We are specialists in quality batteries. We have batteries, chargers and accessories for everything you can think of. Low prices, big inventory, expert advice. Find your battery here!
The use of helium in mechanical hard drives has revolutionized storage technology. But is it really the better choice for all applications?
Image: Toshiba
Air is traditionally used as a filling medium in hard drives. However, because of its higher density, it creates resistance, which increases energy consumption and puts more strain on the mechanical components. This is an issue in hard drives that pack in a lot of data since it can slow things down.
Helium, though, is way less dense than air (about seven times less), so there’s a lot less resistance. That means the parts inside don’t have to work as hard, it uses less power, and the drive lasts longer.
HDDs with helium filling offer higher capacities and faster data transfers than classic magnetic drives but are still too expensive for private PC use.
IDG
A key advantage of helium is that it allows more discs to be fitted into a compact housing, significantly increasing storage capacity. This is an important benefit for data centers where space and energy efficiency are critical.
Lower friction in helium HDDs also enables more precise movement of the read and write heads, improving both speed and reliability. However, helium in HDDs isn’t without drawbacks: it tends to escape through even the smallest leaks. To counter this, manufacturers use complex sealing techniques, which raise production costs.
Additionally, helium is a limited resource in high demand across other industries, such as medicine. Even with recycling efforts, long-term availability remains a concern.
For private users, the advantages of helium HDDs are usually not decisive. The higher price is only worthwhile for extreme storage needs in very limited space. In most cases, conventional HDDs orconsumer SSDsare the cheaper and often more powerful alternative.
By now, it’s well-established that Apple doesn’t just make iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks.The Cupertino-based giant has built an entire lineup of accessories to complement its main products, including a steadily growing audio range. Since Apple announced the first-generation AirPods nearly a decade ago, it has added eight more models to its portfolio. Apple’s AirPods primarily fall into three categories: the standard AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.
The standard and pro models are both in-ear, but they differ in fit, features, and price. AirPods Max, on the other hand, are a pair of premium over-ear headphones. After Apple launched the first-generation AirPods Pro, it kept the gap between the standard and Pro models fairly distinct until recently. The Pro line always came at a higher price, which translated to extra features. The key feature that made the Pro lineup stand out was Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). This made it easier for buyers to decide: if you wanted ANC, getting the Pros was the best option. If you simply wanted good-quality earbuds you could jam out with on your hour-long commute, the standard AirPods would get the job done without breaking your wallet.
Last year, Apple introduced two new models to its portfolio: standard AirPods 4 and a higher-tier AirPods model with ANC. Given that Apple added one of the Pro lineup’s most defining features to a non-Pro model, the tech giant has essentially blurred the lines between its standard and Pro offerings.
So, it raises the question: what exactly sets the AirPods 4 with ANC apart from the most recent Pro model, the second-generation AirPods Pro? And more importantly, is the Pro model still worth the extra cash?
AirPods 4 with ANC are cheaper, have good-enough battery life, and the same H2 chip
Let’s begin with what really matters most to the average buyer: the price. The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation retail for $179. On the other hand, the AirPods Pro 2 come in at $249, making them $70 more expensive than the AirPods 4. Since the second-gen AirPods are now nearly three years old, you can find them for much cheaper on third-party websites like Amazon, Best Buy, and eBay.
Interestingly, though the models have a significant price difference, both pack the same powerful H2 chip. Unlike all the previous iterations of the standard AirPods, the new model is equipped with all the advanced audio features of the AirPods Pro 2. This includes features such as Adaptive Audio, Transparency Mode, Conversation Awareness, and, of course, ANC.
The AirPods 4 don’t differ much from the Pro 2 in terms of battery life either. The AirPods Pro 2 boast six hours of listening time on a single charge (and 5.5 hours with Spatial Audio and Head Tracking enabled), while the AirPods 4 with ANC offer one hour less, coming down to five hours of listening time (with noise control off).
