ports

They are disassembled down to the ports. And we have tried it

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The MWC hasn’t started and I was already able to try one of the most curious devices of the entire event: the Lenovo ThinkBook Modular AI PC. The modular thing It fits perfectly, it perfectly describes his aspiration: disassemble into pieces to be able to update the laptop as needed. And to expand the possibilities, because it is a really striking all-in-one. Lenovo has brought a good amount of news around laptops and tablets. It has updated its Yoga, ThinkPad, Legion and ThinkBook families. Apart from business models, the company brought several experiments. Having a laptop that expands your workspace by simply separating the parts is the main novelty. Lenovo ThinkBook Modular AI PC data sheet Lenovo ThinkBook Modular AI PC Concept SCREEN 2x 14-inch 16:10 OLED panels Resolution of 3,840 x 2,400 pixels 120Hz refresh 500 nits Touch screen DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 313 x 233 x 16-23.9mm 1.15 kg (single screen) 1.41 kg (dual screen) PROCESSOR Intel Core Ultra 7 255H GRAPHIC CARD Intel Integrated RAM 32GB STORAGE 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD CAMERA 8MP BATTERY 33Wh OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 11 CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 7 PORTS 1x USB-C 2x USB-A 1xHDMI 2x Magic Bay Pogo Pin 1x Audio combo jack OTHERS Harman Kardon 2+2 Speakers 4 microphone array Dolby Atmos Smart Amplifier Color: Moon Gray PRICE Unspecified A compact laptop that disassembles into modules Motorola engineers must have asked themselves: “How many modules do we put in the new laptop?” And someone answered: “Yes.” Because it blew me away during the presentation: when I thought it couldn’t be cut any further, there were still pieces left. The laptop looks like a normal ThinkBook device when folded. But no, because it has a secondary screen that is anchored to the main one, although on the back. The laptop can project content forward and backwardtwo people could play a game of sinking the fleet, for example. Or use that secondary screen to work in parallel: the panel is dismantled. This is where the soul of transformer begins: Lenovo has created a double workspace. He secondary panel It can stand up thanks to a magnetic leg. And when connected to the computer, it is powered by energy and data. Of course, both screens are touch screens and can be configured to extend the workspace or double the existing one. The Lenovo ThinkBook Modular AI PC also allows the keyboard to be detached. This makes it easy to type remotely while the screens are projecting a presentation, for example. With another extra ability: the secondary panel can be placed in the physical keyboard recess. I thought I had had enough of a modular concept, but no: Lenovo reserved some removable ports. Located one at each end, it is possible to remove them to place an extra USB-C port, for example. OR An HDMI, the two connectors that Lenovo currently has as a sample. As it is a concept, the Lenovo ThinkBook Modular AI PC could evolve with more port-like accessories. Dozens of uses for a single device It is surprising when dismantling and when all the parts are placed on the table. Also in the number of formats that the laptop assumes just due to its peculiar mechanics: Traditional laptop with touch screen. Laptop with front and rear touch screen. Laptop with secondary screen in parallel. Panel included for presentations. Laptop with full screen surface and split in two. For work, for acting, for playing… The parts can be changed and thus improve the computer’s capabilities. It is also more easy to repair and, in principle, to update. As long as the concept ends up being viable for Lenovo. Magnets are the invisible protagonist of the device: all components are riddled with magnetic elements. The secondary screen is anchored by magnet, the keyboard is the same, the foot to support the panel in parallel is magnetic… And its connector is the same, of course. This makes assembly and disassembly much easier. The parts aren’t always easy to attach, though: I had a hard time keeping the secondary panel upright with the magnetic “kickstand.” Great as a concept. Something fragile in practice I took one apart and put it back together several times. First with all the effort dedicated to the task, then trying to record the process with the mobile phone while using the other hand to tame the transformer. The pieces seemed solid enough to me.although it is difficult to know where to go to unpin them. Although Lenovo assured me that it was a proof of concept, I saw the ThinkBook Modular AI PC as sufficiently fine-tuned. I noticed a certain fragility, such as the unstable support of the secondary panel, that said panel could not be adjusted in brightness (it had not yet been foreseen) or that the lower fan rubbed against the case when gripping the laptop at that point (happened to me a couple of times). Logical drawbacks for a device in development. That Lenovo innovates in a segment where almost everything has already been invented seems like an excellent idea to me. Especially since dividing the laptop by modules adds expansion, updating and repairability possibilities. Also fragility, of course. It is not yet known if it will be released on the market, but surely all the accumulated experience ends up in the rest of the family. As a concept, I thought it was outstanding. Images | Ivan Linares In Xataka | The latest from Lenovo is a gaming laptop with a rollable screen. It makes more sense than it seems

