#iphone 12 charger

[fonegadgetsuk]

Tips to Select The Best iPhone Charger wire

Is it true or not that you are fed up with continually supplanting your iPhone charger cable? Do you wind up disappointed with slow charging times or cables that break without any problem? Picking the right charger cable for your iPhone can have a significant effect in guaranteeing an enduring and dependable charge. With such countless choices available, it very well may be overpowering to know which one is best for your necessities.

In this article, we will direct you through the most common way of picking an iPhone charger lead that meets your necessities. We will cover all that from rope length to strength, and give tips on the most proficient method to keep away from normal errors while choosing a charging cable. By heeding our guidance, you will have the option to put resources into a great charger cable that keeps your iPhone controlled with next to no problem or dissatisfaction.

Tips to Select the Best iPhone Charger wire

Searching for the best iPhone charger lead can be an overwhelming errand, particularly with such countless choices out there. However, dread not! We have a few hints to assist you with choosing the ideal one.

Right off the bat, think about the length of the cable. Do you want it to arrive at across your room or simply sit in front of you? It is critical to pick a cable that meets your requirements and will not cause any burden while charging. Moreover, search for cables made with tough materials like plaited nylon or Kevlar. These will endure longer than less expensive plastic other options and set aside your cash over the long haul.

The second component to remember is similarity. Guarantee that the apple charger lead works flawlessly with your iPhone model. A lightning connector might function admirably with a more established iPhone yet probably will not be viable with fresher forms. Thus, twofold check prior to making a buy!

there is the standard Apple iPhone cable which accompanies each new gadget buy. It has a length of around one meter and gives charging at a typical speed. Be that as it may, if you want a more drawn-out iPhone charger link for comfort or adaptability while charging, consider getting a lengthy lightning link. These come in lengths of up to ten feet and are ideally suited for utilizing your telephone while connected from across the room.

For individuals who need quicker charging speeds, pick an iPhone quick charger link. These unique links have thicker wires and give more ability to rapidly charge your telephone. They likewise function admirably with all the most recent and old iPhones Gadgets.

Conclusion

You can now simply log on to www.fonegadgets.co.uk if you want to buy a reliable iPhone charger cable. It is an awesome online mobile accessories shop. If you have any doubts do comment below.

Contact Us on- sales@fonegadgets.co.uk

62, Great Hampton Street Birmingham — B18 6EL

[thegirlinthecher]

anyone else's 100% charged phone feel like a rich well-fed emperor, heavy and lethargic after the first feast of spring (forgot I kept it for charging and it has been for hours)

and then at 8%, it's like this starving, emaciated peasant begging for a morsel and surviving on table scraps (battery saver mode)

[rushnaf]

150W Multi-Port USB Fast Charger 6-port Wireless Charger for iPhone 11 12 13 14 Pro Max airpords ipad

buy now 150W Multi-Port USB Fast Charger 6-port Wireless Charger for iPhone 11 12 13 14 Pro Max airpords ipad 1 Review3 orders US $25.99 Safety First Ensure the safety of the use process 2 seat wireless chargers and 6 ports USB chaegers buy now buy now LED screen can display charging status, easy to view at any time buy now

[gravgoods]

Buy the Dual MagSafe Charger Online

Dual MagSafe charger charges your compatible iPhone, Watch, Wireless Charging Case for AirPods, & other Qi-certified devices. Operate the contained USB-C to Lightning cable to plug in your Charger to a recommended 20-watt (W) or greater iPhone USB-C power or a compatible third-party adapter. Buy this charger online from gravgoods.

More Info: https://issuu.com/gravgoods/docs/buy_the_dual_magsafe_charger_online.pptx

[jaxplaysthesims]

girl boss essentials ♡

01. celine purse 02. laptop on stand 03. designer sandals

04. smeg coffee drip 05. glasses 06. rolex

07. iphone dock charger 08. mug 09. printer

10. chanel perfume 11. agenda 12. chanel necklace

thnx so much to all the cc creators! — @ravasheencc, @kaisosims, @mechtasims, @ssiat, @akalukery, @psychicpeanutkitty, @pixelplayground, and more <3

[alaetoiles]

(more) modern!poets headcanons

todd is a teenage girl at heart bc he loves his iced vanilla oatmilk lattes <3

charlie religiously venmos every poet exactly at 12:00am june 1st for pride month

the comment section of pitts' tiktok is filled with girls commenting "i want him" which pitts definitely gets clowned for

neil is apart of That theater kid friend group who ambushes Denny's at 11pm after every show and proceeds to be every waitress' nightmare table

meeks always has a nice smelling car that is filled to the brim with anything you could ever need. napkins? in the glove box. straws? in the backseat pocket. mcdonalds sweet and sour sauce? check the basket in the trunk. charger? which phone do u have.

knox's iphone screen is shattered beyond use, i'm talking like chunks of glass actively fall out of his phone screen but he refuses to replace it bc he still has an iphone 6 and refuses to give up his home button. literally no one even understands how he reads Anything on his screen...it's half green lines

cameron is anti apple products. hates anything and everything apple makes...always complaining about how stupid airpods are, the terrible iphone camera quality, and how slow macbooks are even though no one gaf. always the green text bubble. Always the green text bubble.