The battery life of the AirPods 4 with ANC is approximately four hours of listening time on a single charge, with ANC enabled. When it comes to the charging case, both can be charged via a USB-C cable, and popping your buds in for 5 minutes gives you around an hour of listening time. With a fully charged case, you get up to 30 hours of listening time on the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 with ANC, albeit with the noise control turned off. When ANC is enabled, that number drops to 20 hours.
The AirPods Pro 2’s Active Noise Cancellation is still superior
Apple states that the second-generation AirPods Pro offer twice the Active Noise Cancellation compared to the first-generation AirPods Pro and the AirPods 4 with ANC. A major factor that likely comes into play here is the fact that the AirPods 4 with ANC don’t have silicone ear tips. Both the first-gen and second-gen AirPods Pro have silicone ear tips to “deliver the highest-fidelity audio experience.” Apple claims you’ll experience better noise cancellation and the best sound quality once the fit is right.
The standard AirPods, on the other hand, have always had a hard, one-size-fits-all in-ear design. Although silicone ear tips are preferred by many, a significant number of people find them uncomfortable and mention that they fall out of their ears, as a Redditor has experienced. Despite that, many would still settle for AirPods Pro even when they weren’t fans of the silicone ear tips, since only the Pro models offered Active Noise Cancellation. The AirPods 4 with ANC solve this issue and offer Pro-level features in the standard AirPods form factor. The AirPods 4 also feature a force sensor, similar to the one found in the first-gen AirPods Pro, which allows you to control playback by pressing the stem of an AirPod.
The second-gen AirPods Pro feature Touch Control instead, which lets you adjust the volume with a light swipe up or down. The AirPods Pro 2 also feature a clinical-grade Hearing Aid mode to help those with hearing loss, which the AirPods 4 with ANC lack. In the broader context, the two models don’t differ significantly, and it ultimately comes down to your budget, the type of fit you prefer, and the level of noise cancellation you’re seeking.
ReadyPrint MAX provides an EcoTank printer and ink supply tailored to your needs
(Image credit: Epson)
Epson introduces ReadyPrint MAX, bundling printers and ink via subscription
Plans can be customized based on your printing needs, including number of pages
Ink ships automatically and the printer must stay online to track usage
Epsonhas introduced a new way for users to accessprinting, through a subscription model that closely resembles how many people already pay for phones or streaming services.
The newReadyPrint MAXplan offers customers an EcoTank printer along with regular ink deliveries, starting from as low as the equivalent of $7.99 per month for a 50-page plan.
The model eliminates the need for upfront costs, making it easier to start printing without a large initial purchase.
After selecting a printer that suits their needs, users choose a page plan based on how much they expect to print. The company sends the printer and keeps track of ink levels remotely, delivering new ink before it runs out.
ReadyPrint MAX is compatible with a range of Epson’s EcoTank printers. Models differ in features and price points, covering basic home printing up to higher-volume office use.
Options like the EcoTank ET-2870U and ET-M1170 focus on low-cost printing, while others like the ET-5850U and ET-16650U are aimed at users who need faster speeds, higher capacity, or A3 printouts.
Plans scale with use, offering monthly allowances from 50 to 3,000 pages. Users can change their plan each month if their needs shift, and once the 18-month commitment ends, subscriptions can continue on a monthly basis.
As you might expect, early cancellation fees apply if a user leaves before the minimum period is up, although Epson does offer a 14-day cancellation window at the start.
To keep everything running smoothly, the printer needs to stay connected to the internet, allowing firmware updates and ink tracking.
Ink is delivered proactively, so users don’t need to worry about ordering refills. If a customer chooses to end the plan, the printer must be returned in good condition to avoid a penalty.
ReadyPrint MAX reflects a shift toward service-based models, giving users flexibility in how they access and manage printing at home or in the office. It’s currently offered in select European countries, including the UK and Germany, and is expected to be launched in the USA, which already has ReadyPrint.
Photographing with a pro camera has never been this easy
I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember, and I always want to capture them in all their glory. But to do that, I need a fast camera that I can use as an extension of myself.
