $149 (27% off). Hurry, only a few left! Raised over $185,000.

Fiio, best known for its audiophile-grade DACs and desktop streamers has surprised everyone at CES 2024 with a retro gadget that breaks the ice in terms of its nostalgia. This is the CP13 cassette player inspired by the popular Sony Walkman back in the 80s era.

The gadget is just not a shell inspired by the Walkman of that time, rather it is a modern cassette music player to its true core. You can gauge the realism from the fact that there isn’t Bluetooth on this music player to keep this very authentic. However, the Chinese manufacturer has added USB-C charging feature to save you from buying AA batteries every week.

Designer: Fiio

Doesn’t this mean, that cassette player technology has gone a full circle and now coming back in trend? In fact, the year 2022 saw an annual sale of 195,000 cassette player units. The appearance in ‘The Last of US’ and pop albums by Billie Elish, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift further seems to strengthen this fact!

Paying homage to the original Walkman in dual tone silver blue finish, the gadget has a retro design with large playback buttons, 3.5 mm headphone port and an oversized knob. By the looks of things, there’s no option to auto-reverse, so you’ll have to manually change sides. However, you can fast forward, reverse and pause just like the original one.

Another added feature along with the more modern charging port is the status LED. The player is good for 15 hours of playback on a single charge but sadly there’s no function to convert tapes to MP3 files. Of course, there’s the signature color variant but audioheads can also go for the matte black with white and the blue with metal silver option.

The audio accessory is priced at $164 and I’m not too sure if I’ll be going down that road anytime soon. Still, the Fiio CP13 does evoke a lot of fond memories of the golden era when owning music albums and following artists was a lot more precious compared to modern times.

Fiio, best known for its audiophile-grade DACs and desktop streamers has surprised everyone at CES 2024 with a retro gadget that breaks the ice in terms of its nostalgia. This is the CP13 cassette player inspired by the popular Sony Walkman back in the 80s era.

The gadget is just not a shell inspired by the Walkman of that time, rather it is a modern cassette music player to its true core. You can gauge the realism from the fact that there isn’t Bluetooth on this music player to keep this very authentic. However, the Chinese manufacturer has added USB-C charging feature to save you from buying AA batteries every week.

Designer: Fiio

Doesn’t this mean, that cassette player technology has gone a full circle and now coming back in trend? In fact, the year 2022 saw an annual sale of 195,000 cassette player units. The appearance in ‘The Last of US’ and pop albums by Billie Elish, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift further seems to strengthen this fact!

Paying homage to the original Walkman in dual tone silver blue finish, the gadget has a retro design with large playback buttons, 3.5 mm headphone port and an oversized knob. By the looks of things, there’s no option to auto-reverse, so you’ll have to manually change sides. However, you can fast forward, reverse and pause just like the original one.

Another added feature along with the more modern charging port is the status LED. The player is good for 15 hours of playback on a single charge but sadly there’s no function to convert tapes to MP3 files. Of course, there’s the signature color variant but audioheads can also go for the matte black with white and the blue with metal silver option.

The audio accessory is priced at $164 and I’m not too sure if I’ll be going down that road anytime soon. Still, the Fiio CP13 does evoke a lot of fond memories of the golden era when owning music albums and following artists was a lot more precious compared to modern times.

It’s been nearly 2 years since Apple refreshed their budget iPhone SE and analysts are predicting that the company will launch a completely refreshed 4th Gen iPhone SE in the year 2024. The budget iPhone SE hasn’t just been a hot favorite for people looking for affordable iPhones for themselves or their children (it makes a great first phone), it’s been incredibly beneficial for Apple too, as the company has used this opportunity to flex its recycling chops, using chassis elements, components, and hardware from previous iPhones to build new low-end models. Up until now, the iPhone SE has still rocked some of Apple’s older design elements, like the curved edges, thick bezels, and even the archaic TouchID fingerprint reader that disappeared entirely in 2018. Designer 4RMD believes, however, that the upcoming iPhone SE will finally see a design upgrade in the form of a flat-edge form factor, a camera notch with FaceID, an action button (instead of the mute slider), and who knows… maybe even MagSafe! Rumored for a 2024 reveal, the 4th Gen iPhone SE could also be Apple’s first ‘Carbon Neutral‘ smartphone.