[topmartbazaar]

3 in 1 Wireless Charger Stand Magnetic For iPhone 12 13 14 15 Fast Charging Station for Apple Watch 9 8 7 6 5 Airpods 2 3 Pro

[acommonloon]

1st pic with my new iPhone taken more than 24hours after getting it. My new phone experience has mostly been bad. My main motivation for getting an iPhone was wanting a great phone camera and engaging the family hive mind aspect shared by the Apple family. My wife and two of my kids use them. However, at this point, if I could do it over, I’d simply get a high end Samsung.

The good: This pic is a masterpiece compared to what my old phone would produce and being able to track each other and each other’s devices is great. Many of the apps on my android phone ported over and all of those work fine. All the apps I had to manually download work fine as well. The phone’s battery is outstanding so far.

The bad: The cellular modem in our new phones suck!!! Even the WiFi modem is shit compared to my old Samsung A50 and her iPhone 12. I’m probably going to have to upgrade our home WiFi network but that still leaves me no fix for traveling in rural areas with weak cellular coverage. My A50 was a marvel at pulling in a signal. I have 1 bar sitting here at my house! Cellular signal was never a problem here before. I was excited to take advantage of Apple’s MagSafe technology that allows wireless charging combined with magnets that affix your phone to the charger. The idea is brilliant, the implementation is flawed for too many reasons to go into. Also, I’ll never buy a phone at Best Buy again.

Still, this pic was taken in fading light with no physical stabilization and the barn is 4 tenths of a mile away. Just wow.

[deanswhiskeyglass]

just upgraded to an iPhone 15 and it really doesn’t seem much different from the 12 i was using

it has a type c charger which is nice and a better camera, but thats it

but anywho, do yall think Dean would live out his life in the men of letters bunker or do you think he’d own his own ranch (and a bar) with cas?? realistically

[beardedmrbean]

France has ordered Apple to stop selling the iPhone 12 for emitting too much electromagnetic radiation.

On Tuesday, the French watchdog which governs radio frequencies also told the tech giant to fix existing phones.

The ANFR has advised Apple that if it cannot resolve the issue via a software update, it must recall every iPhone 12 ever sold in the country.

But the World Health Organization has previously sought to allay fears about radiation emitted by mobile phones.

It says on its website there is no evidence to conclude that exposure to low level electromagnetic fields is harmful to humans.

The iPhone 12 was first released in September 2020, and it is still sold worldwide.

Apple told the BBC it was contesting the ANFR's review, and said it had provided the regulator with lab results from the tech giant itself and third parties which show the device is compliant with all the relevant rules.

It said the iPhone 12 was recognised as being compliant with regulations on radiation levels worldwide.

5G judged safe by scientists but faces tougher radiation rules

Can new iPhone 15 thunder without lightning?

New iPhone, new charger: Apple bends to EU rules

France's digital minister Jean-Noel Barrot told French newspaper Le Parisien the decision was due to radiation levels above the acceptable threshold, according to Reuters.

He said the ANFR found the iPhone 12's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) was above what is legally allowed.

"Apple is expected to respond within two weeks," he said.

"If they fail to do so, I am prepared to order a recall of all iPhones 12 in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants."

France will share its findings with other regulators across the trading bloc - which Barrot said could result in "a snowball effect".

The ANFR requires the SAR of devices to be checked against two different ways a phone is used.

First there is a "membre" - or limb - check, for when a phone is in close contact with a person's body, such as when it is held or placed in a trouser pocket. The SAR limit for this is four watts per kilogram.

The regulator said the device's "membre" SAR was 5.74 watts per kilogram - higher than the limit.

There is also a check for when a phone is slightly further away, such as when it is in a bag or jacket pocket, but the iPhone 12's SAR measure came in under this threshold.

The news first broke on Tuesday in France - the same day that Apple unveiled its new iPhone 15.

The new phone is the first since 2012 to feature an alternative charging port, and Apple says it will sell an adapter so people can use their existing cables.

It comes as the Chinese foreign ministry issued a rebuttal against media reports which claimed government agencies had told staff to stop using iPhones.

It said China has not issued any laws, regulations or policies blocking the use of Apple's products.

[shilpaagrawalsblog]

Click on the link to buy now.

[murumokirby360]

1st & 2nd Image(s) [Prologue]📷📲: ↑

Hello, March! ☀️ I brought you my latest topic, this month. Although, this ain't Lazada ❌ or Shopee's parcel ❌, rather from a different courier service (LBC Express) 📦✔️! You two, have you seen this particular parcel before? 🤔 Their response was "Nay".

