Apple Now Selling Lightning to Micro USB Adapter in the US

zhenya said:

All that dock does is allow you to connect devices TO the Galaxy Note. It doesn't provide any interface between the device and accessories which is the entire point behind Apple's proprietary connectors.

Click to expand...

Nevertheless, this does a lot of things via a microUSB port that people are claiming that you 'can't do via microUSB port'. Although this particular dock isn't out yet (and as you point out, only works with one phone), USB host connectors and 'MHL' HDMI-over-USB adapters are widespread (the latter support HDMI-CEC so if you connect it to a TV your TV remote should drive the phone).

I presume that it can do these things because the microUSB port in the Samsung phones isn't 'just' USB but can sense what is connected to it and dynamically re-assign pins to produce HDMI (just like Lightning), and/or there is chippery in the dock such as a D-to-A converter to produce analog audio (just like Lightning).

The point is: 'can't do HDMI/Analog audio/USB Host' is not a justification for Apple avoiding microUSB since Samsung have managed to create a 'smart' USB port that does all three and has the advantage that it defaults to USB, so it doesn't need an expensive 'smart cable' for basic sync & charge.

On the other hand, I think the Lightning connector looks better engineered than microUSB - it's just a pity that Apple didn't come out with any 'wow' accessories on launch day to offset the inconvenience of having to change connectors.

Pegamush said:

oooh please enough with this all this!!
am i the only one thinking the best charging connector ever was this:
Image

it's small, smaller than every other connector on any smartphone.
you can plug it in infinite directions, ligtning only support two, microUSB just one.
it does what it's needed for: CHARGE the battery. stop.
for music you use a dammit 3.5 jack cable, for video you use wifi signal, and for everything else you use the cloud (no intention on raising a discussion about clouds here and now).
my job is done here.

Click to expand...

Ever have the pin from the DC jack on the device snap off into the plug? Bent the pin inside the DC Jack? It happens. Part of the design purpose for lightning was to try to prevent connector damage on either end of the connection.

The downfall of Apple

I start to dislike Apple more and more. Don't get me wrong, I'm a long time Apple user since the day Apple was almost bankrupt where Bill Gates came for the rescue.

As a Music Technology student and graphical designer I bought a 7100 Mac at the time and it was truly a time where Apple started to fight back against the, in their eyes, big corporate business whom made bad devises. Young as I was then I believed Apple was, of course, the opposite of that image. By the time Apple came with really powerful products since they released MacOSX. Also when Apple where able to let Motorola go, as 'the' chipmaker for Apple at the time, and move on using Intel the machines got better and better as did the OSX system of Apple.

Then came the iPod. The "revolutionary" device brought by Apple. At least, that's what Apple like people to believe. Anyway, needless to say that this product was much better then it's rivals. It was not particularly the device itself, the hardware, but also because of the GUI (graphical user interface). Other devises where slow and when having 1000 songs on board you needed to click down 500 times (as example) to reach your desired song while the iPod had this stirring wheel...

To keep a long story short. Apple had, with some right, much success with the iPod and the iPhone made it all come together. Brilliant, can't state otherwise. But ever since 'that' success Apple has slowly turned into the opponent where in resent days Apple considered that opponent as 'the enemy'. And even worse, where Apple had foot on the ground in the expert and professional market, both the design market and more and more in the video market as well they all lost that by making poor products.

To name a few huge mistakes:

- Video
With Final Cut Apple had been able to get trough in the professional marked of editing. For my profession I visit quite a few professional film agencies and Apple was all over the place. With the release of Final Cut X that changed dramatically. All the old projects where useless all in the sudden. And the new software could only do about 5% of what it's previous version could do. With the release of this Final Cut X Apple lost it's foot on ground for the professional market. I don't see Apple products in big editing suits any longer, it's all simply replaced by PC's and Adobe editing and third parties editing software.

The consumer-market, the masses, more important

Apple used to have a stand at the IBC (International Broadcasting Conference) in Amsterdam the Netherlands. For years Apple is no-where to be found. And with good reason. Apple is no match among the professional market that makes high-end computers and software. The Apple Pro, where I'm still working with, machines are highly outdated and a pimped PC computer runs circles around the Mac Pro when it comes to power, performance in any field.