Designer: 4RMD

According to 4RMD’s renders (and that gorgeous Apple-inspired trailer video above), the 2024 iPhone SE will finally merge seamlessly into Apple’s product offering by looking like a part of their cutting-edge phone lineup. This means a bigger, more responsive 6.1-inch OLED display (with a FaceID camera notch on the front) covered by Apple’s Ceramic Shield glass. The phone’s showcased in 3 classic colors – black, white, and Product RED.

The phone is also powered by Apple’s A16 Bionic Chip, which was debuted just months ago inside the iPhone 15 series. It seems like processor overkill given the budget-status of the phone, but then again, the A16 is great at hardware rendering, which would make the 2024 iPhone SE a stellar gaming phone and a perfect pick for parents looking to gift their kids a low-cost iPhone. The presence of the A16 chip would pretty much gut Apple’s iPhone 13 and 14 sales, though.

Given its budget status, it still comes with a single-shooter primary camera that’s been upgraded to 48MP. The ultrawide lens also shoots Macro, supports Night Mode, and is even capable of capturing Cinematic videos.

However, 4RMD’s concept iPhone SE does tend to shoot for optimism with a few specs and details that strike one as ambitious. For starters, he touts an Action Button, which I doubt Apple would carry over to the budget iPhone this quickly. There’s even a mention of transitioning to USB-C, which I don’t see Apple doing this year for their budget phones (Apple could just restrict sales in the EU regarding lightning port concerns, given that the SE range isn’t their money-maker).

What the video doesn’t highlight is any of Apple’s safety features like car crash detection, or even the presence of wireless charging and MagSafe. If the past is any indication, this phone won’t come with a charger in the box, so having wireless charging capabilities will still be a heaven-sent for most buyers. The 4th Gen iPhone SE is due to drop in 2024, although whether it launches with Apple’s refreshed iPads in March, or with the iPhone 16 in October is anybody’s guess.

It’s been nearly 2 years since Apple refreshed their budget iPhone SE and analysts are predicting that the company will launch a completely refreshed 4th Gen iPhone SE in the year 2024. The budget iPhone SE hasn’t just been a hot favorite for people looking for affordable iPhones for themselves or their children (it makes a great first phone), it’s been incredibly beneficial for Apple too, as the company has used this opportunity to flex its recycling chops, using chassis elements, components, and hardware from previous iPhones to build new low-end models. Up until now, the iPhone SE has still rocked some of Apple’s older design elements, like the curved edges, thick bezels, and even the archaic TouchID fingerprint reader that disappeared entirely in 2018. Designer 4RMD believes, however, that the upcoming iPhone SE will finally see a design upgrade in the form of a flat-edge form factor, a camera notch with FaceID, an action button (instead of the mute slider), and who knows… maybe even MagSafe! Rumored for a 2024 reveal, the 4th Gen iPhone SE could also be Apple’s first ‘Carbon Neutral‘ smartphone.

Designer: 4RMD

According to 4RMD’s renders (and that gorgeous Apple-inspired trailer video above), the 2024 iPhone SE will finally merge seamlessly into Apple’s product offering by looking like a part of their cutting-edge phone lineup. This means a bigger, more responsive 6.1-inch OLED display (with a FaceID camera notch on the front) covered by Apple’s Ceramic Shield glass. The phone’s showcased in 3 classic colors – black, white, and Product RED.

The phone is also powered by Apple’s A16 Bionic Chip, which was debuted just months ago inside the iPhone 15 series. It seems like processor overkill given the budget-status of the phone, but then again, the A16 is great at hardware rendering, which would make the 2024 iPhone SE a stellar gaming phone and a perfect pick for parents looking to gift their kids a low-cost iPhone. The presence of the A16 chip would pretty much gut Apple’s iPhone 13 and 14 sales, though.

Given its budget status, it still comes with a single-shooter primary camera that’s been upgraded to 48MP. The ultrawide lens also shoots Macro, supports Night Mode, and is even capable of capturing Cinematic videos.