If you have run out of free HDMI ports on your TV, this switch costs 15 euros and will solve the hassle for you

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Although most televisions come with three or four HDMI ports, on many occasions we can fall short if we want to connect one or more consoles, a computer or a Fire TV Stick. For this, the switches or switch They are quite practical accessories that allow us to add more devices, and they generally tend to have a fairly reasonable price. The Anker Switch HDMI is one of the most affordable within the brand, and its compact format is designed so that it does not take up space on the television cabinet. Its price is 14.99 euros and it is a switch two in onewhich allows us to connect two devices to a single HDMI port on the television. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A way to connect multiple devices to one HDMI port The switch They are usually compact accessories that incorporate several HDMI ports: two or more input to connect devices and one out dedicated to connecting it to the TV. This one from Anker allows you to connect two devices, such as one PlayStation 5 and one nintendo switch 2and switch between them by simply pressing the button at the top. This switch offers a ratio of up to 4K/60Hz and is compatible with HDR and with a wide assortment of devices, thus allowing us to connect a console such as PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, an Xbox Series, a projector or a computer, among others. On the other hand, if we are looking for extra comfort, there are many others switch which include more HDMI input ports and a remote control with which to switch between connected devices. One of the most interesting is the Ugreen HDMI Switch (29.99 euros), which in this case comes with three HDMI input ports and a remote control. In case you want to take full advantage of the features of the current generation consoles, Ugreen has another switch (19.59 euros) that offers a relationship 8K/60Hz and 4K/240Hzalthough in this case it only comes with two HDMI input ports. You may also be interested Anker 8K HDMI Cable at 60Hz, Ultra HD 4K HDMI Cable at 120Hz, 0.9m, Certified High Speed ​​48Gbps Cable with HDMI 2.1 and HDR, Compatible with PlayStation 5, Xbox, Samsung TVs and More The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Logitech K400 Wireless Touch Keyboard Plus for TV with a Multimedia Control and Touch Panel, HTPC Keyboard for TV connected to PC, Windows, Android, Chrome OS, Laptop, QWERTY Spanish – Black The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Juan Carlos Lopez and freepik (header), Anker In Xataka | This is the gaming tower that I would buy. The computers with the best quality-price ratio for gaming recommended by Xataka In Xataka | Best gaming laptops: which one to buy and eight recommended computers from 770 to 3,000 euros

build ports as if there were no tomorrow

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World geopolitics has been a hornet’s nest since Donald Trump came to the White House for the second time and one of its most strained relations is with China: tariff war It has had its ups and downs and the rest of the world was in the middle. While the United States tightened the screws, China has deployed an alternative based on one hand on its commercial skills and diplomacy and on the other, on its impressive technical and technological muscle. And for example, an entire continent: Africa. The context. China has its Belt and Road Initiativewhich reflects that ports constitute one of the pillars of “Maritime Silk Road of the 21st century“. Ports are not mere infrastructure, but nodes in a global network. In the face of MAGA’s “America First” policy and tariff pressure, Africa is tempted to look for other partners, how it goes deeper the expert in geopolitics and international economics Michael von Liechtenstein. And in fact, they are already doing it: Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, matches its Chinese counterpart confirming that what both countries have is a “comprehensive strategic partnership.” The former president of Senegal, Macky Sall (left office in 2024), also asserted that China is the only partner with the speed necessary to remedy its infrastructure deficit. Why is it important. China has achieved get their hands on one in three commercial ports of the continent, showing that there is life beyond whoever lives in the White House and that the keys to global trade are still in his pocket. With its full or partial participation, China not only moves containers, it controls what comes in, what goes out, how long it takes and what technology is used. What China wins and what Africa wins. African presidents have already said loud and clear that China is the one who can get them out of this infrastructure deficit on the fast track, but it is also no longer a mere builder: it matters in a comprehensive development model with industrial parks, transport infrastructure such as railways and highways and free trade zones. And all this without giving political lessons, thanks to the Beijing Consensus. Africa is not only in a key passage area, it is also the mine of the world and China is thus ensuring that these raw materials reach their factories without the interference of third parties. With zero tariffs and port control, China becomes the perfect partner for anyone, including the United States. China’s port expansion in Africa. Africa Center One in three African ports speaks Chinese. China has already announced that will follow the zero tariff policy for 53 countries in Africa, which will surely come in handy to take advantage of its logistical dominance there. Of the 231 ports across the continent, Chinese state-owned companies actively participate in 78 from 32 countries, either because they have built it directly or, indirectly, have financed it or have participations. Besides, It has 10 fully operating concessions. And they are not just any ports. This figure is significantly higher than anywhere else in the world: Latin America and the Caribbean “only” have 10 ports operated or built by China, according to data from this 2020 study published in Science Direct. China, for its part, has gone from being the partner that lends money to becoming the one that manages the infrastructure, something that was already warned in its five-year plan from 2021 to 2025which includes six corridors, three of which cross Africa: reaching Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa, Egypt and the Suez region, and Tunisia. The key ports. China is conquering the choke points: its strategy is not to build hundreds of small ports, but to control the most critical enclaves on the continent: Djibouti is the strategic node in the Horn of Africa and opens the doors to control of the Red Sea. Mombasa and Lamu in Kenya as a gateway to the east of the continent. Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, the connection to the Zambian Copperbelt and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lagos in Nigeria and its presence on the western coast to advance towards the Atlantic. In Xataka | The Strait of Malacca is not enough: China’s new obsession is to prevent the US from confiscating its ships In Xataka | China has revealed a new naval military strategy: civilian ships that can become missile launchers Cover | 中国新闻社 and Rosy Ko