Anyone remember that Apple used to have these commercials about how much 'faster' their computers where compared to the PC? Why do you think they stop walking that road? Simply answer, Apple computers are no match for the high-end PC computers. And quite frankly, in everything, Apple shows it simply doesn't care one bit. It's the masses what's important, the masses want iPad's, iPods, iPhones, all three lines starting with an 'i' but I also simply could have said: gadgets, gadgets, gadgets.

Don't get me wrong, I use the iPhone and the iPad, very happy with those. But I simply don't care if the iPhone will be even 10% lighter or that the new iPad is slightly faster then it's previous model. When I talk computers I talk serious business. I want machines that do serious stuff where I earn my money with. The iPad, iPhone, iPod's are all gadgets, very handy and needed gadgets needless to say, for on the road. But in MY office I want horsepower!

And that's why I start to dislike Apple more and more because they simply don't deliver where in the past they did!

And I'm not even talking about the price tags which are ridiculous funny when you have to pay about 30 euro's for a simple connecter that enables me to put my iPhone 5 in my dekstop iPhone holder with a box attached to it.

I'm telling you folks, all tough Apple does makes brilliant designed products, if they keep heading to walk down this pad they will loose their most important customers, those who payed for Apple products even in times the company was almost bankrupt, simply because they believed that Apple products where simply powerfull and that was Apple's vision as well, to make really powerfull machines.

I hope Apple will keep it's promise to unleash a serious horse when talking about power in beginning of 2013, else I'm forced to flip over to PC machines.

My 2 Cents.

RobertoCravallo said:

This and other such behavior is to switch to a different brand the next time I am up for a new phone.

Don't get me wrong, I love my MACs but the APPLE politics with the phone are just getting me pi...d off. I will not play along anymore and pay redicilous prices for cheap chinese adaptors.

I wonder how many people are happy about the new plug? How many have to throw out accessories they paid big bucks for before APPLE went and changed the plug.

I will stick to my APPLE PCs, but maybe it is just time to try a SAMSUNG phone.

Please don't call me a troll, I had one of the first APPLE II PCs way back when. I am sure there will be people sitting in front of APPLE stores at two in the morning to buy these adaptors......

Click to expand...

Quit being a weenie! You cannot expect technology to not evolve!

Do you complain that macs and iPods no longer use FireWire 400 ports?

My Sony alarm clock I've been using for like 4 years to charge my iPhones and play music on in my bedroom still has life in it and works great with my iPhone 5 with an adaptor!

elec999 said:

I dont get it, why would anyone want to but this adapter, when the cable is $2 more or same price?

Click to expand...

With this adaptor, I can carry 1 charger for my phone and my girlfriend's phone. I can use the chargers of friends with Android phones. Also I can buy a 10ft long Micro USB cable and use it to charge my iPhone where the current iPhone charger cables are less than 3ft long.

Sarcasm?

I am not quite sure if are serious or troll baiting or what.

nagromme said:

Remember folks:

• The chip in there cost Apple nothing to develop.

Click to expand...

Where are your secret documents indicating the $0 cost for the engineering team (or person) and design work etc of the chip? TANSTAAFL baby - There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

nagromme said:

• Then, once developed, it costs nothing to make.

Click to expand...

Again, where are your secret documents showing that it is possible to have Santa's Elves manufacture these chips from Fairy Dust(TM)?

nagromme said:

• And the chip only exists because Apple wants to kill third-party accessory companies. Teardowns showing dynamic pin capabilities and other future-proofing are lies.

Click to expand...

Not sure on this one - but where is the evidence that those doing the tear-downs aren't spreading F.U.D. and click-bait and there really is something in there that is innovative and highly functional, or laying the foundation for some future capability that will be revolutionary?

nagromme said:

• And USB is FULLY as high-tech and future-proof and durable and easy-to-use as Lightning is. And the old 30-pin connector is just as good too. too. Lightning has no current or future benefits, so we should still be using 10-year-old tech.

Click to expand...

