If you've been following the latest news from Apple and Google this week, you might know that the latest laptops from both companies have a strange new port on them called USB-C. Don't worry, you'll be very familiar with it in a year or two — it's the faster, better and more user-friendly new generation of the USB ports we use every day. And it's going to be everywhere, from phones to flash drives.
You may remember upgrading to USB 2.0 and 3.0 (perhaps even 3.1!), but this is different. While those upgraded the speed and power-carrying abilities of the "Universal Serial Bus" interface, USB-C is a brand-new connector that brings both improved capabilities and addresses long-standing usability issues.
Who hasn't struggled with the large, rectangular USB connector, trying to plug it in one way, then the other, then the first way again? Or squinting in the dark to see which side is up on the tiny micro-USB connector that so many phones use? No longer! USB-C is reversible — you can't plug it in wrong.
Not only that, but the new cables and connectors also allow for a huge amount of power and data to be transmitted. Enough power to charge your laptop and enough data to copy huge files in seconds, while also sending a high-definition signal to your TV or second monitor. That means that soon, no matter what you need to do, and with no matter what device, you're probably going to do it with a USB-C cable.
Yes, you're going to need a couple adapters to make your old drives and accessories work with the new port, but soon USB-C will be the standard across the board, and trust us — you'll be happy about it.
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