There are green, orange and even purple USB ports. The color rule that indicates your generation is extinct

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There was a time when everything was easier. If the USB port was white, it was slow; if it was black, it was standard; and if it was blue, it was the fastest. That rule that helped us Easily identify USB-A generations It’s gone. The arrival of new standards, charging functions and brand marketing has meant that today we find a wide range of green, orange and purple ports that no longer mean much. Image: StorageReview The original color code. The current chaos, as we explain in our guide to the USB standardit was not planned. The USB-IF organization tried to standardize it: white corresponds to USB 1.x, black for USB 2.0 (480 Mbps), and blue (or turquoise) for fast USB 3.0 (5 Gbps). First confusion. That is a product of the charging ports: the first problem came when colors began to be used to indicate power functions, not just data transmission. This is how the yellow, orange or red ports arrived. These usually indicate an “Always on” or “Sleep & Charge” function, which means that the port continues to provide power even when the computer is turned off or in sleep. More speed, more colors. To differentiate USB 3.1 (10 Gbps) and 3.2 (20 Gbps), the standard suggested the color turquoise blue, or failing that, red. Here the system began to leak. And the final blow came from marketing. A purple USB cable for a Huawei device indicates that it supports SuperCharge, its fast charging technology. Image: Reddit The rule became extinct completely when the brands decided use colors as corporate identity. The most famous case is that of Razer, which dyes its ports a characteristic lime green. Likewise, if you see a purple port, it’s probably from Huawei. The Chinese manufacturer uses them to identify its devices compatible with SuperCharge (its fast charging system), although technically it is still a USB 3.1 port. Chaos also in names. If there is already a mess with the colors, there is also a mess with the names: USB-IF itself has contributed by renaming the standards. USB 3.0 was renamed “USB 3.1 Gen 1” and is now “USB 3.2 Gen 1.” In parallel, USB 3.1 is now “USB 3.2 Gen 2”. This makes it almost impossible for a user to know what they are buying without looking at the fine print, a mess that the Wi-Fi Alliance solved much more elegantly. with standards such as Wi-Fi 5, 6 or the most recent Wi-Fi 7. The real culprit: USB-C. The final nail in the color coding coffin is the USB-C connector. It’s just a reversible connector, but what’s inside is chaos: the same USB-C port can be a slow USB 2.0, a USB 3.2 or a very fast Thunderbolt 4. The only way to differentiate them is to look for the lightning bolt logo that characterized Apple. Or read the device’s spec sheet because color, unfortunately, no longer means anything. Image | Xataka In Xataka | How to prepare a USB to use it on your mobile phone, tablet or Smart TV and expand its memory