If USB is so wonderful then why do we have USB 1, USB 2, USB 3, Mini-A, Mini-B, Micro-A, Micro-B, Micro-AB, in some cases both Male and Female - yeah, USB is the cat's meow alright. Got an I/O requirement? We'll have I got a spec for that, hang on it's in here somewhere...

nagromme said:

• And nobody wants thinner devices or easier, reversible connections anyway. Apple just likes to ram thin and light down our throats.

Click to expand...

I won't speak to Apple's Fetishes, but as for reversible, I like it - in fact it would be even better if the connectors on both ends of the cable where the same - making the cable itself reversible - kinda like Tunderbolt cables (well, except the connector plug on that is not reversible). And don't even suggest USB cables are reversible - there are some that have USB-A male on both ends perhaps but that is about it.

nagromme said:

• And nobody but Apple marks up cables and accessories. All other companies sell at cost.

Click to expand...

Really? Ever hear of Monster Cables or most any retail store that sells just about anything. Selling at cost? that is the perhaps the third fastest way to put yourself out of business.

nagromme said:

• And cheap unshielded bootleg accessories are just as good as Apple-certified ones.

Click to expand...

Not so fast there - I have numerous 3rd party cables - and they are by and large not as high a quality as Apple branded (or other branded, Belkin for instance) cables and some of them have failed. Not sure if I have ever had an Apple cable fail, ever, sure I have had some Apple products, or components of Apple products fail, but can't think of a cable that ever did.

nagromme said:

• And third-party Lightning accessories have been late to arrive, which is just as bad as never arriving. Waiting for them is simply not possible.

Click to expand...

Lightning has been out for what a month or so and 3rd party devices are beginning to appear, not bad considering the secrecy Apple has tried to have around new products. This is only an issue for early adopters anyway. And "Waiting for them is simply not possible" seems to me that is the only thing that is possible - or did someone take away your lollipop and make you cry?

nagromme said:

• And a USB cable with this little thing kept permanently on the end is not portable. Only a single bare USB cable is.

Click to expand...

Right, ever see the computer bag of a person who actually get work done with a computer, Apple or otherwise? Lemme see if I can find the bad man who stole your lolli.....

nagromme said:

• And the Lightning synch/charge cable included in the box with every iPhone and iPad somehow doesn’t already do what most people need from a cable.

Click to expand...

Sounds like Apple then has solved your problem for you - they have given you everything you need in the box and you have just invalidated several or your own points. For me - I have something like 14 different cables, chargers, docks, car chargers, and retractable cords for my iOS devices - makes it easier to leave one everywhere I am likely to need it that to cart one around and recall where I last used it.

nagromme said:

Have I summed up the insanity?

Click to expand...

Yes, you have summed up YOUR insanity quite nicely, thank you.



----------

zhenya said:

LOL. Page 6 and people still haven't caught on.

Click to expand...

I only read the first two pages of comments before posting my reply to that - although I did ask if it was meant to be sarcastic - then went back and read some more posts.

Of course if some Fandroid where to stumble across that it could be taken as the confirmation that all their reasons not to like Apple or the iPhone are right.

Adaptor

NeroAZ said:

Quit being a weenie! You cannot expect technology to not evolve!

Do you complain that macs and iPods no longer use FireWire 400 ports?

My Sony alarm clock I've been using for like 4 years to charge my iPhones and play music on in my bedroom still has life in it and works great with my iPhone 5 with an adaptor!

Click to expand...

Bet that looks really nice with the adaptor stuck in there!! Thank god APPLE still has a lot of customers, that just buy anything, no matter the price, APPLE throws at them.

MacMan1620 said:

Apple could cure Cancer and someone in these forums would complain about it. If you don't like apple then simply don't buy their products. I certainly don't waste my time posting crap on the Microsoft blog sites.

Click to expand...

THIS attitude is nonsense.

I DID buy an apple product, because the pros outweighed the cons. I am perfectly entitled, then, to not like certain aspects of the device. As such I SHOULD vocalize these complaints so that the manufacturer can address them IF IT SO CHOOSES.

What I do not have the right to do is feel entitled to have my every whim catered to by the manufacturer just because I bought one device out of the many millions they sold.

