USB - page 3

Upgrade Your Mac To 802.11ac With QuickerTech’s USB Dongle

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QuickerTech’s pitch for its 802.11AC USB Transceiver is a good one in this wasteful age of needless upgrades: instead of tossing out your perfectly good old Mac just to buy one that is only marginally better just because it has faster 802.11ac wireless, just add this little USB dongle instead. This is especially true for a desktop Mac, which has plenty of USB ports to house a the little widget.

Switchable Data/Power Lightning Cable For Safer Charging

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In the market for a new Lightning cable for on-the-go charging purposes? Then consider the awkwardly-named “8-pin Lightning Data Sync (iTune) Blocker” from USB Fever. Not only is is like about a third of the price of Apple’s own cable, but it comes with a switch on the wire that’ll let you plug your iDevice into any charging hole without worrying that it’s going to suck out your data of pump it full of filthy malware.

Hub Accepts USB Plugs In Any Direction

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Yesterday’s biggest news – the biggest I tell you – was the announcement of a new USB plug that can be stuck into its hole any way you like, eliminating one of the many frustrations of USB connectors. But that plug won’t be available until 2014, and will doubtless be ruined by some stupid design decision along the way.

But fret not, dear frustrated USB user, because you can have your USB two-way today, in the form of this Buffalo USB hub.

The Sound Step Recharge: Study And Work With Better Sound #BackToSchool [Deals]

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This is #BackToSchool week at Cult of Mac Deals. There will be several new deals launching each day. Check in here each day for new deals for #BackToSchool. There will be a ton of apps, gear, gadgets, games, and more to buy just in time for the start of school, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for deals that have school — and savings — in mind.

One of the things I do when I’m writing is play music in hte background. I just can’t work in silence.

Lately I’ve been using a cool online service called focus@will that plays a variety of types of music that can serve to enhance productivity and focus. But I don’t use my Mac’s internal speakers when I use the service. Instead, I use external speakers. That way I can get much better sound out of the experience — and Cult of Mac Deals has a deal on the Soundfreaq Sound Step Recharge that will help you have a great-sounding experience during work and play.

AccessIO Brings All Your iMac’s Ports To The Front [Kickstarter]

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Kickstarters are like wonderful, vivid dreams that you’re never quite sure are real, and constantly terrified that you’re suddenly going to wake up from, with nothing to show for it. That’s why I usually don’t write them up: even if a Kickstarter is fully funded, you’re never sure if it’s going to come to market as planned, or not be a steaming pile when it does.

I’m making an exception for the AccessIO, though. It corrects a major design issue I’ve had with the iMac pretty much forever: it’s impossible to reach its ports. AccessIO brings your iMac USB and headphone jack to the front of the device, where they belong.

Microsoft’s Newest Ad Pits The Struggling Surface RT Against The iPad [Video]

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Microsoft’s recent barrage of antiiPad ads have nearly all featured third-party tablets rather than boasting about Microsoft’s own iPad-killer, the Surface RT. Now that it’s desperately slashed prices on RT units, Microsoft is feeling inexplicably cocky in its latest ad, which pits the hardware and software specs of the iPad against that of the Surface RT.

Basically, Microsoft is praying the iPad’s lack of a keyboard (that you have to purchase separately), Microsoft Office, and a USB port will be enough to entice some unlucky nerds to buy a Surface RT instead of an iPad now that it’s cheaper than ever but still deprived of quality apps.

Here’s the ad:

Recharge Your Smart Devices On The Go With The Portable Power Pack [Deals]

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This Cult of Mac Deals promotion doesn’t just offer portable energy – it offers peace of mind.

The Portable Power Pack works with smartphones, iPods/mp3 players, and virtually any handheld device with a USB or mini-USB charging cable. And Cult of Mac Deals has the Portable Power Pack available at a savings of 44% – only $37.99 – for a limited time.

Anker’s New Astro 3 Battery Can Fully Charge an iPad for Just Fifty Bucks

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That’s right, $50 nabs you the Anker Astro 3, an external battery with three USB ports and 12,000 mAh, which is — in theory — enough juice to completely charge any iPad.

Why the in theory disclaimer? Because although the Astro 3’s 12,000 mAh capacity exceeds the 11,560 mAh capacity of the battery in the two latest iPads (the iPad 2’s battery is about half that of its successors), there’s always some energy loss when transferring energy from one battery to another.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

AOC Unveils Its New Cafe-Ready Portable USB-Powered Display

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AOC didn't have an image with a MacBook. Pthhh.

 

AOC’s new USB-powered, 16-inch LCD display may be a godsend for travelers who occasionally need a little extra MacBook screen real estate.

