Usb a plug connector

Plug your MacBook in and out of a multi-port docking station to swiftly add devices and external displays to your laptop. We tested a bunch to find the best Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C docks available to owners of the latest MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Apple's 12in MacBook features one 5Gbps Gen 1 USB-C port, while the latest MacBook Air (2018 and later) and MacBook Pro (from 2016) boast either two or four 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 ports. Add external displays to your MacBook If you use your laptop as your principal computer, you would do well to consider attaching at least one larger display to create a hybrid desktop/laptop setup (with a keyboard, mouse and printer all available via a single connection to your MacBook). You can turn that 13in laptop screen into an iMac-sized 27in or even larger monitor by adding an extra display – or connect two large screens to extend your screen across your whole desk. If you want to connect more than one external display to your MacBook … [Read more...] about Best USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 docking stations for MacBook, Pro and Air

Thunderbolt, Intel's super-speedy connection technology, isn't widely used. But that may change in the coming year, as more computer makers incorporate the USB competitor into their new models. Intel has hoped Thunderbolt, which debuted in 2011 on Apple's 2011 MacBook Pro , would become commonplace for computer users. A year later, the chipmaker forecast that "most PCs" would have Thunderbolt by 2015 to 2017 . Despite the hype, only premium PCs carry the fast connection. To get a boost in adoption, Intel has built Thunderbolt into its newest Core processors , code-named Tiger Lake , which means laptop makers get Thunderbolt without having to pay extra for separate controller chips. Because Intel chips are so widely used, the company says Thunderbolt will now have its moment to shine. CNET Daily News Stay in the know. Get the latest tech stories from CNET News every weekday. "I would expect by 2022 Thunderbolt will be in more than 50% of the PCs sold," said … [Read more...] about Intel’s Thunderbolt pushes into mainstream as faster alternative to USB

Contents > A Mac for working from home > An iCloud storage plan > A display > A mouse and keyboard > A hub, docking station or an adapter > Software for working from home If the lockdown means you are now working from home here's what you need to do to get your home office set up with everything you need. In this article we’ll look at some of the essential things you will want to get in place and some tips that will make working from home easier. 1. A Mac for working from home If you are lucky enough to work on a Mac at work and have a Mac at home you are in a really good position because you can share your Desktop and Documents folders across both Macs (and any other Apple devices you own). This is a great feature of iCloud, which we will discuss next. However, for now we are concerned with the Mac you’ll be working on at home. Perhaps you have a laptop at work and you can bring it home with you. But if you work on a … [Read more...] about What you need to work from home on a Mac

Predicting the future is always risky, especially when it comes to technology. Remember the paperless office and the flying car? How about the electronic house that runs itself? Alas, paper still rules and cars haven't left the road, but home automation is here, and you don't need a million dollar budget to make it work. With an old Mac, some add-on hardware, and a powerful application called XTension, you can create a house that George Jetson would love. XTension, from Sand Hill Engineering, takes advantage of the X10 standard. This technology allows you to send signals through your house's electrical system to X10-compatible light switches, outlets, or devices. The possibilities are boundless -- you can control your home's lighting, rig your coffeepot to turn on when you hit the snooze button, and more. For more information about X10, see " The Automated Home " (May 2001). You can also check out our review of XTension 3.2.3 . To help you get started, I've designed two … [Read more...] about Old Mac, new tricks: Home automation

In 2010, Apple started to release Macs with solid-state drives (SSDs) that used a socket and—with varying amounts of effort—could be removed and upgraded by the owner or by an Apple or third-party technician. But starting in 2016, nearly every Mac released has the SSD soldered directly to the motherboard. The iMac is a notable exception, but see the note at the end of this article. If you have a Mac of the proper vintage, it can be from vanishingly easy to exceedingly difficult to get the “blade”-style SSD out of the Mac and replace it with a higher-capacity model. These blades plug into a slot, something like RAM but with a narrower connector. Apple developed multiple, proprietary connectors across its use of blade SSDs. In my wife’s recently purchased 2014 MacBook Pro, nothing is easily serviceable except for the SSD, which is a cinch to access, remove, and replace. But what to do with the SSD you removed? If it’s 256GB or greater, it seems a shame to waste it, and it’s hard to … [Read more...] about What you can do with an internal SSD module from a vintage Mac