If you are not complaining on the microsoft blog sites I imagine that is because you do not own Microsoft products. If that is the case, fine. Even then I would think you have the right to post over there if your purpose is to say "If you fixed these things I would consider buying your product" and not "har har let me piss off the M$ fanboys, hurrrr".

Trolls are no fun, honest discourse, even in the face of disagreement is a wonderful thing.

Wow, you are a tool. I responded after some of your points. So read below.

nagromme said:

Remember folks:

• The chip in there cost Apple nothing to develop.
• Then, once developed, it costs nothing to make.
- So R&D, Engineering, Manufacturing costs nothing to develop? Ok.

• And the chip only exists because Apple wants to kill third-party accessory companies. Teardowns showing dynamic pin capabilities and other future-proofing are lies.
- If Apple kills third party accessory companies, then many people wouldn't buy their product because that's how they use their iDevice.
- So how does something like this work in either orientation when plugged in?

• And USB is FULLY as high-tech and future-proof and durable and easy-to-use as Lightning is. And the old 30-pin connector is just as good too. too. Lightning has no current or future benefits, so we should still be using 10-year-old tech.
- Last I checked, USB-only limits features that other manufacturers can do with their devices. The 30-pin was fine then, but it was wide and sometimes difficult to plug in or remove. The lightning is much easier. After the initial crying of customers, people, including myself, actually like its ease of use.

• And nobody wants thinner devices or easier, reversible connections anyway. Apple just likes to ram thin and light down our throats.
- I like thinner and lighter. As long as my apps run fast and I can still hold onto it, then i'm all up for it.

• And nobody but Apple marks up cables and accessories. All other companies sell at cost.
- So Belkin, Bose, Targus, etc sell their cables and adapters at cost? HAHAHAHA

• And cheap unshielded bootleg accessories are just as good as Apple-certified ones.
- Maybe, as long as no wires cross its path to cause interference. And if it deals with power, I rather have something approved to work by the manufacturer. Why cheap out on a $2 cable to charge my iPhone?

• And third-party Lightning accessories have been late to arrive, which is just as bad as never arriving. Waiting for them is simply not possible.
- This is always the case with Apple. Nothing of quality is worth buying until a few weeks/months after the release of the device as anything prior is just manufacturing based on speculation.

• And a USB cable with this little thing kept permanently on the end is not portable. Only a single bare USB cable is.
- The lightning connector?

• And the Lightning synch/charge cable included in the box with every iPhone and iPad somehow doesn’t already do what most people need from a cable.
- It charges my iDevice. It plays audio through any device. And if I want it to watch TV, you plug in the Digital AV Adapter and an HDMI cable. So what's missing?

Have I summed up the insanity?

Click to expand...

Don't bother responding. You already burried yourself and there's no getting out.

----------

dragje said:

I start to dislike Apple more and more. Don't get me wrong, I'm a long time Apple user since the day Apple was almost bankrupt where Bill Gates came for the rescue.

As a Music Technology student and graphical designer I bought a 7100 Mac at the time and it was truly a time where Apple started to fight back against the, in their eyes, big corporate business whom made bad devises. Young as I was then I believed Apple was, of course, the opposite of that image. By the time Apple came with really powerful products since they released MacOSX. Also when Apple where able to let Motorola go, as 'the' chipmaker for Apple at the time, and move on using Intel the machines got better and better as did the OSX system of Apple.

Then came the iPod. The "revolutionary" device brought by Apple. At least, that's what Apple like people to believe. Anyway, needless to say that this product was much better then it's rivals. It was not particularly the device itself, the hardware, but also because of the GUI (graphical user interface). Other devises where slow and when having 1000 songs on board you needed to click down 500 times (as example) to reach your desired song while the iPod had this stirring wheel...

To keep a long story short. Apple had, with some right, much success with the iPod and the iPhone made it all come together. Brilliant, can't state otherwise. But ever since 'that' success Apple has slowly turned into the opponent where in resent days Apple considered that opponent as 'the enemy'. And even worse, where Apple had foot on the ground in the expert and professional market, both the design market and more and more in the video market as well they all lost that by making poor products.

