Bye, Lightning cable.Hello, USB-C.
Apple is ditching its in-house iPhone charging plug and falling in line with the rest of the tech industry by adopting a more widely used connection standard.A big part of the reason is a European Union common charging rule that’s coming soon for the 27-nation bloc.
Here’s a look at the USB-C plug and what it means for consumers:
Photo: AFP 照片：法新社
WHAT IS USB-C AND HOW CAN I TELL IT APART FROM OTHER PLUGS?
The first part of the acronym stands for Universal Serial Bus, and it replaces earlier versions of the USB cables used on everything from printers and hard drives to computer mice and Kindle readers.
The USB-C plug comes in a different shape than its predecessors — an elongated oval.It’s also symmetrical and reversible, which eliminates one of the common gripes about previous versions like the rectangular USB-A connectors because there’s no wrong way to plug it in.
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT USB-C?
USB-C cables can carry more power so laptops can be charged faster, and they enable faster data transfer speeds, allowing a big trove of files to be copied from a computer to an external hard drive.At the same time, they can pump out a video signal to a monitor and supply power to connected accessories.
The USB-C connector also is designed to be future-proof.Its shape won’t change but newer versions — and the devices they connect to — will come with upgraded capabilities.
That means users will have to beware because older devices might not be able to support the latest specs.
Photo: AFP 照片：法新社
It’s also slimmer than boxy USB-A plugs, making them a better fit for newer devices that keep getting smaller.
WHY IS APPLE USING IT?
Apple has long championed its proprietary Lightning connector for iPhones even though pretty much no one else used it.It resisted the EU’s common charging push, citing worries that it would limit innovation and end up hurting consumers.
Photo: AP 照片：美聯社
Apple held out even as others started adding USB-C connectors into their devices.
But after the EU proposal won a key approval last year, the US tech giant gave in and didn’t look back.
A company executive unveiling the latest iPhone on Tuesday last week didn’t even mention the Lightning cable as she introduced its replacement.
“USB-C has become a universally accepted standard so we’re bringing USB-C to iPhone 15,” said Kaiann Drance, vice president of iPhone product marketing.
She said USB-C has “been built into Apple products for years” and can now be used on MacBooks, iPads, iPhones and AirPods.
WHAT ROLE DID EUROPE PLAY?
Apple’s shift is an example of how European Union regulations often end up rippling around the world — what’s known as the “Brussels effect” — as companies decide it’s easier to comply than make different products for different regions.
The EU spent more than a decade cajoling the tech industry into adopting a common charging standard.The push to impose rules for a uniform cable are part of the bloc’s wider effort to make products sold in the EU more sustainable and cut down on electronic waste.
The EU’s common charging rule won’t actually take effect until fall next year.It covers phones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld video game consoles, keyboards and mice, portable speakers and navigation devices.
It also standardizes fast-charging technology and gives consumers the right to choose whether to buy new devices with or without a charger.
