USB-C Saga... Continues...

I've moved completely to USB-C and I really do like it. Small connectors, universal cables. All in all a huge reduction of bulk. I am down to 2 power bricks - the big Apple 87W and the small Anker 30W. And three cables: the long 2m Apple to power the Macbook, a shorter and lighter 1m (also Apple) to use with the small Anker charger and a short 50cm SuperSpeed (10GBps) do connect to backup drives or hook up an iPad as a second screen to the MacBook that runs Windows 10.

At some point I was even looking to replace the big 87W Apple power supply with a different one that would have two USB-C outputs, but after weighing the options I decided to get the 30W Anker Atom-1. It is very small and very powerful an in many cases (like on a plane) the small brick is way more convenient to handle.

With that, all new gear purchasing decisions have USB-C charging at the top of the checklist. Which - it turns out - is not enough.

Recently I've pulled the trigger on the Skyroam's Solis. There are similar options for global WiFi hot-spots, but this one appealed to me with the "embedded 6000 mAh power bank and latest USB-C connection". As it turned out, the USB-C they have just looks like USB-C but does not deliver what USB-C is meant to deliver. Like compliance with the Power Delivery standard.

Long story short the Solis does not charge from a modern USB-PD power supply. Neither the Apple 87W nor the Anker Atom nor a bunch of other options I tried, worked. It only worked when I blocked USB-PD negotiation by inserting a pair of dongles between a cable and a power supply.

Of course I opened a support thread with them, but that has been a disaster... After I explained to them everything, what I tried and what workarounds I found and what is the hypothesis, the conversation went like this

• "Have you already get the plastic tab inside the battery?"
•  "It will charge from a type-A charger with an A-to-C cable"
• "We will send you a new cable"

.. at which point I got angre requesting escalating the case to engineering.... at which point they went mum...

The bottom line is... any new standard takes time for most of people to figure it out. Pick reputable brands who have resources and commitment to stand behind their products or have been involved in the development of the standard. Over time things will be ironed out eventually. But the early days for any technology may bring unexpected surprises.