My entire platform for president is to make it a felony to put a USB-C connector on a device that can only charge from a USB-A power supply.

[mattblaze@federate.social]

I'm talking to you, Philips rechargeable worklight.

[robpike@hachyderm.io]

@mattblaze To save a tenth of a cent for a pull-up resistor?

[jripley@mastodon.social]

@mattblaze But Matt, those two resistors would bankrupt so many companies, the US would go into a great recession!

[n1xnx@tilde.zone]

@mattblaze
If you're talking to an appliance, you'll probably need to be holding a hammer in order to convince it you're serious.

[mattblaze@federate.social]

@robpike I guess it adds up.

[ashwin@defcon.social]

@mattblaze

With AI, iOT, and needless features being crammed into everything, the day is not far when it might actually talk back.

[joshbressers@infosec.exchange]

@mattblaze @robpike hey now. It’s TWO resistors!

[20002ist@thepit.social]

@mattblaze You mean the wall wart has a female A connector & thus the cable is male A to male C?

[schamschula@mastodon.social]

@mattblaze Last week I had to buy a pair of these hybrid charging cables. I hear this is to save installing a single resistor. I think the cables cost more than a resistor...
Where is the EU when we need them?

[mattblaze@federate.social]

@20002ist Right. They ship a device with a USB-C connector and a USB-C to USB-A cable, and warn you only their cable works.

[stevebellovin@infosec.exchange]

@mattblaze @20002ist USB-A to USB-C cables aren't uncommon, especially for charging. But "only their cable works" is bizarre.

[mattblaze@federate.social]

@SteveBellovin @20002ist Yes, I understand you can get the cables. I have cables.

The problem is that if I see a USB-C connector, I should reasonably expect to be able to charge it with a USB-C charger.

[neopolitan@outerheaven.club]

@mattblaze Understandable, you have my vote.

[alienghic@timeloop.cafe]

@mattblaze @20002ist

Only their cable works should be a crime.

[20002ist@thepit.social]

@mattblaze As in “don’t use a USB-C charger & cable because the former will damage the device/void the warranty/cause all life as you know it to stop instantaneously and every molecule in your body to explode at the speed of light”? Yeah, that’s seriously brain-damaged.

[mattblaze@federate.social]

@SteveBellovin @20002ist The underlying issue is devices that were designed for an older USB-mini or -micro connector that gets swapped right before production for USB-C, without adding the resistors to the circuit. USB-C doesn't supply 5V to an open circuit the way USB-A does.

[borrisinabox@fwoof.space]

@mattblaze Just in the last three months, I've acquired four such devices. It's just rude.