(AP)
再見，Lightning傳輸線。哈囉，USB-C。
蘋果正捨棄自家的iPhone充電接頭，採用更廣泛使用的連接標準來與其他科技公司一致。很大一部分原因是歐盟27國即將實施的共同充電規則。
以下為USB-C接頭概觀，及其對消費者的意義：
什麼是USB-C？它跟其他接頭如何區分？
該縮寫詞的第一部分USB代表的是「Universal Serial Bus」（通用序列匯流排），它取代了用於印表機、硬碟、電腦滑鼠和Kindle電子書閱讀器等各種設備的早期USB電線。
USB-C接頭的形狀與其前身不同，而呈細長的橢圓形。它也是對稱的，且兩面都可用，這去除了過去的形式（如矩形USB-A接頭）常為人詬病的一個缺點，因為不會插錯方向。
USB-C有何優點？
USB-C線材可承載更多電量，因此筆記型電腦可以更快充飽電，資料傳輸的速度也會加快，從而可將大量文件由電腦複製到外接硬碟。同時，USB-C可將影像訊號輸出到監視器，並為連接的配件供電。
USB-C接頭的設計也具有未來性。它的形狀不會改變，但其新版本及連接設備的功能將會升級。這表示用戶必須注意，因為舊設備可能無法支援最新的規格。
它還比方方角角的USB-A接頭更細薄，更能適用於體積不斷縮小的新型設備。
蘋果為何採用它？
蘋果的iPhone長期以來一直擁護其專有的Lightning接頭，儘管幾乎沒有別的廠商用過Lightning。蘋果抵制歐盟統一充電接頭的措施，理由是擔心它會限制創新，且到頭來會傷害消費者。
即便其他公司開始在其產品上設置USB-C接頭，蘋果仍堅持己見。但歐盟的提案在去年獲得關鍵批准後，這家美國科技巨頭屈服了，且不再回首。
最新款iPhone上週二發表，蘋果高層主管在介紹替代Lightning的傳輸線時，甚至沒有提及Lightning一詞。
iPhone產品行銷副總裁凱茵．德廉斯說道：「USB-C已成為普遍接受的標準，因此我們將USB-C 引入iPhone 15」。
她說USB-C「多年來一直內建於蘋果產品中」，現在可以在 MacBook、iPad、iPhone和AirPods上使用。
歐洲發揮了什麼作用？
蘋果公司的轉變是歐盟法規最終擴散至全球的一個例子，即所謂的「布魯塞爾效應」，因為公司認為遵守法規比為不同地區製造不同產品更容易。
歐盟花了十多年的時間勸導科技業採用共同的充電器標準。推動實施統一線材的規定，屬於歐盟政策大方向之一，為了使在歐盟銷售的產品更具永續性，並減少電子廢棄物。
歐盟統一充電器的規定要到2024年秋季才會真正生效。它涵蓋手機、平板電腦、電子閱讀器、耳塞式耳機、數位相機、耳機與耳麥、手持電玩控制器、鍵盤及滑鼠、可攜式喇叭與導航設備。
它還標準化了快速充電技術，並賦予消費者選擇權，購買新機時可自行決定是否購買充電器。
（台北時報林俐凱編譯）
A: More and more department stores are opening soon.In Taipei’s east district, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi’s Diamond Towers are to launch a trial run tomorrow.
B: And in New Taipei’s Xindian District, Yes! Life Yulon City shopping mall featuring Asia’s largest Eslite Bookstore will also start a trial operation next week.A: There are so many department stores.B: Yeah, in Taipei’s Xinyi District alone, there are Shin Kong’s A4, A8, A9 and A11, Breeze Xinyi, Songgao, Nanshan, Far Eastern Xinyi, Eslite Xinyi, Uni-Ustyle, Belavita, ATT and Taipei 101.A: Well, let’s go window shopping then! A: 又有更多的百貨公司要開幕啦，台北市東區的新光三越「雙子星鑽石塔」，明天起將展開試營運。 B:
Pet owners experience the love and companionship their furry friends provide.
However, there are times when we have to leave them behind for trips or vacations.Fortunately, “pet sitters” can take care of them while we’re away, ensuring they remain happy and healthy.