However, 4RMD’s concept iPhone SE does tend to shoot for optimism with a few specs and details that strike one as ambitious. For starters, he touts an Action Button, which I doubt Apple would carry over to the budget iPhone this quickly. There’s even a mention of transitioning to USB-C, which I don’t see Apple doing this year for their budget phones (Apple could just restrict sales in the EU regarding lightning port concerns, given that the SE range isn’t their money-maker).

What the video doesn’t highlight is any of Apple’s safety features like car crash detection, or even the presence of wireless charging and MagSafe. If the past is any indication, this phone won’t come with a charger in the box, so having wireless charging capabilities will still be a heaven-sent for most buyers. The 4th Gen iPhone SE is due to drop in 2024, although whether it launches with Apple’s refreshed iPads in March, or with the iPhone 16 in October is anybody’s guess.

8 years ago, Apple (helmed by Jony Ive) committed one of design’s biggest cardinal sins by taking a hatched to product usability. Sounds a little extreme, but ask anyone about Apple’s biggest design flaw and they’ll probably tell you how the Magic Mouse needs to be flipped over to charge, thus rendering it absolutely unusable. The flaw is so hilariously bad that most people even overlook the fact that the Magic Mouse is the least ergonomic mouse to begin with. Its ultra-sleek design is perfect for slipping into laptop bags, but it’s a nightmare for anyone with carpal tunnel, and even generally, makes for a horrible gripping experience (resulting in people designing pretty clever ergonomic grips for the Magic Mouse).

Many a DIY-er has tried fixing both the ergonomic and charging problems, but failed at the latter… but Ivan Kuleshov thinks he may have finally cracked the code. His solution? A redesigned shell for the Magic Mouse that doesn’t just fix the infamous charging issue but also enhances its ergonomic feel. The new design allows for upright charging through a USB-C port, a simple yet effective fix that Apple seemingly overlooked.

Designer: Ivan Kuleshov

Kuleshov’s design does the unthinkable – lets you use your Magic Mouse while charging it. Apple apparently engineered a failsafe into its mouse that disabled usage during charging (something that designer Matt Benedetto figured out the hard way), but Kuleshov’s solution circumvents that by technically ‘hacking’ the mouse.

The journey wasn’t straightforward. Existing 3D models of the Magic Mouse fell short, pushing Kuleshov to adjust the enclosure shape by eye, iterating through multiple prints and adjustments. This process epitomized the trial-and-error spirit inherent in DIY projects. He crafted a frame-adapter for the upper part of the mouse in just four iterations, meticulously designed to extend the original mount. This adaptation allowed for a spring and an offset lever to press the button, integrating seamlessly with the mouse’s design.

Kuleshov didn’t stop at mere design modifications. He tackled the electrical challenge head-on, soldering a TP4056 directly to the battery outputs, ensuring the mouse continued to work while charging. This modification enabled the mouse to bypass Apple’s standard charging protocol, a nifty workaround to a long-standing problem​.

After numerous trials, Kuleshov finally achieved the ideal enclosure shape. It charges the battery directly, and despite its increased size, the mouse’s sensor still makes contact with the table, ensuring precise movement. Kuleshov labels it as “the world’s first ergonomic Magic Mouse without any flaws,” and while this might be a bold statement (given its slightly bulky appearance), it seems to be a significant improvement from a practical standpoint.

Kuleshov took to Twitter (or whatever Musk wants you to call it) to showcase his rather complicated but functional redesign. The internet’s consensus seems mixed, but with everyone on the same page. While most people are marveling at this new modification, calling it a truly “magical” mouse, others are applauding Kuleshov’s ingenuity while also commenting on the fact that this level of ‘hacking’ was even necessary to undo a simple problem that Apple seemingly engineered on purpose into their product. To make things better, Kuleshov has made his entire project open-source and tinkerers can download the files on GitHub to modify their own Magic Mice…

I hacked the Magic Mouse.
And created the world’s first ergonomic Magic Mouse with no weaknesses.
Yes, you can charge it via USB-C right while you’re working!
More details + demo in the thread pic.twitter.com/lxvCXArZdG

— Ivan Kuleshov (@Merocle) November 16, 2023

Apple finally announced a new Apple Pencil, and to get it out of the way early – no, it’s not the long-awaited Apple Pencil 3. Instead, the newest Apple Pencil is more like a mid-gen refresh with a few missing features and a seemingly tighter, more compact design at 6.1 inches in length and 0.29 inches in diameter (according to Apple Insider). The most important difference between this new Apple Pencil – which Apple is calling the Apple Pencil USB-C – and previous iterations is the notable price cut.

