That’s right, kids – no more twisting and turning to “get it in right”, no more frustration borne out of an age of ultimate convenience; the tech world is rectifying a long-standing complaint with the standard USB plug, and the newest version will literally connect “any way you jam it in”.

 
Following the recent introduction of Apple’s lightning connector (used in the iPhone 5 and newer iPads and iPods), it seemed almost necessary that the USB plug get a major overhaul itself. In addition to being reversible, the Type-C connector will be much smaller – similar in size to the MicroUSB plug (the connector used by most non-Apple smartphones now). It will allow for scalable power charging and support data rates nearing 10Gbit/s, not to mention open doors for a whole new “super thin class” of devices.

 
The initial downside to this new connector will be compatibility with existing devices. Obviously with the incept of an entirely new plug, the USB 3.0 Promoter Group is going to have to include a specification for adapters and cables, otherwise countless USB chargers would be rendered obsolete almost immediately. Personally, I am already wondering if there is enough room in the closet at home labeled “PC graveyard” for all the USB-fueled devices that would no longer need the 17 USB cables I currently use to power them (am I the only one that has convinced myself that one day these relics will make me a thousandaire on Antiques Roadshow?).

 
All in all, it was probably way past time the USB port got a makeover itself. In a recent press release, USB 3.0 Promoter Group chairman Brad Saunders stated that the Type-C would “meet evolving design trends in terms of size and usability” while still allowing for future scalability in regards to charging and data transfer. Alex Peleg of Intel went as far as to add that “This new industry standards-based thin connector delivering data, power, and video is the only connector one will need across all devices”. Granted, Intel is one of the ground members of the USB 3.0 Promoter Group (which also includes Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Texas Instruments), but it seems nonetheless likely that all technology will be moving in this smaller, more convenient direction very shortly.

 
The Type-C will be up for industry review in the first quarter of 2014, and if all goes according to plan, the final product should be available by the middle of summer. Any way you spin it, jam it or review it, the summer of 2014 is already shaping up to be an exciting and innovative year for the tech world.