Enter the Canon EOS R5 Mark II: perhaps the easiest pro-level camera to use money can buy right now. Canon has made professional photography more accessible with its flagship.As I noted in my Canon EOS R5 Mark II review, it took me less than a minute to start shooting. Straight out of the box, the EOS R5 Mark II is a beast.
But it’s the camera’s 45MP Stacked CMOS sensor, 1,054 autofocus points and 30fps burst shooting that make it outstanding. Not only is the camera easy to use but it also takes gorgeous photos that appear true to life with faithful color reproduction.
Having tested the EOS R5 Mark II for two weeks, it came very close to dethroning theSony A1 IIas my favorite wildlife camera — and there’s a very big feature behind that reasoning. Let me show you.
Let’s talk about the Canon EOS R5 Mark II’s 45MP Stacked CMOS sensor: what does that mean? The first-gen EOS R5 did not have a stacked sensor, so the EOS R5 Mark II’s stacked nature enables speedier readouts to minimize rolling shutter distortions by improving light collection efficiency.
And boy is it good. The EOS R5 Mark II takes incredible sharp photos, and it retains lots and lots of detail, enabling you to create extreme crops for large format printing or putting the focus on a specific part. Combine that with the EOS R5 Mark II’s 30fps burst capabilities and you’ve got yourself a winner.
Utilizing two imaging processors (DIGIC Accelerator and DIGIC X), the camera captures up to 191 raw images (and 15 frames in pre-capture) at shutter speeds of 1/32,000s — that’sveryfast. This means that you can rely on its autofocus system and follow a subject while keeping the shutter button pressed, and you’ll get plenty of impressive shots, as you can see in the gallery above.
But the reason you’re reading this article is because of my headline where I talk about one feature that has changed how I take photos. And it’s one I haven’t seen on any other camera (yet). It’s called 180MP in-camera upscaling.
Here’s the technical bit: it enhances resolution by 4x by extrapolating the image’s EXIF data, creating stills up to 180MP from the original 45MP image. The 45MP image already gives you lots of resolution for extreme cropping but having a whoppingone hundred and eighty megapixelsat your disposal changes the game.To demonstrate this, I took a photo of a swan and then upscaled it (which ate into my CFExpress card’s memory), which you can see in the gallery above.
While the original files have retained a lot of detail, the upscaled version shows more in the tiny water droplets on the swan’s head.
The first photo is the original 45MP file, the second is a crop of the 45MP file, the third is an upscaled crop, and the fourth is an extreme upscaled crop. While the original files have retained a lot of detail, the upscaled version shows more in the tiny water droplets on the swan’s head.
This is an invaluable features for all types of photography: landscape, portraits, weddings, what-have-you. For wildlife too — if you’re shooting in burst, you can select a range of images to upscale at once. This also means that if you take a photo you don’t think is sharp or high-res enough, in-camera upscaling will save you some grief.
The EOS R5 Mark II is unique, and it has made me wish every camera had this feature — but that would make Canon’s offering ‘just another camera’ and I wouldn’t want that either.
Be my eyes
Here are a couple more photos for you to feast your eyes on. Remember the 1,054 focus points I mentioned earlier? The EOS R5 Mark II uses that many to accurately track birds, animals, humans and vehicles. I was highly impressed by how quickly the camera locked onto both subjects in the gallery above.
I especially love the first shot of the pigeon. While I’m proud of the artistic composition, it wouldn’t have been possible without the EOS R5 Mark II tracking the pigeon in flight. I’m almost tempted to print it out and put it up on my wall.
And that second photo of the squirrel? Funny story: I couldn’t actuallyseethe squirrel with my eyes (yes, even with my prescription glasses on). I could hear it squeaking so I pointed the camera in the direction of the sound and voila: within milliseconds, the EOS R5 Mark II had found the little rodent. It worked better than my own eyes did — nowthatblows my mind.
The EOS R5 Mark II is a ridiculously good camera. Its 180MP in-camera upscaling feature could come in clutch for a lot of pro shooters. It’s one of the best full frame cams worth the premium, and it thoroughly impressed me regardless of what or who I photographed.
