USB ports are handy, but only when they are fully powered. On some models of the MacBook Pro, it’s the left USB port that is the primary port. If you’ve got an iPod, a headset, a USB-powered hard drive or an external USB hub, plug it in to the left USB port.
The right USB port on the affected MacBook Pro models is hubbed. That means the USB port is sharing the some bus and power source as the keyboard, trackpad, IR receiver, Bluetooth and the iSight video camera. There’s not much power left to run a hungry USB device.
On older MacBooks, the fully-powered USB port is towards the keyboard. The USB port that is nearest to the MagSafe power socket is the hubbed, underpowered port.
From The Register’s hardware site: the first commercial MP3 player was introduced in march 1998 by Saehan Information Systems, a South Korean company. The MPMan F10 had 32mb of RAM, a parallel port interface, and a numeric LCD display.
The Register has a photo of a later model, along with Creative’s Rio player. An RIAA lawsuit briefly halted MP3 hardware sales in October 1998.
Apple, of course, released its first iPod in October 2001, and ported iTunes software to Windows in April 2003. When iPods lost their FireWire connections and gained USB, consumer adoption began in earnest.
Ah, the memories. LowEndMac has an early timeline of the iPod for those who are interested.
From ChipChick and Engadget comes information on a solar-powered Bluetooth headset. Bluetooth headsets need a battery to power the radio, but it’s usually a low-wattage affair. The Iqua Sun 603 uses a small solar panel that on the exterior side of the headset to trickle charge the battery. It looks like an ideal headset for the sunny tropics, but it’s not available yet in the USA. Price is £40 in the UK.
My current headset is the Jawbone. It’s not solar-powered – the charger uses a proprietary cable that has a USB jack on one end and the headset plug on the other. The Jawbone’s best feature is sound quality. It does a very nice job of eliminating background noise in the user’s vicinity. It looks good, too. I’ve seen some really ugly headsets in the last couple of years.
From Lifehacker: an excellent list of 10 ways to gather, tie and otherwise control computer cables. Some of these tips can be used right away. Other tips require a bit of work. This video from the Lifehacker article is a brief how-to segment. Build your own cable charging station from a plastic box!
A desktop computer may have more cables connected for networks, printers, USB devices, keyboards and mice.
That mass of cables behind the desk becomes a dust magnet over time. Pet owners get the extra bonus of fur or hair clinging to the cables.
There’s always the fun of untangling a pile of cables. The first championship in competitive cable untangling or speedcabling was recently held, and here’s a web site with details and a video.
It’s not always a mess. Data centers and server rooms need to keep their cables labeled and neatly arranged. Royal Pingdom (via BoingBoing Gadgets) ran an article on 24 January 2008 about well-managed cables.
My usual solution for taming long cables is double-sided Velcro tape. There’s no adhesive – the hooks are one one side while the loops are on the other side. I usually keep a few strips in my drawer and my computer bag.
The power adapter dating game
There’s always the challenge of determining what each cable represents. I use labels or colored stickers to identify cables, especially power adapters. It’s a better solution than playing the “power adapter dating game” with a drawer full of adapters, plugging each in until a plug fits the power jack.
Even if the plug fits, it’s always a good idea to double check the voltage and amperage on the device and the adapter. Plugging a power adapter that is too powerful into a device may damage or destroy that device. It’s like plugging a car battery into a flashlight… boom!
Most people don’t understand electrical engineering, so it’s far easier to slap a written or printed label on the adapter in the first frenzied moments after unboxing. Write the same doodle or letters on two matching stickers. Put one sticker on the power adapter, and another on the device. As long as the stickers don’t fall off, it’s easy to match the device with its adapter.
USB ports are handy, but only when they are fully powered. On some models of the MacBook Pro, it’s the left USB port that is the primary port. If you’ve got an iPod, a headset, a USB-powered hard drive or an external USB hub, plug it in to the left USB port.
Toxel’s wooden USB memory stick