The AOC screen plugs into a USB 3 port (and only a USB 3 port), and just like any other external monitor can either mirror or augment a MacBook’s screen. The screen’s resolution is 1366×768, which covers an area of 15.6 inches — not quite the resolution of the standard 15″ MBP’s screen, but not that far off.

SanDisk’s New Thumb Drives Have Built-In Wi-Fi

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USB thumb drives are fast becoming useless, simply because we have nothing to plug them into. I used to get excited when PR folks gave me a 1GB stick instead of a DVD containing their press info, but how am I supposed to stick it into my iPad?

SanDisk’s new Connect Wireless Flash Drive fixes that. It’s a 16GB or 32GB thumb drive, only it has a Wi-Fi radio inside

DigiPower Travel Charger For Camera Batteries Is Effective And Annoying [Review]

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Travel Charger by DigiPower
Category: Chargers
Works With: Various Cameras
Price: $50

The modern digital camera is a miracle. It can take photos in light so low that you can’t even focus the lens manually. It can record thousands of images onto a single SD card, or it can shoot RAW and let you make incredible adjustments back in the comfort of your own home.

But one thing that has driven me crazy with pretty much every digital camera I have ever owned is its charger. They’re almost universally terrible. Which is why I bought this Digipower alternative. But is it actually any better?

The Bracketron, A Robotic Power-Sucking Vampire Symbiote… Kinda

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This is the Bracketron, a robot which will help you fill out your NCAA tournament charts. Not really. The Bracketron is in fact a robot which will help you put up shelves that won’t fall down as soon as you place something breakable up there.

NOT REALLY AGAIN. The Bracketron is a USB charger which leeches its power from an outlet that is already in use. Which actually makes it better than my first two lies… Except for the robot part.

The iFlash Drive Slurps Excess Photos *Off* Your iPhone

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It’s gotten to the stage that I’m so loaded up on cloud storage for my photos that I could toss my iPhone into the toilet and not lose a thing (well, apart from the action shot of the toilet bowl framing my shocked face as the iPhone shoots its last photo). But while Dropbox and Everpix are great, sometimes you just want to rock an old-school USB stick and transfer photos to and from you iPhone with a stick of plastic.

Apple Seeking An Engineering Manager To Help With Next-Generation Apple TV

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Along with the recent job listing with hints that Apple might bring USB 3.0 support to iOS devices, there’s a second notable job listing that Apple posted today that relates to the future of Apple TV.

We’ve heard a lot of rumors lately that Apple wants to beef up the Apple TV and possibly add more apps and a developer SDK. The creator of the Xbox even thinks Apple can squash Microsoft’s console if it wants to. Pointing to Apple’s big plans for Apple TV, the new job listing is looking for a new engineering manager to help oversee the next-generation Apple TV.

i-FlashDrive HD Is An Any-File Thumb-Drive For Your iDevice

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The Mission: You have files on your Mac or iPad, and you want to get them to your iPhone.

The Problem: There is no Wi-Fi network around, nor any cellular. You are, in fact, in the middle of the wilderness.

The Question: Why the hell are you transferring files between devices when you should be enjoying the great outdoors?

The Solution To The Mission, Not To The Question: The i-FlashDrive HD.

Fly High With The Sub-Zero Helicopter [Deals]

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Didn’t get that remote-controlled helicopter on your wish list this past holiday season? Well, this Cult of Mac Deals offer has got you covered. The Sub-Zero Chopper is the adult version of remote control fun and from Extreme Fliers – the leading brand of remote-controlled toys – you really can’t go wrong.

For only $29 (that doesn’t include cost of shipping) you can let that inner-child live on forever. Simply put, if you’re looking to add a fun little gadget to your life, the Sub-Zero Helicopter is it.

Tiny USB Thumb Drive Stylish Enough To Penetrate Your MacBook’s Ports

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It is with bad memories of Apple’s original iPad case in my mind that I write about Elecom’s Ultra-Compact USB Memory. Forcing that hideous black rubber monstrosity on the beautiful iPad was like marrying a supermodel and forcing her to wear a wetsuit.

But thanks to Elecom, we never need to do this to our svelte MacBooks Air – this tiny USB dongle might be easy ot lose, but until you do, it’ll hand around looking beautiful. Just like that hot model (soon-to-be-ex-) wife of yours.

Cult of Mac Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts For Kids Edition [Updated]

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Believe it or not, Black Friday has already come and gone. Pretty soon the Christmas season will begin, and we’ll mark this midwinter festival by getting together with friends and family and continuing to drink and eat far too much.
Meanwhile, we also buy gifts for those same friends and family members, whether they want them or not. Luckily, we’re here to help, and if you follow our festive advice, your gifts just might make it into the “wanted” category.

From now until Christmas, Cult of Mac will be putting together holiday gift guys full of ideas for the special ones in your life, no matter what their interests or your budget. Today, we’re looking at gifts for the whining kids in your life.