This new USB-C powered Apple Pencil is priced at $79 MSRP, which makes it more approachable for iPad users who don’t want to shell out $99 for the arguably less impressive first-gen Apple Pencil or the $129 Apple Pencil 2. Still, there are a few catches; the USB-C model doesn’t include pressure sensitivity, meaning it lacks one of the most important Apple Pencil features for artists who would normally be able to draw or paint with bigger or smaller lines, relative to the amount of pressure applied. It also lacks the Apple Pencil 2’s double-tap and wireless pairing and charging features.

Designer: Apple

You’re also going to want to make sure your iPad is equipped with a USB-C port, otherwise your Apple Pencil USB-C won’t be able to pair properly. Specifically, according to Apple, you’ll want to own one of the following: “iPad (10th generation), iPad Air (4th and 5th generations), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generations), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th generations), and iPad mini (6th generation)”.

If that’s not a concern, the new Apple Pencil USB-C is an extremely sleek-looking accessory that should make iPad usage more convenient and enjoyable across the board. Its stealthy sliding cap design hides away the device’s integrated USB-C port, making it easy to plug in and charge, then store comfortably on the side or on top of your iPad once you’re finished charging. Much like the Apple Pencil 2, it attaches to the iPad magnetically.

iPad Pro owners equipped with an Apple Pencil USB-C also get another Apple Pencil 2 feature via Apple Pencil hover, which lets you see, for instance, the effect a selected tool (like a paint bucket) will have on a canvas before you actually apply it.

Apple Pencil USB-C will become available via Apple Store for $79 in early November, but it sounds like it will be discounted to just $69 for educational purposes. Apple describes its educational pricing as being available to “current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and home-school teachers of all grade levels.”

In a way, the birth of the hub can be credited to the birth of the laptop. Laptops have basically strived to condense the functionality of a desktop into a portable form, but in the process, have also surrendered a few key features like key ports and the ability to upgrade storage. Multiport hubs were designed to compensate for those shortcomings, but as laptops grow more and more powerful, the demand for powerful hubs have gone up too. Meet DockNova, a 10-in-1 hub that packs all the features most power-users need, from support for 8K displays, 2.5G ethernet, 100W power delivery, and the ability to mount SSDs up to 4 terabytes. All this fits in the size of a hub no larger than a Snickers bar, with a gorgeous aluminum body and a clear plastic front facade, and a nifty button that lets you remotely black-out your external display to protect parents and managers from catching you browsing the web instead of working or studying.

Designer: DockNova

Click Here to Buy Now: $109 $159 (30% Off) Hurry! Only 60 hours left!

The DockNova opts for the ‘transparent’ design trend that’s been gaining popularity rather slowly and steadily in the past year. It sports an aluminum chassis, but comes with a clear facade that lets you see the PCB underneath, making it an instant tech-nerd favorite. The clear plastic cover lets you admire the ports, modules, chips, and other elements of the DockNova, while the base of the hub has screws that let you open it up to mount an SSD on the inside.

The transparent design pretty much reveals all of DockNova’s key ports. From the regular USB-A ports and SD card readers to more powerful ports like the ethernet port, the 8K-compliant HDMI port, and a whopping 100W power delivery USB-C port for charging your laptop. The DockNova packs two USB 3.2 Gen2 ports for thumb drives and charging regular devices via USB cable, but for higher-speed data transfer or faster charging, it houses one full-featured USB-C port and another power-delivery port capable of lifting weights up to 100W. That means you can directly hook the DockNova into your laptop and connect your charger into the DockNova itself, transferring power through the hub without blocking an extra port on your laptop.

