USB gets a Lightning cable makeover: First glimpse of reversible USB 3 cables

By Jeremy Kaplan Published April 2, 2014

Reversible, USB Type C cable — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The ubiquitous USB cable is set for a major revamp — and here’s the first image of its new look.

Announced in December by the USB 3.0 Promoter Group, a trade association that controls the USB specification, the new cables aim to solve a problem that’s likely frustrated anyone who’s ever fumbled behind their computer to plug in a pesky digital camera or other gadget: Which way is up? The new cable will come in an entirely new design that’s reversible, calling to mind Apple’s anything-goes Lightning cables.

Recommended Videos

Called USB Type-C, the new connectors will feature an entirely new design with a smaller size, and most important, users will no longer need to be concerned with plug orientation — no more fumbling behind that PC, in other words. Seen here are the first-ever renderings of the cable, obtained by The Verge from Foxconn. They look more like Micro HDMI than the standard, wide-body USB plugs we’re all familiar with,

The new cables will also support USB 3.1, and a bandwidth of up to 10Gbps. According to The Verge, the design and the full spec have not been finalized just yet, but the folks in charge are confident enough to release these images.

Needless to say, the plugs aren’t compatible with anything you currently own. Next stop, dongle city.

Topics

Mobile

Former Digital Trends Contributor

As Editor in Chief, Jeremy Kaplan transformed Digital Trends from a niche publisher into one of the fastest growing…

Computing

At basically $105, the Ryzen 5 7600X is the best gaming CPU to buy right now

The Ryzen 5 7600X sitting among thermal paste and RAM.

I don't usually get my hopes up for Black Friday CPU deals, but I found one that's just too good to pass up. Right now, you can get the Ryzen 5 7600X -- still one of the best processors for value-focused gaming -- for basically $105. No, that's not the actual price listed on Newegg where you'll find the deal, but there's a lot going on with this sale.

For starters, the CPU itself is marked down by 24%, bringing the $299 list price down to $225. Not a great deal for a last-gen chip. However, you can save an additional $30 by using the promo code BFEDY2A33, and more importantly, you'll get a free Kingston NV3 1TB hard drive with the order. That's a PCIe 4.0 SSD that normally costs $90.

Computing

This Asus laptop with Copilot+ is $350 off at Best Buy

Asus Vivobook S 15 CoPilot+ front view showing display and keyboard.

You can do quite a bit of gaming on the go these days, thanks to all the handheld consoles and gaming laptops that are on the market. Regarding the latter, we’re always on the lookout for top discounts on the gaming gear we all want to own, which leads us to this wonderful discovery:

For a limited time, when you purchase the Asus Vivobook S 15 with Copilot+ at Best Buy, you’ll pay $550. At full price, this model sells for $900. We tested this PC earlier this year, and our reviewer said the following: “The Asus Vivobook S15 is the best large-display Copilot+ laptop so far in an old-school form factor.”

Computing

This gorgeous Mac mini hub exacerbates the power button placement problem

M4 Mac mini with Satechi hub on a desk.

Satechi, known for its high-quality tech accessories, is updating its Mac mini hub for the new M4 model. Like previous hubs, it allows Mac mini owners to expand their storage and ports while preserving airflow, wireless signal, and performance. It looks awesome, but this time, the design highlights the problematic nature of the new Mac mini's placement of its power button.

With previous Mac mini models, the power button was at the back, making it easily accessible even when it was in a Satechi hub. The new button placement on the bottom of the PC, however, may prove even more annoying for anyone who wants to buy this accessory.