To name a few huge mistakes:

- Video
With Final Cut Apple had been able to get trough in the professional marked of editing. For my profession I visit quite a few professional film agencies and Apple was all over the place. With the release of Final Cut X that changed dramatically. All the old projects where useless all in the sudden. And the new software could only do about 5% of what it's previous version could do. With the release of this Final Cut X Apple lost it's foot on ground for the professional market. I don't see Apple products in big editing suits any longer, it's all simply replaced by PC's and Adobe editing and third parties editing software.

The consumer-market, the masses, more important

Apple used to have a stand at the IBC (International Broadcasting Conference) in Amsterdam the Netherlands. For years Apple is no-where to be found. And with good reason. Apple is no match among the professional market that makes high-end computers and software. The Apple Pro, where I'm still working with, machines are highly outdated and a pimped PC computer runs circles around the Mac Pro when it comes to power, performance in any field.

Anyone remember that Apple used to have these commercials about how much 'faster' their computers where compared to the PC? Why do you think they stop walking that road? Simply answer, Apple computers are no match for the high-end PC computers. And quite frankly, in everything, Apple shows it simply doesn't care one bit. It's the masses what's important, the masses want iPad's, iPods, iPhones, all three lines starting with an 'i' but I also simply could have said: gadgets, gadgets, gadgets.

Don't get me wrong, I use the iPhone and the iPad, very happy with those. But I simply don't care if the iPhone will be even 10% lighter or that the new iPad is slightly faster then it's previous model. When I talk computers I talk serious business. I want machines that do serious stuff where I earn my money with. The iPad, iPhone, iPod's are all gadgets, very handy and needed gadgets needless to say, for on the road. But in MY office I want horsepower!

And that's why I start to dislike Apple more and more because they simply don't deliver where in the past they did!

And I'm not even talking about the price tags which are ridiculous funny when you have to pay about 30 euro's for a simple connecter that enables me to put my iPhone 5 in my dekstop iPhone holder with a box attached to it.

I'm telling you folks, all tough Apple does makes brilliant designed products, if they keep heading to walk down this pad they will loose their most important customers, those who payed for Apple products even in times the company was almost bankrupt, simply because they believed that Apple products where simply powerfull and that was Apple's vision as well, to make really powerfull machines.

I hope Apple will keep it's promise to unleash a serious horse when talking about power in beginning of 2013, else I'm forced to flip over to PC machines.

My 2 Cents.

Click to expand...

Its funny how you say that. My mid-2010 MacBook Pro (8GB RAM) runs circles around my i7-3770k with 16gb RAM. It's all how applications utilize resources. And that's what Apple does best.

And FCX is getting better. Look at the latest release. Same with Server. They seem to have started from scratch, build a stable initial release and now adding things back. Give it time and everything will be better.

unplugme71 said:

Wow, you are a tool. I responded after some of your points. So read below.



Don't bother responding. You already burried yourself and there's no getting out.

Click to expand...

The only tool is the person who completely missed the sarcasm in the first place, and then didn't bother to read the thread where the fact that it was sarcasm was half of the content of the thread.

I'm not sure I've ever seen so many people completely miss the obvious sarcasm in a post before.

That whooshing sound is the sarcasm going right over your head.

WHOOOOOSSSHHH

I have an external TTVJ DAC/AMP and would like to use it with iPhone5.
Is there any short cable male-male I could use to connect it to my AMP?
Will that work?

mirekti said:

I have an external TTVJ DAC/AMP and would like to use it with iPhone5.
Is there any short cable male-male I could use to connect it to my AMP?
Will that work?

Click to expand...

You'll probably get better answers elsewhere, but with the old iPhones, you'd use a 30pin Line Out Dock cable that uses the dock connection to a 3.5mm male that you connect to your amp. This bypasses the built-in amplifier stage. You can get a simple 3.5mm male to male cable almost anywhere, but other than making your music louder, I wouldn't expect it to improve it in any way.

I don't know of a lightning Line Out Dock cable as of yet.

