It was supposed to be the universal serial bus to rule them all. More universal than the previous universal ones.

And it had great potential as you don’t have to plug it in a certain way up, which was the biggest bugbear of the previous “universal” serial bus standards.

It’s crappy, a tiny bit of dirt or fluff and you’ll never get a good charge! There’s no friction in the socket (as I’m told by my ex girlfriend).

I’d rather go back to micro USB or wireless charging.

Sorry, rant over.

Poor rant – 6/24.

Micro USB was the agreed standard. Well, until Apple decided it didn’t like the agreement. Then a new standard was made. Which they didn’t like either.

It’s all Apples fault.

As much as I’m anti apple, I don’t think usb c can be pinned on them.

Google used it before Apple… and it was mostly the work of Intel & Seagate… but carry on…

A simple flap to prevent dust getting in would work.

USB C is a flawed concept.

You can put a “simple flap” over any socket, and I’m not seeing as how USB-C is any more or less flawed than any other connector utilising small exposed pins.

The USB-C connector on my phone clicks into place just like micro USB did, no friction required. Maybe you’ve just got a naff cable?

Anyone that offers micro usb as the alternative has lost my vote.

my MacBook pro has 4 USB-C ports that handle everything

two still work.

It’s shite.

Yet to have an issue with the USB C port on my Pixel 3. Works very well actually.

USB-C does seem particularly good at compressing fluff deep into the socket until you have charging issues. You have to be quite forceful with a paperclip to rake it out.

Micro usb is shite.

Full shite.

Anything is better than micro usb.

While I’ve not had issue with USB type c just yet (first device is only a few days old) the confusing option of specs it has opened up with the USB type A to USB type c cables is anything but standard!

Onza, try shopping for laptops and trying to work out which machines have what USB-C capabilities!

One port, several host technologies that may or may not be supported. Thunderbolt 1/2/3, Displayport, if the USB-C can provide charging power…arghhh!

I think the form factor is the least of USB-Cs problems. It handles data and power, which is nice. But there are quite varying data and power requirements and capabilities between cables, devices and chargers and you can’t tell the difference by looking at them. So you can get data bottle necks because the cable is slower than the devices its connecting but you can also get quite a lot of watts from some devices and charges and a low capacity cable in the middle. Things can get very hot!

my MacBook pro has 4 USB-C ports that handle everything

All still work.

its great.

I reckon USB-C is great, never had issues with it myself. Currently typing on a laptop with a single USB-C cable as the only cable going into it, through which power, mouse, keyboard, Ethernet and 2 x 27″ monitors are connected (via a dock) – it’s like witchcraft…

Bring back SCSI. And laptops that are three inches thick and weigh 8 pounds with 45 minute battery life.

I just run the vacuum nozzle over the USB socket every couple of weeks when hoovering – never had a problem.

“single USB-C cable as the only cable going into it”

My work laptop has a USB-A port that does the same thing.

Doesn’t work on my iPad.

My work laptop has a USB-A port that does the same thing

Fair point – I hadn’t realised most of it was just thanks to USB 3.1 rather than the port type – although can you still drive 2 x displayport monitors over a single USB-A? All my previous laptops needed a dock/port replicator with proprietary connector

Why is USB-C better at gathering fluff that Micro USB?

Galaxy s8 with usb c. It needs cleaned every few weeks, i do use the phone a lot for work so its on and out of pockets which doesn’t help.

A flap might just be annoying as i sometimes have to charge during the day.

Bigger hole?

On my second phone with usb C pets and not had any issues so far.
Maybe you need to get the crap out of your pockets?

Shit the bed! When this is all you have to moan about you know life is ok!!

Shit the bed! When this is all you have to moan about you know life is ok!!

Quite right.
No more discussion about anything that isn’t literally the worst thing in the world please.

Couldn’t disagree with OP more. Micro-USB are too fragile and the two little spring bits wear eventually and the leads just fall out (yes, you can try to bodge a fix by bending the springs back out but it never lasts). I’ve got a few USB-C devices and find it superior in ever way. The sooner everything is type C the better. Just my 2p

Shit the bed! When this is all you have to moan about you know life is ok!!

This 😂

OP listen to spooky. Get the paper clip, pin or used insulin needle out and clean out the port. Be surprised at how much fluff was in there. Rejoice as the cable clicks firmly home. Be mildly annoyed with yourself that you didn’t do it 6 months earlier and instead bought a new cable as temporary relief (or started a post on STW about it)

Don’t use a paperclip, use a bristle from a stiff brush, a toothpick, unfolded staple or maybe a pin. Paperclips too fat and metallic IMO you risk damaging the pins in the connector.

tbh i think its great.

why the hell can you still buy stuff with micro usb?

What the hell are people doing to things that made micro USB an issue?

Matty and Kelvin – it was a joke, jeez.

Micro usb is dreadful

But we have a lot of laptops with usb-c in work and they do break)get clogged up

We also go through a lot of usb-c – network/usb port adaptors

We don’t use paperclips, we use toothpicks.

Seems simple enough.

The trick is to not “ram home” the USB into the slot.

Had 2 phones with USB-C absolutely no issues with fluff.

Laptop has one with extra monitor, ethernet, and keyboard plugged into it via dongle.  No issues either.

The reason USB-C is rubbish is because it supports loads of confusing protocols which each require specific hardware and cables.

E.g. When my laptop is connected to the monitor it uses USB-C as a connector for a DisplayPort protocol. Some monitors will use Thunderbolt but that’s completely different, OK? Thunderbolt allows daisy chaining multiple monitors, but not data connections. On mine, I can use Displayport Alt mode which allows a parallel data connection, but only USB-2.0. Not USB-3.0. When I say USB-3.0 I mean the data transfer protocol, not the connector (obviously). Oh yeah, and my MacBook Pro charges from the cable that came with it, but if I use that cable to connect to my monitor, it doesn’t work since the cable is only for power – despite looking identical to the cable that came with the monitor, which does power, data and AV. It’s a stupid amalgamation of too many standards.

That being said, when I connect the one cable and BOOM! my laptop turns into a desktop, it’s great.

The thing is, we already have and still have a load of different protocols – just that now they are all the same cable.

What the hell are people doing to things that made micro USB an issue?

Having the weight of a cable dangling down from a charging port; moving devices around whilst charging and putting strain on the cable; and occasionally knocking or dropping a device whilst charging. All risks to tiny fragile micro-USBs. I’ve barely had a micro-USB device that didn’t get loose at some point, and I’m incredibly careful. My kids’ tablets don’t stand a chance and I’ve really tried to instill care in them. The tablets are still pristine, but the ports are still wobbly. Half the time it’s the cables themselves. Micro USB is awful.

USB C is a nice idea. But the port on my phone has become very unreliable. Not charging, or charging very slowly, unless I wiggle the cable about. I have tried cleaning out fluff, and using different cables etc.
Or maybe it is just a dodgy phone (Nokia), only about a year old. My brother also had problems with a Pixel 2. Previous phones with Micro USB lasted a lot longer.

If I put my MacBook into my rucksack the wrong way round , it picks up tiny metal filings ( god knows where they come from – I’ve cleaned the bag out several times ).
This then prevents the MagSafe connector from fully engaging , and thus no power.

Then I’ve got to find some fine tweezers to remove said fragments, which inevitably have been moved from where I last left them . Grrr