Pet sitters look after pets in the pets’ own home, feeding them, exercising them and giving them company.Additionally, pet sitters may also give the pets medicine and clean up after them.Pet sitters play such an important role in guaranteeing the well-being of beloved pets.For one thing, pets tend to be more content and
對話 Dialogue 清清：你還記得在1999年9月21號發生的那場大地震嗎？ Qīngqing: Nǐ hái jìdé zài 1999 nián 9 yuè 21 hào fāshēng de nà chǎng dà dìzhèn ma? 華華：我想對大部分經歷過那場地震的台灣人來說，都很難忘吧！ Huáhua: Wǒ xiǎng duì dàbùfèn jīnglìguò nà chǎng dìzhèn de Táiwān rén láishuō, dōu hěn nánwàng ba! 清清：你那時候正在做什麼？ Qīngqing: Nǐ nà shíhòu zhèngzài zuò shénme? 華華：我在睡覺，但感覺到一陣天搖地動，就被嚇醒了。你呢？ Huáhua: Wǒ zài shuìjiào, dàn gǎnjué dào yí zhèntiānyáodìdòng, jiù bèi xiàxǐngle.Nǐ ne? 清清：我還沒睡，正在用電腦寫作業。我想趕快往外跑，但搖得站都站不住，真是太可怕了！ Qīngqing: Wǒ háiméi shuì, zhèngzài yòng diànnǎo xiě zuòyè.Wǒ xiǎng gǎnkuài wǎngwài pǎo, dàn yáo de zhàn dōu zhànbúzhù, zhēnshì tài kěpàle! 華華：希望以後不會再有嚴重的天災，大家都平安。 Huáhua: Xīwàng yǐhòu bbúhuì zài yǒu yánzhòng de tiānzāi, dàjiā dōu píng’ān.
翻譯 Translation Qingqing: Do you still remember the huge earthquake that occurred on Sept.
21,
交通規則是每個人日常生活不可避免的一部分，不明所以的上路出門將承擔人身安全風險或錢包遭殃的代價。交通情境更是TOEIC常考的內容之一。透過這次的交通新制上路，我們從規則、罰款和駕照三大部分來學TOEIC常考字吧！ 交通規則說法 交通規則英文一共有三種說法，分別是traffic laws、traffic regulations、traffic rules。 1.laws是法律，所以traffic laws指的就是和交通相關的法律條文。2.regulation則是來自於regulate（規範），因為交通有各式各樣的行為都是受到規範的，所以可以用traffic regulations來表示交通規則。但其實regulation最常見的用法還是一些相關部門或企業的principles or regulations governing conducts（希望大家遵守的行為方式）。3.
而英文字rules，和交通相關的詞就是traffic rules，這個字也較常搭配比賽使用，例如contest rules或game rules。 The newly amended air pollution law has aroused wide controversy.（新修訂的空污法激起了廣泛的爭議。） Many financial leaders around the globe are calling for stricter regulations for crypto currencies.（全球許多的金融領袖正呼籲對加密貨幣進行更嚴格的規範。） Tabletop games with complex rules are not for beginners.（具有複雜規則的桌遊不適合新手。） 守規則與違規 守規則有兩個主要的英文說法是follow與obey，follow來自於跟從，obey的原意是服從，所以當我們跟從或服從特定的規定，自然就是遵守規則。而違規也有最基本的三種英文說法，分別是break、violate和offend。 這三個英文單字，最口語的說法是break（打破），但要特別注意break the rule（打破常規）也可以是正面意思。而違規較正式的說法是violate，它來自於拉丁文的violatus，與violence（暴力）是同一個語源。若你想把這個單字背起來，你可以把violate想像成是使用暴力時侵犯到某些規則。另外，動詞offend（冒犯）可以用來表達違規，但在使用時通常要轉化成為名詞，例如traffic offender。 Sometimes it pays off to break the rules.（有時打破常規是會值得的。） The new business idea may violate international law.（這個新的商業想法可能會違反國際法。） Habitual traffic offenders should receive more severe punishments.（交通慣犯應該接受更為嚴厲的處罰。） 處罰英文怎麼說？ 被抓到違規後當然要接受處罰啦，由於交通處罰大多是用罰款來處理，所以最常用的字就是fine。Fine當成形容詞的意思是「好的」，如It’s a fine day，但當成動詞或是名詞時的意思則是「罰款」。 The company is facing a huge fine for violating several trade regulations.
（該公司因為違反數條貿易規範而面臨巨額罰款。） 除了fine之外，處罰也可以penalty來表示。Penalty這個字相信最近會被許多人討論，因為世足賽上的「罰12碼球」就稱為Penalty kick，也就是PK（一對一挑戰）的由來。除了足球，在日常生活中遇到任何的違規被罰，只要是「付出代價」性質的都可以用penalty來表示。 The train company will hike the penalty on.