Thanks.
I can try somewhere else, I wouldn't like to use 3.5mm male-male cable.
I'd like to use the DAC from my AMP, but not sure this would work. Oh...

mirekti said:

Thanks.
I can try somewhere else, I wouldn't like to use 3.5mm male-male cable.
I'd like to use the DAC from my AMP, but not sure this would work. Oh...

Click to expand...

You aren't going to use the DAC from your amp without a special dock that can pull the raw digital signal. Something like this http://www.pure.com/products/product.asp?Product=VL-61429 but again, I don't think there is any such device yet for the lightning connection.

This sucks cos I have a portable amplifier.

nagromme said:

Remember folks:

• The chip in there cost Apple nothing to develop.

• Then, once developed, it costs nothing to make.

• And the chip only exists because Apple wants to kill third-party accessory companies. Teardowns showing dynamic pin capabilities and other future-proofing are lies.

• And USB is FULLY as high-tech and future-proof and durable and easy-to-use as Lightning is. And the old 30-pin connector is just as good too. too. Lightning has no current or future benefits, so we should still be using 10-year-old tech.

• And nobody wants thinner devices or easier, reversible connections anyway. Apple just likes to ram thin and light down our throats.

• And nobody but Apple marks up cables and accessories. All other companies sell at cost.

• And cheap unshielded bootleg accessories are just as good as Apple-certified ones.

• And third-party Lightning accessories have been late to arrive, which is just as bad as never arriving. Waiting for them is simply not possible.

• And a USB cable with this little thing kept permanently on the end is not portable. Only a single bare USB cable is.

• And the Lightning synch/charge cable included in the box with every iPhone and iPad somehow doesn’t already do what most people need from a cable.

Have I summed up the insanity?

Click to expand...

You are leaving the trolls nothing. They will starve to death if you continue making rational points.

zhenya said:

All that dock does is allow you to connect devices TO the Galaxy Note. It doesn't provide any interface between the device and accessories which is the entire point behind Apple's proprietary connectors. On top of that it's designed for one specific model that will shortly be obsolete.

It's basically a docking station like you'd have for a laptop computer.

Click to expand...

Ignorant, or paid deceit.

MicroUSB support the following protocols: MHL (digital Audio/Video HD), ADK (Machine to Machine, for accesory interface, such as controlling a robotic dock, reading enviroment sensors, etc), 1-Wire digital Audio (same used by Apple iDevices).

I Own an note II ( by far the best mobile phone to date), I can connect it to an EXTERNAL USB DAC, and get PROFESSIONAL HI-DEF AUDIOPHILE OUTPUT watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urSVwsoUdSQ

When this will be possible on Ligthning? Answe: NEVER, only possible on Mac, PCs, And Android, maybe later on WP8 (not now).

Mago said:

Ignorant, or paid deceit.

MicroUSB support the following protocols: MHL (digital Audio/Video HD), ADK (Machine to Machine, for accesory interface, such as controlling a robotic dock, reading enviroment sensors, etc), 1-Wire digital Audio (same used by Apple iDevices).

I Own an note II ( by far the best mobile phone to date), I can connect it to an EXTERNAL USB DAC, and get PROFESSIONAL HI-DEF AUDIOPHILE OUTPUT watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urSVwsoUdSQ

When this will be possible on Ligthning? Answe: NEVER, only possible on Mac, PCs, And Android, maybe later on WP8 (not now).

Click to expand...

You still clearly don't understand the importance of how Apple designed their system. (And the authentication chip has nothing to do with what we are talking about here). MHL is close to what Apple has, but its not the same thing and its far from universal. Digital audio out was possible on the 30-pin connector; as far as I know it should be on Lightning, as its an all-digital cable now.

We still haven't gotten to the fact that switching to Lighting keeps backwards compatibility with the tens of millions of 30-pin accessories in circulation through a simple adapter (switching to micro-USB would have rendered those accessories junk) or the fact that Lightning carries a maximum of 12w for charging vs. 9w for micro-USB.

Where are all these Android accessories if it does the same thing? Android has a bigger market share - and those accessory manufacturers want to sell products to those users too, right?

Nor do you mention the fact that in order to use that MHL port for digital video you need this huge $30 adapter which must Be plugged not just into the phone but ALSO into the charger to function!!