Amancio Ortega has once again invested where very few were looking: in the ports

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Amancio Ortega, founder of Inditex, has expanded his fortune by building a second real estate empire based on the generous dividends that he provides the textile giant that now his daughter directs. Through your investment company PontegadeaOrtega has not only invested in the best buildings in luxury apartmentshotels or commercial premises on the best streets in the world, but has now diversified its investments in a strategic sector: logistics and ports. Pontegadea enters the port business. This is not the first time that Pontegadea has tested the logistics sector, given that it already has several strategic facilities in Ireland and the Netherlands. However, the great bet of Ortega’s investment arm in the port sector has been the purchase of 49% of PD Ports last July, one of the most important port operators in the United Kingdom. Unlike its previous investments, PD Ports It is not a real estate asset, but rather it operates in a dozen ports in the east of the United Kingdom, generating more than 1.4 billion pounds a year and more than 22,000 indirect jobs, as the company claimed. in a statement. The jewel in the crown of PD Ports is the port of Teesport. Located in the northeast of the country, it is the sixth largest port in the United Kingdom and one of the 10 largest in Europe. Disembarkation of executives. Unlike other Pontegadea operations, the acquisition of PD Ports, whose investment cost figures have not been disclosed, is that Pontegadea has not limited itself to an investor role, but has taken action by assigning different “strong men” of Ortega to the company’s board of directors. As and how did he count Galicia Digital Economyone of these directors who becomes part of the board of directors of the port company is Roberto Cibeira, CEO of Pontegadea, advisor to Inditex and man of Amancio Ortega’s greatest confidence. This one didn’t come alone. Next to him sit Andrés Moreno Fernández and Ignacio Iglesias Botas, both important managers in Pontegadea, who now extend their influence to the port business. Low profile and dividends. As pointed out the economic ExpansionAmancio Ortega has chosen to enter the port sector with an approach very similar to the one he adopted with renewable energies. In none of these sectors does it have a majority in the capital of the projects, but its presence is influential enough to obtain important dividends for its operations, which maintains the philosophy focused on stable and profitable assets from Pontegadea. Coast to coast shopping. Since I was in the area, the Pontegadea negotiators they have gone shopping around Liverpool, on the west coast of the United Kingdom, to acquire PLP Knowsleya logistics center of 80,000 square meters. However, the key to this acquisition is that it is one of the largest operations centers in the United Kingdom of its tenant: Amazon. With this acquisition, Ortega adds new income from Jeff Bezos’ company, to which in addition to logistics centers, has rented its headquarters from Seattle. In Xataka | Amancio Ortega is the landlord of Amazon, Primark and Zara: he has charged them almost 1,000 million euros in rent Image | Unsplash (Marius Niveri), GTRES

The USB-A ports are not going to disappear so please, manufacturers, stop eliminating them from their equipment

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My Logitech keyboard has a wireless receptor in the form of USB-A adapter. The same goes for the Anker webcam that I use, which is great and that connects to my equipment with its cable with a USB-A connector. The wired mouse I use to play, surprise, also uses that port. In fact, the Mac Mini M4 that I use daily to work has a great paste: It has no USB-A connectors. On its front there are two great USB-C ports, but I do not use them as such: I have long bought two USB-A (female) adapters to USB-C (male) to be able to use my peripherals easily in that equipment. That has long been the constant appearance of the front of my Mac. It is no longer as stylized as they conceived in Apple, but I don’t care, because what is is practical. I have some USB-C peripherals, yes, but they are the least, and despite the advantages of the USB-C connector, the reality is that today many peripherals-trays, keyboards, webcams, pendrives, etc.— They are still betting on the well-known, old and good USB-A connector. The dichotomy of the industry: do we kill the USB-A, yes or no? It doesn’t matter if it is more speaking, more rough and zero reversible. In his favor he has played the fact that he is recognizable and that he managed to give a simple answer to the problem of differentiation. In USB-C there is no easy way to know if a cable offers better transfers and supports better load capabilities than another. In USB-A connectors, look if The inner color of the connector. Color Standard Speed Special characteristics White USB 1.x 1.5 – 12 Mbps None Black USB 2.0 Hi-Speed 480 Mbps None Blue USB 3.0 Superspeed Up to 5 Gbps None Red USB 3.1 Gen 2 & USB 3.2 10-20 Gbps Always on Yellow USB 2.0 & USB 3.0 480 – 5 Gbps Always on, Power Liabilities Delivery Orange USB 3.0 Up to 5 GPBS Always on, Power Liabilities Delivery The connector USB-C has been imposed In the mobile devices segment. The same European Union chosen it as the standard of iure that They had to use all manufacturersincluding an Apple that surely did not like the idea. The funny thing is that this same company has been an ultranza defender of the USB-C connector in its Mac and MacBooks. Apple went through a terrible stage in which the number of connectors minimized to the maximum –The infamous MacBook He only had a USB-C port— and that made many complain about The #Donglelife condemnation although in the end it was not so much. The funny thing is that Apple ended up reconciling with connectivity, and both the Mac Studio and the MacBook Pro are an example of it. The first to They tell With USB-A ports (surprise!), While the latter include SD card reader and HDMI port but, pity, no USB-A ports. The laptops loved (alone) to the USB-C connectors That unique obsession with not including USB-A ports in laptops is common in the segment and is not limited to Apple’s MacBook. You have to search well among the available models of HP, Lenovo or Dell to find equipment that has USB-A ports. Even “big” teams like the Dell XPS 16 They pass olympically from that port. The manufacturer goes further and, anticipating the complaints, gives us the option of buying a USB-C adapter to USB-A (additional 25 euros) to be able to connect peripherals of this type to their laptop. Arch. Fortunately those ports Yes they are available For example, in its gaming laptop alienware range, something logical if we consider that it is much more normal to connect gaming peripherals that usually use the USB-A connector. There is no doubt that the USB-C connector has important advantages. Murphy’s law is usually complied with the USB-A connectors: We often try to connect on the side that is not. That does not happen with the USB-C connectors, wonderfully reversible, but it is also possible to combine data transfer with the video signal. But with everything and with that, the USB-C connector and those cables have their own problems, among which it stands out the chaos of variants that exist. That is a separate problem that does not especially affect that other reality we are talking about: the USB-A connector is still used by all types of manufacturers for all types of peripherals. And that is why it is striking to see how most portable manufacturers (and some desktop equipment, such as the Mac Mini) continue to be obtained with a forced update that has not been produced. Some brands have been trying to forget the port and USB-A connectors, but again and again the peripheral market prevents it. It is true that adapters and the Dongles They solve the problem acceptably. But it would not be to see from time to time no gaming teams that recovered those ports. That, I’m afraid, it’s going to be difficult. Image | Bram van Oost In Xataka | Clariating with USB-C ports is an impossible mission. A new labeling system wants to end the mess

