Making Tech Headlines · Page 6
The Airport USB Port Offers Power and Asks for a Little Trust
· New York time
Using an unfamiliar public USB charger can be unsafe, although the risk is considered minimal, according to Engadget's assessment. Travelers have ways to protect their devices while charging, including bringing their own power adapter and using a wall outlet rather than relying on an unknown USB connection. The concern is that a USB connection can carry data as well as power. That does not mean every charging station is dangerous, or that a traveler should treat every empty battery as a major security incident. It does mean convenience and trust meet at a very small port. A personal adapter is a simple way to keep the charging arrangement familiar. The traveler still needs an available outlet and the equipment they brought, but there is less mystery about what is attached to the phone. Airports specialize in selling solutions to problems they helped make urgent: a long wait, an expensive snack and a device nearing zero percent. The public charging station fits neatly into that business of rescue, even when it costs nothing. It offers the comfort of a glowing battery symbol at precisely the moment a passenger is least interested in asking questions. Packing an adapter gives that passenger one less bargain to make with a stranger's port.
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