Apple revealedmacOS Tahoe 26during its big keynote atWWDC 2025, and it will now be the final major update for Intel-based Macs.
DuringApple’s Platforms State of the Unionevent, it announced that macOS Tahoe will be the final release for Intel Macs. When macOS 27 arrives next year, only Macs with Apple Silicon, its M-series chips, will get the update.
This was inevitable, as every annual macOS update has older Macs drop off, and they’re all packed with Intel chips. This is across all of Apple’s PCs, including MacBook, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro and Mac Studio.
“If you’ve not done so already, now is a great time to help your users migrate to the Apple Silicon versions of your apps,” Apple’s Senior Director of Developer Relations, Matthew Firlik, told developers.
Many Intel Macs are already getting left behind with macOS Tahoe, such as the2020 MacBook Airand2020 MacBook Prowith two Thunderbolt 3 ports. But there are still a few that are getting support (more on this later).
However, these Macs don’t get the full breadth of features as those with Apple Silicon. As the Cupertino tech giant states in the small print, only Macs with M1 or later get access to all the latestApple Intelligence features.
It’s important to note that just because Intel Macs will stop getting support for macOS updates doesn’t mean they’ll be useless, as they will still get security updates.
Macs ending support in 2027
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple is dropping 7 Macs in the move to macOS Tahoe, meaning they’ll be stuck inmacOS Sequoialimbo. If you’ve got these PCs and want to get further updates, you’ll want to think about grabbing one of thebest MacBooksor others as an upgrade.
And, well, judging from the power that these chips deliver, and how MacBooks are some of thebest laptopsaround, it isn’t surprising for Apple to leave Intel behind.
It will also show you their location, weather and more.
Google
Google is officially letting you prioritize certain people in your life. The company has launched Pixel VIPs, an update that allowsGoogle Pixelowners to “stay connected to the people who matter most and never miss a moment from them.” It expands on Google’s existing favorite contacts option,9To5Google reports.
GDHB7 Battery for Google GDHB7
Tapping from the homescreen widget or inside Contacts takes you to a fullscreen feed. You get their profile image and contact options (calling, messaging, and WhatsApp). A card notes any upcoming birthdays, while there’s also:
Last connectionthat lets you “see your last call and message with them”
TheLocation updatessection offers a map with “their real-time location, as well as weather and time
You can make one-offNoteswith a card-based UI like Google Keep
Finally, there’sThings to do togetherwith “activity suggestions”
“Tell us what you like to do together: Get better activity suggestions by adding your preferences”
Pixel VIPs includes features such as placing your “VIPs” at the top of your contact list and letting them bypass your device’s do not disturb. If you click on a specific person then you can see their real-time location, weather and time. It also shows the last time you two connected. Plus, Google will suggest things for the two of you to do together based on your preferences.
You also have the option of adding notes to their contact page. These tidbits might include their new dog’s name, when they’re traveling or a reminder of your plans together.
The possibility that Google was working on this update first arose last summer under the name “besties,” rather than “VIP.”Reports from9To5Googleshowed it replacing thefavorite contactsoption but didn’t reveal much else.
A big perk of having a laptop is being able to take it anywhere, whether that’s your favorite cafe, a quiet spot in the park, or wherever you feel most comfortable. But if you want to keep working for hours without interruptions, you’ll need to keep it charged. That can be tricky when there aren’t any power outlets around. Luckily, there’s a simple fix: use a compatible power bank. The only problem? Not all power banks are capable of charging a laptop.
Unlike smartphones, earphones, and other small devices, laptops need much more power to charge. Most laptops require between 16 to 20 volts, while many power banks designed for phones only provide 5 volts. That’s why the first thing to do is check your laptop’s voltage requirement, which is usually listed on the adapter. Then, choose a power bank that meets that requirement.
Laptops consume varying amounts of power depending on the model and how they’re being used. On average, most laptops draw between 30 and 70 watts per hour. Gaming laptops, though, typically require more. So, to charge a laptop, you need a power bank that can deliver an output of at least 50W. If you want to charge it quickly, you should look for a power bank with even higher output.
