Satechi Announces Type-C Hub Adapter for MacBook

[2499723]

Annnnnd...they missed the mark. Hard to blame them when it's Apple's own absurdity in providing a single port to begin with. Maybe pass-through would have pushed the price up too high? $50 with pass-through and HDMI might have been the sweet spot.

 

[yg17]

Why do you plug those in?????? It's 2015... only the monitor makes sense. And this computer wouldn't be right for you anyway at that point if you insist on ancient wired accessories. Do you need some stone tablets to write on while you are at it?

1. No decent Bluetooth mice exist, so I have a wireless Logitech MX Performance mouse. But it needs the USB receiver.
2. Ditto for BT keyboards. Refuse to use the ****** Apple one without a number pad.
3. Employer bought the USB headset. Works fine, no need for wireless.

 

[lllusion]

Do you honestly believe Apple didn't do their homework here and just randomly makes these changes simply because they feel like it?

In this case, yes. They could have made a hub that has pass through and USB-B to ease the transition to USB-C. But perhaps, just like the industry thus far, they couldn't make a chipset that could do that.

 

[zhenya]

In this case, yes. They could have made a hub that has pass through and USB-B to ease the transition to USB-C. But perhaps, just like the industry thus far, they couldn't make a chipset that could do that.

?? They do.

 

[Wahlstrm]

"It should be noted that the USB-C hub does not.. ..have the most obvious port you take for granted"

How did this get through any kind of product development testing w/o someone saying "hey, I think we forgot one thing"? 🙂

 

[the-msa]

Yeah looks like a massive design flaw.

Pretty consistent with the product it is made for.

 

[KPOM]

As much as the actual laptop only having a single port you mean?

Maybe it isn't designed for people who need all kinds of ports on a regular basis.

 

[KPOM]

"It should be noted that the USB-C hub does not.. ..have the most obvious port you take for granted"

How did this get through any kind of product development testing w/o someone saying "hey, I think we forgot one thing"? 🙂

It is very difficult to build in charging. That's why all the kickstarter projects and OWC have been delayed. It isn't as simple as adding a port. You need a complex controller to fit within the power delivery specs of USB 3.1 to charge the MacBook and then also provide USB 3.0 capabilities to the USB-A ports.

 

[JimmyHook]

1. No decent Bluetooth mice exist, so I have a wireless Logitech MX Performance mouse. But it needs the USB receiver.
2. Ditto for BT keyboards. Refuse to use the ****** Apple one without a number pad.
3. Employer bought the USB headset. Works fine, no need for wireless.

Then why mock this computer when it clearly isn't for you??? It's for people who don't need the ports. Students and professionals who do just fine with BT for the occasional accessory.

 

[JimmyHook]

If this computer doesn't meet your needs, it DOES NOT make it inferior. That's so egotistical.

 

[mattopotamus]

Pretty good, but without usb-c charging it's only useful for occasional use. 🙁

Really kills the product for me. When I use a "hub" it's b.c I am docked.

 

[macs4nw]

Pretty good, but without usb-c charging it's only useful for occasional use. 🙁

Seems like an awesome little add-on for the rMB and priced right, but it seems incredible if they really overlooked simultaneous charging? Or is there some solid reason for that, other than a somewhat higher price?

 

[Rigby]

Yes there is. There was no way to technically make those ports have parity - both be able to charge, carry 5Gbps of data, both be able to drive a 4k display. You'd have one full featured port and one crippled port.

Then why was Google able to put two USB-C ports into the Chromebook Pixel? They are both fully functional (incl. power and DisplayPort alternate mode).

But personally, I think a USB 3.0 type-A port would be much more useful for the next few years than a second USB-C (incidentally, the Pixel has that too).

 

[KPOM]

Then why was Google able to put two USB-C ports into the Chromebook Pixel? They are both fully functional (incl. power and DisplayPort alternate mode).

But personally, I think a USB 3.0 type-A port would be much more useful for the next few years than a second USB-C (incidentally, the Pixel has that too).