Gentrification has turned ports into inaccessible resorts

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A hundred shipowners demonstrated last Saturday in Cartagena while the Ocean Race was celebrated. Among the banners you could read things like “the sea is not sold” or “decent cattle rates”. And it is that while the gigantic yachts and more pointers in the world sailed through the Murcian bay, on land they protested the sailors who use those same waters the rest of the year. It is this image that summarizes perfectly The crisis that crosses the nautical recreational in Spain. A background problem. What began as isolated protests in different ports has become An increasingly generalized phenomenon. Small vessel shipowners denounce disproportionate increases in mooring rates that are expelling them from the ports. In Cartagena, the cost of mooring a five -meter ship has gone from 30 euros per month in 2000 to 400 euros current. In Ibiza, the situation is even more dramatic. And is that the medium The nautical gazette He shared one of the budgets of Port Nàutic Ibiza for an 8.95 meter vessel, which has seen its annual rate triple from 7,300 to 25,700 euros. Port Nàutic Ibiza budget for a motor of 8.95 meters in length. Image: Nautical Gazette A new reality for the market. As mentioned The confidentialbehind these increases there is a structural change in the Spanish nautical sector. Investment funds such as CVC, known for their agreements with LaLiga, have entered the business through business groups such as D-Marin, which already manages ports in Barcelona and Mallorca. The traditional model of Yacht Clubs, designed to foster sports and social activity, now competes with marine oriented exclusively to maximize benefits. “In the background, a kind of gentrification is being lived that repeats the same processes that we see in the housing sector”, explained to the Enrique Rey, partner of a sailing school at Mar Menor. The figures that confirm the trend. The data of the Higher Sports Council show the real impact of this transformation. Federative candle licenses have fallen from 50,000 before the 2008 crisis less than 20,000 in 2024. A 60% reduction that reflects how high costs are closing the door to new navigators. “The entrance barrier for this world is higher and popular nautical has less space”, summarize King. Social nautical. Paradoxically, there is no consensus on where to draw the line between accessible navigation and luxury. For the Balearic Government, social nautical places it in eight meters. This ambiguity has allowed to some extent that the new concessionaires establish exponentially higher rates for vessels that exceed the established limit by a few centimeters. As warns Manu Fraga, director of the Real Club Náutico de Palma: “If this is generalized, the majority of residents who today have a ship, will have where to put it.” And now what. The president of the Royal Spanish Federation of Vela, Joaquín González Devesa, proposes That the nautical clubs declare their public utility and allocate at least 10% of their income to federated sport, losing the concession who do not meet it. On the other hand, King too Point out The regulation of coasts, which has limited traditional anchorage and access from beaches. The truth is that without an intervention of public institutions, the current model points to increasingly exclusive ports where, as Rey warns, “there will only be room for those who have luxury ships.” Cover image | Monika Guzikowska In Xataka | A Spaniard has patented a mast that transforms wind and waves into electricity: his invention challenges diesel into ships

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