Most modern-day laptops can charge via USB-C, and if yours does too, you can likely use a high-output power bank to keep it charged. But if you have an older model or one that uses a different charging connector, you’ll need a power bank that’s compatible with your laptop. You could also get a power bank with an AC outlet, which lets you use your laptop’s original charger.
Another key thing to consider is your power bank’s capacity. It should be at least double your laptop’s battery size. So, if your laptop has a 5,000 mAh battery, for instance, you’ll need a 10,000 mAh power bank to charge it more than once. And if you plan to charge your other devices, like your phone, it’s best to go with a higher-capacity power bank.
Once you have a power bank that works with your laptop, using it is simple. Just plug it into your laptop and press its power button to start charging. To get the most out of it, it’s best to charge the power bank fully before you head out.
While using your laptop on battery or a power bank, adjusting a few settings can help it last longer. Lower the brightness, turn off the features you don’t need, and fine-tune the power settings. These tweaks can extend battery life and keep you working longer without needing to plug in.
A whole new look for macOS and a big change for Spotlight
(Image credit: Apple)
Appleofficially revealed macOS Tahoe 26 atWWDC25 and as expected, we were treated to an all-new look for this latest version of the desktopoperating system– and a lot more besides.
But what are the new features coming with macOS Tahoe? And when will the OS be out? Indeed, you may be wondering whether your model of Mac will be compatible with the next incarnation of Apple’s OS. Read on to find out everything you need to know about macOS Tahoe 26.
macOS 26: release date
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple typically deploys its new version of macOS in September or October, so we can likely expect macOS Tahoe 26 to roll out to Macs around that time.
Before that, we will see the release of a developer beta (which should be imminent), and later, a public beta, for testing macOS Tahoe as the year rolls onwards.
Remember, though, that pre-release software is often a rollercoaster ride of glitches and potentially show-stopping bugs, so it’s not for the faint-hearted. Most folks will want to wait for the full release of macOS Tahoe.
One of the most insistent rumors was that Apple’s desktop OS is getting a visual overhaul, and that is indeed the case: macOS Tahoe uses the ‘Liquid Glass’ design language. Get ready for translucency aplenty across the interface, a refined dock and toolbars, and a transparent menu bar which allows for the desktop to feel a bit larger.
Apple is offering more ways to customize the interface in macOS 26, too. You can tailor what controls are present in the menu bar and Control Center, tinker with the layout, and add controls for your favorite apps. A greater level of personalization is also being ushered in with moves such as allowing the user to change the color of folders, and add a symbol (or emoji) to those folders to make them more readily identifiable.
It looks to be a substantial makeover, and the emphasis on clean lines, greater levels of customization, and adding more personality with the likes of jazzing up folders all seems very promising.
(Image credit: Apple)
2. Under the Spotlight
Spotlight is the system-wide search feature which hasn’t got much love in recent times, but Apple is changing that with macOS 26. It’s being powered up with AI so that it surfaces results that are ranked more intelligently, we’re told, based on relevance to the user. Spotlight also pops up filtering options to allow you to swiftly whittle down search results, too.
With macOS Tahoe, it can be used to search within apps for features, and the more you use it, the more Spotlight acclimatizes to your workflow and typical usage patterns to make more relevant suggestions. Overall, this looks like a big step forwards for Spotlight.(Image credit: Apple)
3. Continuity continued
Apple is bringing new Continuity features to macOS Tahoe, with the big move here being the introduction of the Phone app to the Mac. You’ll be able to make or take calls, access voicemail, and benefit from the new features on iPhone as well, such as Call Screening or Hold Assist.
Tighter integration is also present with Live Activities from the Mac owner’s iPhone popping up in the menu bar on macOS. Clicking a Live Activity will open the relevant app via iPhone Mirroring, and it all looks very neat and convenient.(Image credit: Apple)
4. More AI (of course)
It’s no surprise that Apple is adding more AI to macOS 26, as well as juicing up Spotlight which we’ve already discussed.