They added a separate controller for the second port. Apple used only the controller built into the Broadwell-Y chipset, which supports only one USB-C port. It's a design decision. Clearly Apple is aiming this product at people who don't use ports a lot.

 

[KPOM]

The new MacBook is a total flop.

Consider that Apple sold a record number of Macs last quarter and credited the MacBook specifically, I'd say it's anything but a flop.

 

[Rigby]

They added a separate controller for the second port.

So, there is obviously a technical way to do this. Apple just decided not to.

Anyway, this question also shows one of the problems with USB-C: Since there are a number of optional features (charging voltages, USB modes, alternate modes), we will see USB-C connectors with different sets of capabilities, perhaps even mixed on the same device. This will invariably lead to consumer confusion. And the same goes for the multiple types of USB-C cables with different cababilities.

 

[gaximus]

I currently keep an older HP printer connected via USB Type A all day at work because it prints faster than connecting to the printer via wifi. If I've been doing a lot of work, or forgot to charge up the night before, then I'd need pass through charging to keep me going.

It's 2015, why so much printing?

 

[alphaod]

Lack of power pass through makes it less useful since it means I can't plug in a USB hard drive and my iOS device due to lack of power.

 

[UnusedLoginID]

Strange that it does not have usb-c power pass-through. I mean the MacBook is not for users who want to plug in things so the market for these adapters is very limited in the first place. And then if you got the MacBook and still want to plug 2 or 3 devices, then you'll want the computer to be powered. Sounds like one of these "designed by engineers" product or a very poor Marketing job. This product gets an F for Fail !

 

[whodatrr]

Yawn. So sick of these docks that lack any display output.And this one doesn't even allow USB-C power.

 

[whidbeyben]

I would have bought it if it had USB-C pass through

I second that notion. Why would anyone design a USB-C hub for the new MacBook without pass-through USB-C charging? I'd also worry about the torque on the USB-C connector breaking the hub or MacBook's USB-C port. A short pigtail would have been safer. I'll never understand why they didn't just include two USB-C ports on the new MacBook. This was about as dumb a decision as designing the original iMac's mouse as a hockey puck for the sake of design over function. I'm hoping v2 will have at least 2 USB-C and one SDXC slot. Those would be my minimum requirements for a travel laptop. I know the MacBook Air fits that bill, if only it had the retina display.

 

[Shirasaki]

Why do you plug those in?????? It's 2015... only the monitor makes sense. And this computer wouldn't be right for you anyway at that point if you insist on ancient wired accessories. Do you need some stone tablets to write on while you are at it?

You do aware that wire is still needed right? How European citizens can access sites hosted in United States? Without fibre cables deployed in sea, this would just become, either way too expensive, or impossible.

And cable connection is sometimes still more stable than wireless connection. I would prefer using Ethernet cable when I can, so I don't need to struggle unstable wireless signals.

 

[ricci]

As much as the actual laptop only having a single port you mean?

Having "one type " input is what is nessasary for the modern computer! The future with the launch of Skylake will end "all" cords!!! ( look it up ) so down to one cord today is the first step toward wireless "everything !! And I can guarantee there will be the same peeps here on the forms that will complain " Now what do I do will all my cords and all the money I spent on them???? Haha, just wait and watch!! Haha

 

[dampfnudel]

The vast majority of users never have anything more than the power cord attached to their computer. And on the incredibly rare chance they do need to connect something else, the 12 hours of battery life the MacBook offers is more than enough time to attach that other device to get their work done.

Do you honestly believe Apple didn't do their homework here and just randomly makes these changes simply because they feel like it?

Either that or rMB gen 2 next year.

 

[techTAG]

What I want to see are:

1xUSB Type C passthrough
2-3x USB 3
SD reader is cool but not a deal breaker
1-2xThunderbolt ports

I would also add HDMI/VGA/DVI but I can live with the thunderbolt ports and adapters to HDMI/VGA/DVI.

That would make it worth while, I'd also be willing to spend more on it with those ports.