Aside from charging your laptop, the DockNova also helps connect it directly to the internet through a 2.5G Ethernet port that gets high-speed internet to your machine. Card readers allow you to collect data dumps from DSLRs, drones, and other devices that store information on SD cards, and the DockNova’s rear has space to mount an M.2 (NVMe or SATA) SSD up to 4 terabytes in capacity, turning the hub into a data transfer behemoth aside from a charging beast!

However, the DockNova’s most interesting feature is connected to its HDMI port. The hub’s HDMI has support for displays up to 8K in resolution (albeit with a 30Hz refresh rate), or even 4K@120Hz, making it perfect for hooking up external displays for gaming, video editing, graphic design, or media consumption. Speaking of media consumption, the DockNova also packs its own display killswitch that lets you black out the display from the hub itself. This is especially useful when you’re watching Twitch or YouTube and your parents or manager sneaks up on you to see what you’re doing. You could have work running on the main display and entertainment on the secondary display, and DockNova lets you black out the latter on demand. Perfect for when you don’t want to share private projects with your colleagues, don’t want bosses and parents finding you chilling instead of working, and no, we’re not going to recommend anything to do with adult websites. We’re not. Nope.

Being USB-C, the DockNova works with more than just your laptops. It supports Windows and Mac devices, but also works with Android phones, iPads with USB-C ports (perfect for the Pro range), and even the latest iPhone 15 Pro. Additionally, it also works with Linux devices, ChromeOS devices, PlayStations, Xboxes, and handheld controllers like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch, allowing you to transfer data across devices with ease, connect bigger displays or wired ethernet ports, or even upgrade your device’s storage thanks to the add-on SSD slot. The DockNova is available at a discounted $109 and ships globally starting December 2023.

Click Here to Buy Now: $109 $159 (30% Off) Hurry! Only 60 hours left!

Click Here to Buy Now: $109 $159 (30% Off) Hurry! Only 60 hours left!

With the company transitioning to USB-C, committing to bold environmental goals, and even finally embracing Right to Repair, this is officially a new era for Apple and I’m absolutely loving it… but first, let’s just acknowledge the star of this year’s keynote – the Apple iPhone 15.

Each Apple Keynote is a combination of two things – some recurring moments that give us a sense of familiarity, like Tim Cook saying “Good Morning!” or watching a montage of people who’ve had life-saving experiences with Apple products… and some moments that are starkly different, reminding us of everything Apple did new this year, like the short film with Octavia Spencer as Mother Nature, and Apple’s wholehearted pivot to USB-C, tinted glass, and a titanium chassis for the 15 Pro. This year saw a hearty blend of both kinds of moments, and just like every year, this year’s iPhone 15 and 15 Pro series holds a lot of promise.

Designer: Apple

The iPhone 15 has a new 48MP main camera (upgrading from last year’s 24MP shooter), a screen with 2000 nits of peak brightness, the iconic Dynamic Island, a next-gen Ultra Wide Band chip that also helps you find friends (instead of just your Apple products), an Action Button instead of the mute slider, and Roadside Assistance via satellite… all powered by the powerful A16 Bionic Chip. The iPhone 15 now also sports a tinted glass back that’s colored on a molecular level for a distinctly pastel appeal, and a USB-C port at the bottom, marking the official death of the Lightning Port.

The iPhone 15 Pro on the other hand now boasts of a stunning Grade 5 titanium design that’s stronger yet lighter than steel. The USB-C port runs the USB3 protocol that’s powered by a dedicated section of the A17 Pro Bionic chip, enabling rapid transfer of data across devices and onto external storage. The 15 Pro also has the Dynamic Island, understandably, and the Action Button over the Mute Slider. The built-in A17 Bionic Chip is measurably more powerful and efficient than its predecessor, now with new hardware ray-tracing features that make games MUCH better on the 15 Pro. Given its Pro status, the phone comes with even better cameras than last year, featuring a Macro mode, super high-resolution photos (now with the ability to change your resolution natively within the camera app, and a stunning 5x Telephoto Optical Zoom on the Pro Max, thanks to a new ‘textured prism’ design that bounces light multiple times before it hits the sensor. A combination of two lenses on the 15 Pro also allows you to shoot Spatial Videos, making the new Pro iPhone the ONLY device capable of creating 3D content for the Vision Pro.