The Shortcuts app is getting fresh AI abilities, and that incudes summarizing text using Writing Tools, and image generation via Image Playground. Furthermore, Mac users will be able to access Apple Intelligence models (on-device, or in the cloud) to use as part of their shortcuts. Shortcuts can also be cued up to run at a certain time of day, or when completing a specific action like connecting an external monitor.
AI is also set to drive Live Translation in the Messages app, translating text into another language as you type it (and vice versa for replies). FaceTime will benefit from translated live captions, and calls in the Phone app can be translated, too.
There are some further minor trimmings here, including macOS 26 providing new ways to create Genmoji.(Image credit: Apple)
5. Apple Games
There’s a new dedicated app for gamers with macOS Tahoe, imaginatively named Apple Games. It acts as a hub for your Mac gaming activities, allowing you to jump back into titles you’ve been recently playing.
There’s a Game Overlay that allows you to quickly adjust settings (volume, brightness), chat with friends, send invites to them and so forth. A new Low Power Mode is present for MacBooks to give them better battery life when gaming, too.
On the developer side, Metal 4 arrives with macOS 26, ushering in new tech including MetalFX Frame Interpolation (for faster frame rates) and Denoising.(Image credit: Apple)
6. Additional accessibility features
Apple has brought in new accessibility functionality with macOS Tahoe, including Magnifier for Mac. This leverages your iPhone (or a USB camera) to be able to zoom in to, say, a distant whiteboard, and present the writing on the board to the user on their Mac’s screen – seriously nifty stuff for those who are vision-impaired.
In a similar vein, Accessibility Reader can take images of book pages and show them on the Mac display, allowing for zooming, or changing fonts or colors to make things clearer. There’s also a new Braille Access experience providing an interface for those using a connected braille display, and Vehicle Motion Cues, a feature to help combat motion sickness when on, say, a long car journey.
There are a lot of factors to consider when buying a new laptop, tablet, or desktop PC — and the kinds of components you’ll need will depend on your requirements. A gaming machine, for instance, will benefit greatly if you direct most of the budget towards picking up a solid graphics card. On the other hand, you might want to spend more on the CPU and RAM if you’re looking to build a workstation for development.
One factor that’s of equal importance in any use case is the storage — how fast it is, and how much of it you have at your disposal. We’ve largely switched over to SSDs given their compact form factors, fast read and write speeds, and better durability than mechanical hard drives. You may have also heard of eMMC storage being used in devices, especially on older tablets or laptops.
eMMC stands for Embedded MultiMediaCard, and is a type of storage that’s closer in principle to an SD card or an SSD than it is to a traditional spinning hard drive. eMMC uses NAND flash memory, which is also found in USB thumb drives, and benefits from its ability to retain data even when it’s not being supplied with power. The “embedded” bit in its nomenclature refers to how it is physically soldered onto the motherboard, as opposed to an SSD or an SD card that can be replaced effortlessly.
SSDs are faster and more convenient
SSDs, or Solid State Drives, on the other hand, are far more common in modern computers. Not all offerings are created equal, but some of the most reliable SSDs will not only allow you to store and retrieve files at greater speeds but will also last longer. They come in different form factors like SATA or M.2, and in capacities that far exceed the upper limit of eMMC storage. The highest capacity SSD available can store up to 100TB of information, though this is not targeted towards the consumer market – popular SSD sizes range from 500GB to 4TB.
In contrast, most devices that use eMMC storage are stuck with smaller capacities — usually 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB. Not only did this storage fill up quickly, but there was no way to swap it out for a bigger drive — though some laptops offered slots for SD card or SSD expansion. Compared to SSDs, eMMC storage is also noticeably slower. A speed test carried out by Windows Central reveals that an SSD in a Surface Go tablet was at least four times faster than the eMMC storage in the same device.
Depending on the generation and compatibility with your motherboard, SSDs can soar past 3,500MB/s. The latest Gen5 Crucial T700 is rated at read speeds of up to 12,400MB/s. The latest eMMC 5.1 interface, on the other hand, could achieve a theoretical maximum read speed of 330MB/s.
