USB4 Specification Merges Thunderbolt 3 and USB With Transfer Speeds up to 40Gb/s

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The USB4 specification for a new version of USB was today published by the USB Implementers Forum [PDF] giving us details on what to expect from the next-generation USB architecture following a preview back in March.

USB4 is a major update that "complements and builds upon" the current USB 3.2 2x2 (USB-C) and USB 2.0 architectures. According to the USB-IF, the USB4 architecture is based on Thunderbolt, doubling the maximum bandwidth of USB and allowing for multiple simultaneous data and display protocols.


The USB-IF outlined key specifications of the USB4 architecture, such as 40Gb/s speeds (twice the current 20Gb/s maximum) and backwards compatibility with USB 3.2 and Thunderbolt 3.

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• Two-lane operation using existing USB Type-C cables and up to 40Gbps operation over 40Gbps certified cables
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• Multiple data and display protocols that efficiently share the maximum aggregate bandwidth
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• Backward compatibility with USB 3.2, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3
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USB4 will use the same USB-C connector design as USB 3, which means manufacturers will not need to introduce new USB4 ports into their devices.

Apple's newest Macs offer support for USB-C and Thunderbolt 3, which means most Mac users are already experiencing USB4 speeds when using Thunderbolt 3 cables and devices, but USB4 will make Thunderbolt-style speeds the new default and it will lower the cost of devices that use these faster transfer speeds.

USB Power Delivery will be required in devices built for USB4, which also means we can expect to see higher-powered chargers with multiple USB4 ports.

Though the USB4 specification is complete, it will still be some time before we can expect to see devices that take advantage of USB4. It typically takes at least a year for new products to come out following the finalization of a new specification, so it will be late 2020 or beyond before we begin seeing USB4 devices.


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New Yorkers Losing So Many AirPods in Subway Tracks That MTA is Considering a PSA to Warn Commuters

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So many AirPods have been lost in New York City subway tracks in recent months that the MTA is considering initiating a public service announcement urging commuters to refrain from taking AirPods on or off while entering or exiting trains, a spokesperson for the transit agency told The Wall Street Journal.

Ashley Mayer recovered her AirPods with a broom and duct tape
The PSA would hopefully alleviate the delays caused by the numerous AirPods that fall between the cracks each day:

"They're tiny. They're hard to find," said Steven Dluginski, an MTA maintenance supervisor. Given the darkened tracks where they drop, he said, "the only saving grace is that they're white."

AirPod rescues from New York City subway tracks ramped up in March, when Apple released a new version, Mr. Dluginski said. This summer has been the worst, possibly because the heat and humidity on subway platforms makes the ears and hands of New Yorkers pretty sweaty, he guessed.

Transit workers use a pole that extends to about 8 feet and has two rubber cups on the end that can be squeezed together to grab small objects. The "picker-upper thing," Mr. Dluginski called it.

Around noon on a recent Thursday, Mr. Dluginski's team had received 18 requests to fetch lost items. Six were for AirPods. "It's job security, as far as we're concerned," the maintenance boss said.

While the location of AirPods can be tracked using the Find My iPhone app, the earphones often become trapped in hard-to-reach places due to their small size. This led The Wall Street Journal to highlight the extravagant measures that some customers have taken to recover their lost AirPods:

Passenger Ashley Mayer recently live-tweeted a track rescue in a lull between passing trains. One photo, featuring the caption "game on," showed her purchasing a broom and duct tape. She used the contraption to nab the AirPod from the tracks, which can be dotted with rats.

In an extreme case, well-known Apple analyst Gene Munster admitted that he has apparently lost 10 pairs of AirPods.

Apple charges $69 for a replacement AirPod in the United States, totaling $138 for a pair. Replacement charging cases are also available for $59, while the wireless AirPods charging case is sold separately for $79.

Paywalled article: America's Stormy Affair with Apple AirPods: Love 'Em and Lose 'Em

Related Roundup: AirPods 2

Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now)

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Four New Google Pixel Phones Appear on FCC, Likely Pixel 4 Series

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Geekbench 5 Released With Improved Benchmark Tests, Metal Support, Dark Mode, and More

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Primate Labs today announced the release of Geekbench 5, the latest major version of its popular benchmark software.


