cables

Wed
06
Sep
John Lister's picture

iPhone To Switch To USB-C

Apple looks almost certain to switch to a USB-C charging port for the next iPhone. It could spell the beginning of the end for its exclusive Lightning port format. The iPhone 15 debuts next week and is widely expected to feature the USB-C format. ... That's the latest version of USB and has a symmetrical plug that fits either way round. Bloomberg lists several factors Apple is expected to market as good reasons for making the switch, though it's not clear if these are based on inside info or simply a logical assumption. The plus points include increased compatibility with other chargers, faster ... (view more)

Thu
12
May
John Lister's picture

USB-C to Carry 240W, to Eliminate Brick Chargers

The end of brick-like chargers that only fit one laptop is a step closer. The first USB cables that can carry up to 240 watts of power are now in production. For many years, one of the biggest drawbacks of laptops was the charger. In most cases they ... were considerably thicker than the laptop itself. They were also usually specific to the device (both in the plug/socket size and in the specific amount of power delivered). That meant somebody who lost or broke their charger would often face delay and expense before they could charge their device again. Things got a little better with the ... (view more)

Wed
26
Jun
John Lister's picture

Revealed: Why Old-School USB Cables Never Fit the First Time

The man who co-created the USB plug says its greatest annoyance was simply a matter of cost. Ajay Bhatt says that in the original design of the USB-A cable, the plugs were not reversible in order to keep costs down, which would then help get the ... format established. Bhatt discussed his work in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR). He talked about the often baffling experience in which users would try to plug a USB cable in, find that it would not fit, flip it over, find it didn't fit (again), then flip it back to its original orientation and find that inexplicably it now fit. It's a ... (view more)

Thu
19
Jul
John Lister's picture

Scientists: Internet 'At Risk' of Climate Change

Researchers say key physical infrastructure that keeps the Internet working could be underwater within 15 years. They say the effects of climate change over the next century will have an impact on the equipment sooner than later. The researchers, ... from the Universities of Oregon and Wisconsin, explored the risks to US-based infrastructure including both the cables that carry Internet data and the key 'nodes' in the network such as colocation centers. These facilities not only route Internet data, but also house the computers where many websites are physically stored. Major website often rent ... (view more)

Wed
18
Jan
John Lister's picture

Squirrels Dubbed Major Security Threat

Squirrels pose more of a threat to infrastructure than cyber terrorists - or, at least that's what one researcher's project implies. Cris Thomas says he found nearly five million people have been affected by power cuts caused by animals since 2013. ... According to Thomas, that's vastly more damaging than deliberate human actions to disrupt power and communications networks. The surprising claim came at a security conference in Washington and attracted attention given many speeches at such events concentrate on the actions of human hackers, terrorists and state governments in ... (view more)

Mon
18
May
Dennis Faas's picture

How to Fix: Monitor Keeps Going Black / Turning Off

Infopackets Reader 'Tina' writes: " Dear Dennis, My monitor keeps going black. It flashes on and then off after a few seconds, then it goes to a black / blank screen. Sometimes I have to power it on and off 20 times before the monitor will work ... properly, and some days, my monitor won't turn on at all! When this happens, my monitor power light stays yellow as if the monitor is sleeping or in standby mode. Normally the power light is green when it is powered on and working properly. Any ideas why my monitor keeps turning off? " My response: There are many reasons why a monitor keeps turning off ... (view more)

Fri
24
Jul
Dennis Faas's picture

Researchers: Power Sockets can Detect Keyboard Input

Researchers at security firm Inverse Path plan to demonstrate how standard power sockets (used in a home, for instance) can be used to eavesdrop on what is being typed onto a computer keyboard. They plan to make a presentation at the Black Hat ... Security conference taking place in Las Vegas from July 25-30 this year. The researchers found that poor electrical shielding on some keyboard cables can result in data being leaked into power circuits. Analyzing such information allowed the researchers to see what was being typed on a keyboard. So far, demonstrations of the attacks have worked at ... (view more)

Mon
04
Feb
Dennis Faas's picture

Internet Broken Across Two Continents

Two broken undersea cables have wiped out Internet access for users across Northern Africa and South Asia. The cables, with the unassuming names SEA-ME-WE-4 and FLAG, appear to have broken off the northern coast of Egypt on Wednesday. It's thought ... the cables run between Egypt and Italy, and are part of a chain that carries most Internet traffic between Europe and the Middle East. 95% of Internet data sent across oceans is now carried by undersea cables. The effects have reached across the Arab Gulf states and into India. Egypt's telecommunication minister, speaking at a ceremony to announce a ... (view more)

Wed
30
Apr
Dennis Faas's picture

How to use a PC DVD player and watch movies on TV

Infopackets Reader Frank R. asks: " My machine has Windows XP, a DVD ROM drive, and an ATI Radeon 9000 video card with S-VIDEO TV / OUT. Can I play DVDs from my computer and watch them on my 61" TV? What kind of cables do I need to attempt this? " ... My Answer: Yes you can! Go to your local Radio Shack and purchase the following cables: #1: Male S-Video to female RCA cable. This will plug into the back of your video card and convert the S-Video output into RCA output. An S-Video cable by itself is usually much more expensive than its RCA counterpart and provides roughly the same ... (view more)

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