The undertone of this entire event, however, was about all the changes that Apple’s making to its products and operations. The USB-C is just a small part of it, but even if you look at the invite, the Apple Logo is made from titanium particles, hinting at a shift in material. Along with the USB-C on the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro series, Apple’s even upgrading the AirPods Pro 2nd Gen to USB-C as well as adding USB-C to the EarPods for people who still believe in wired music. The new protocol now allows you to charge your gadgets through the iPhone by simply connecting them via cable (so you don’t need to unhook your MagSafe wallet to wirelessly charge your AirPods). This effectively leaves simply the AirPods and the AirPods Max as the only personal gadgets with the Lightning Port, although chances are they’ll get refreshed pretty soon too. Apple is finally aboard the USB-C train… but just like we speculated, only the Pro models get Thunderbolt-like features with 10Gb/s data transfer speeds.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Textured Prism Camera Design

In a rather surprising move, Apple’s also overwhelmingly ‘canceled’ leather. In a bid to lower its global impact, the company’s made many drastic steps like recycling materials, reducing plastic within packaging, cutting e-waste, shifting to carbon-neutral operations, opted for sea-based logistics rather than air-cargo, and even planting millions of trees to reforest major parts of the earth. Apple’s latest step is to entirely eliminate leather from their annual line-up of devices and accessories. To replace leather, the company’s introduced FineWoven, a wonderful tightly woven fabric that’s just as luxurious to the touch as suede, while being animal-free. The FineWoven fabric can be found on Apple’s iPhone 15 and 15 Pro cases, as well as their new Watch straps (including even this year’s Hermes straps). The AirTag holder and MagSafe wallet get FineWoven alternatives too.

Apple’s new FineWoven fabric replaces all their leather accessories

The Wonderlust event had one big takeaway – that Apple’s committed to making the best products in the best ways possible. No more fighting governments and unions to defend separate charging ports and standards, no more creating an e-waste pandemic caused by the high demands of their gadgets, no more vociferously opposing Right to Repair legislation, and in the words of Tim Cook, ensuring that “by 2030, all Apple devices will have a net-zero climate impact.” It’s pretty much a new era at Apple, as the company looks at its legacy with equal intensity as its growth. Changing to USB-C is a small step in that direction, but it marks a seismic shift in Apple’s vision of being a company that delights both its users as well as the planet.

The company has ambitious Carbon Neutral goals that it hopes to achieve before 2030.

As Apple (like clockwork) sent out cryptic invitations for its upcoming September event, titled “Wonderlust”, the internet is rife with speculations about all the new gadgets we’re going to see. However, while everyone focuses on the iPhone 15 and its pivot to USB-C, and even a rumored 10th-anniversary Watch X, it turns out that the AirPods may see some big changes too.

A recent report by Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, followed by insights from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, hints that Apple is bringing USB-C to the AirPods too, marking a big shift in their hardware endeavors. This would effectively leave the lightning port in the rear-view mirror as the only current products still supporting it are all iMac and MacBook adjacent – namely the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard. Whether Apple would retire the port entirely (after a solid decade) or not remains to be decided, although it’s great to see the company proactively ensuring that the latest AirPods and iPhone are both on the same charging protocol for consumer-friendliness.

Funnily enough, this isn’t the first time the AirPods got a USB-C makeover. YouTuber and maverick engineer Ken Pillonel actually built his own USB-C AirPods Pro (and even open-sourced it for others to do so too), although it seems like Apple’s finally catching on. Pillonel’s USB-C AirPods Pro is still entirely repairable, a fact we can’t say for Apple’s own hardware. The YouTuber’s even built a transparent AirPods Pro case, going above and beyond Apple’s wildest dreams.

Beyond the product reveals, Apple’s strategic focus on expanding its domestic component base has put the spotlight on India as a manufacturing hub. With a gradual increase in iPhone manufacturing within India, Apple’s plans hint at further localization of production.

Ken Pillonel’s Transparent AirPods Pro with USB-C