For CPUs, Geekbench 5 features new benchmark tests and it also increases the memory footprint of existing workloads to more accurately account for the effect memory performance has on CPU performance:

The Geekbench 5 CPU Benchmark includes new benchmark tests that model the challenges your system faces when running the latest applications. These tests use cutting-edge technologies, including machine learning, augmented reality, and computational photography.

Geekbench 5 also increases the memory footprint of existing workloads to more accurately account for the effect memory performance has on CPU performance.

Finally, the Geekbench 5 CPU Benchmark includes new modes of multi-threaded benchmarks, allowing threads to work co-operatively on one problem rather than separately on different problems. With the addition of different threading models, Geekbench 5 better captures the performance of different multi-threaded applications on personal computing devices.

As for GPUs, the Compute benchmark now supports Metal, Vulkan, CUDA, and OpenCL.

Geekbench 5 also has a refreshed user interface with full support for Dark Mode on macOS Mojave and later. Support for Dark Mode on iOS 13 will be available later this year, according to Primate Labs.

Geekbench 5 is available now for macOS, iOS, Windows, and Linux, with an Android version coming later this week. The software is 64-bit only, dropping support for 32-bit processors and operating systems.

Through September 10, Geekbench 5 for Mac and Geekbench 5 Pro for iOS are 50 percent off, while Geekbench 5 for iOS is free.

Tags: Geekbench, Primate Labs

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Apple Card Found to Contain 90% Titanium and 10% Aluminum

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Bloomberg Businessweek sent an Apple Card to University of California, Berkeley professor and mineralogist Hans-Rudolf Wenk to determine the card's atomic makeup. The answer: 90% titanium and 10% aluminum.


From the report:

But how much titanium? To find out, a Bloomberg Businessweek reporter sent his card to a mineralogist, University of California, Berkeley professor Hans-Rudolf Wenk. Professor Wenk used what's known as a scanning electron microscope, or SEM device, to determine the card's atomic makeup. He found that the answer is about 90%. The rest of the card is aluminum, according to the analysis.

Apple previously said the card's white finish is achieved through a "multi-layer coating process" that is added to the titanium base material. In a recent support document, Apple said if the card comes into contact with hard surfaces or materials, it is possible that the coating can be damaged.

Apple also said some fabrics, like leather and denim, might cause permanent discoloration on the card that will not wash off.

Tag: Apple Card

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Samsung Plans to Launch a Flip Phone-Style Device With 6.7-inch Bendable Display Early Next Year

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Undeterred by its recent Galaxy Fold un-launch, Samsung is apparently set to unveil a luxury smartphone early next year that can be folded down into a compact-sized square, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

Samsung's Galaxy Fold hasn't even been released yet

The South Korean smartphone giant is working on a device with a 6.7-inch inner display that shrinks to a pocketable square when it's folded inward like a clamshell, according to people familiar with the product's development.

The smartphone giant is said to be collaborating with American designer Thom Browne on the upcoming phone, with the aim of "appealing to a broader range of consumers that includes those more interested in fashion, status and luxury than a device's tech specs." At the same time, the device will reportedly feature cutting-edge display technology and offer the nostalgic appeal of rejuvenating the flip-phone form factor.

The foldable phone is said to include a hole-punch selfie camera at the top of the inner display, while on the outside it will have two cameras that face rearwards when the phone is open and become front-facing when the device is flipped closed.

According to the paper's sources, Samsung aims to make its second bendable smartphone more affordable and thinner than this year's Galaxy Fold, although the launch of the successor device "may... hinge on how well the Fold performs after its imminent launch."

On that note, Samsung is said to have completed its redesign of the Galaxy Fold to resolve the multiple display failures that led to its delay. The South Korean company originally planned to roll out its $1,980 foldable phone on April 26, but was forced to delay the launch after several units sent out to reviewers broke during testing.

All of the issues were related to the device's screen, which was vulnerable to debris ingress. The new version of the Galaxy Fold, featuring several design and construction improvements, is now set to launch in September in select markets, with specific launch details to be shared as a launch approaches.

There have been some suggestions that Apple is exploring folding screen technology, but right now there are no rumors indicating Apple plans to actually release a foldable smartphone in the near future.

Tags: Samsung, Foldable iPhone

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