Not only has SSD storage become the norm, but eMMC is virtually phased out in the PC and laptop department. While it still has its benefits of being cheaper to implement and is a better choice than a slower hard drive, there aren’t many popular consumer-grade products that still ship with eMMC storage. The 2022 Steam Deck LCD was a rare occurrence, with its cheaper variant using eMMC storage– and while it’s theoretically slower than its SSD counterpart, in a portable device with tight power requirements, this can be a feasible option.
eMMC storage is built with fewer memory channels, which translates to comparatively slower performance under full load. That said, you’ll likely run into the storage bottleneck far before you notice the slower speeds on a device with just eMMC storage. 64GB or 128GB simply isn’t enough on modern devices, especially if we’re talking about tablets or laptops, where the Windows operating system itself eats away a good chunk of the space.
Then there’s the entire aspect of not being able to upgrade a storage type that’s eMMC. SSDs and even HDDs can be swapped out, repaired, or upgraded. In the event of device failure due to other reasons, the ability to recover important data from a removable medium of storage will always be a good thing to have. Though eMMC was historically a cheaper option, SSDs have become accessible enough to not be everyone’s top pick by now.
If there’s one experience binding tech users together, it’s trying to plug in a USB cable or device. Somehow, it’s never oriented correctly the first time, and after the panic of realizing you’ve been trying to shove it in the wrong way, you frustratedly flip it over. Often enough, you mess up the second try, too. Whether you’re a computer novice or work with technology for a living, we’ve all made this mistake more times than we care to think about.
The frustration over USB orientation is so universal that the USB-IF, the consortium overseeing USB standards, made sure the new USB Type-C connector was reversible. That’s well and good for devices that only use USB-C, but plenty of computers, flash drives, and other useful USB gadgets still use the rectangular Type-A connection.
However, there’s a simple trick that will make it far easier to avoid accidentally plugging your USB devices upside-down. Each USB Type-A connector uses the same design, so all you need to do to orient yourself is look at the plastic tab inside the connector. In many cases, the other side of the connector will be the one facing up.
Often, the USB port and the device you’re plugging in will be two different colors, but don’t worry. The colors indicate different capabilities (for example, fast charging for green USB ports), but it’s safe to mix USB devices regardless of the color of their ports.
Look for plastic tabs and square holes on your USB connector
Every USB connector uses the same design; it’s not called a Universal Serial Bus for no reason! You can use those consistent characteristics to properly align the connector of any USB Type-A device every single time. As mentioned above, the main indicator to look for is the flat plastic tab inside the male connector. This portion of the connector houses the contacts of the USB. It takes up roughly half of the inside of the connector. Every female USB port has a corresponding plastic piece housing its contacts, which slots into the male connector when you plug it in. The USB connection occurs when those two sets of contacts touch one another. In other words, the plastic tab in the male connector should always be oriented in the opposite direction of the plastic tab in the female connector.
Another rule of thumb is that laptop USB ports typically have their plastic tabs facing upwards. This means you can simply flip the connector so the plastic tab is at the bottom. On other devices, such as desktop computers, it’s worth checking the connector first before orienting the cable the other way around.
Another good way to know which side the plastic tab is on is to look for two small, square holes in the metal. If they’re hollow, the plastic is on the other side. Lastly, there’s always a jagged seam running lengthwise along the bottom of the connector. It’s always on the same side as the plastic tab, giving you yet another landmark by which to orient your connector.
HDDs with helium filling offer higher capacities and faster data transfers than classic magnetic drives but are still too expensive for private PC use.
To demonstrate this, I took a photo of a swan and then upscaled it (which ate into my CFExpress card’s memory), which you can see in the gallery above.
Here are a couple more photos for you to feast your eyes on. Remember the 1,054 focus points I mentioned earlier? The EOS R5 Mark II uses that many to accurately track birds, animals, humans and vehicles. I was highly impressed by how quickly the camera locked onto both subjects in the gallery above.
(Image credit: Apple)
(Image credit: Apple)
(Image credit: Apple)
(Image credit: Apple)