Its cool because for the first time, I'm opening this different parcel and see what's inside! Check out my recorded video, a month ago. 😁🎦📲

My Recorded Video [edited by: Filmora 9] 🎦🎞️: ↓

My Brand New Smartphone: Tecno Spark 20 Pro (w/ my paper dolls) [Recorded: Feb 3rd, 2024]

Okay so, what you see here is my brand new smartphone! I introduced to you the "Spark 20 Pro" from the Chinese based company, "Tecno Mobile" [CLICK ME!]! 😁🆕📱 Yes, that's right! I just struck a luck by winning a brand new smartphone in the Youtuber's phone giveaway, since winning another smartphone in 2019 [CLICK ME!]! Aw, Goody-goody joy! 😃🍀 Which we'll to get to that later. Right now, it is time to review of my first Tecno smartphone (feat. my paper dolls) in one sitting!

So, without further ado, let's get started!

3rd to 5th Image(s) 📷📲: ↑

• As you've already seen in my recorded video, let's transition to my snapshots. 🙂 Here's the packaging of my brand new smartphone from Tecno. My paper dolls we're already excited to see what it looks like! So, let's reveal it, shall we?

6rd to 10th Image(s) 📷📲: ↑

• Tada! Look at that gorgeous smartphone! 😄 On the surface, it mimics the well-known Apple iPhone series, particularly the no. 12 to 15 (and soon beyond). Why? Because of the rear triple camera and the square shape edge. 📷📱 Though, the Spark 20 Pro (and their Spark 20 series) had a bigger lens and bigger edge compared to the modern iPhones. Making it a mockery, but they wouldn't be sued because why not? Also, a bigger lens makes it better quality, right? I'm not sure, but we'll find out. 🤔 So, isn't it beauty, you two? I can't wait to make a snapshot with my new phone! 😊

• Nevertheless, aside from the main phone itself, the box contains a sim ejector tool, a fill up warranty card form (which I was supposedly said that in my video), a 33W wall charger, a USB charging/data transfer cable (Type A to C) that supports 33W, and finally the transparent jelly phone case. There was supposedly another related 12-month warranty card, to no avail because the Youtuber that was originally owned forgot to put it. 😥

• And hey speaking of Youtuber, here's the video about it. ↓😉

• Her name in YT is "Liz Tech", and she's a YouTuber/Vlogger content creator, who has 618K subscribers and 475 videos, as of this typing.

My Real Story here was: While I was browsing and watching phone reviews on the same platform, I saw this particular video w/ the giveaway raffle. 😮 However, should I take chances on winning my own brand new smartphone is like joining a lotto by buying a single ticket. Actually before that, I was utterly jealous and depressed after seeing my family got their cool gifts while I don't during Christmas of 2023. And I was frustrated and crying... For real. 😠😭 So much so, that my little brother and my mom cheering me up by helping me earning some funds to buy a brand new smartphone for 2024. Thankfully, however, it never happened because with one comment entry I made on her Youtube video, she handpicked me as the winner of the brand new smartphone! Rejoice! &lt;='D And yeah, that's my Real Story, but we're not done this topic, yet! <=] So, let's continue.

11th to 14th Image(s) 📷📲: ↑

• So, I've already turned on my new Tecno phone, and here are the specs of this phone. Other features that can do are the ability to create a custom AI wallpaper (and other such things, like changing fonts), a multi-tasking window by opening two or three apps limited, an NFC built-in for NFC-related objects (which I tried with my transportation card and it functions well), two AI sensors located at the aforementioned rear camera, a so called "Dynamic Port" notification located at the above of punch-hole camera, which mimics the iPhone's owned "Dynamic Island", and dual grilled speakers by DTS sound located on the top and bottom side of the phone that can reach up to 400% volume. I tried it on Youtube listening to the Costa Rica video in 1440p, 60fps (though not supported in 4k) and it was pretty damn loud, all right. 🔊📲 Also, I did not mentioned the punch-hole front-facing camera during my recorded video, which possessed a 32-megapixel camera and a surprise hidden flash located on the left side of the phone. 📸📲 And to be honest, It was a huge step up to my Honor 8C's 8 Megapixel front-facing camera. I tried it myself, and it was pretty damn good. Though some might say quite decent. Another thing I want to talk about the processing chipsets, armed with the "Mediatek Helio G99" for the CPU, and "ARM Mali-G57 MC2" for the GPU. Capable of handling selected games with either Ultra (sometimes) or High graphics settings, although notable hiccups depend on what game apps you've played. Meaning, that playing "Genshin Impact" (a HEAVY mobile game, and also not a fan or interested in) could suffer a lower framerate than 30fps. To be honest, I haven't tried it myself because I don't usually play games on mobile game. So, I'm casual here. Meanwhile, the display itself is not an AMOLED display ❌ but rather a Full HD+ IPS display ✔️, which is fair owing to the pricing, and we'll get to that, later in the "Overall" section.

• Honestly, there's so much thing to talk about, its impossible for me to do so. For more info specs about the Tecno Spark 20 Pro 📱, then please → [CLICK ME!]. And if you want more reviews about it, then I suggest that you should search on YouTube. There are tons of reviewers who are try getting hands on the Tecno Spark 20 Pro with their honest thoughts if not many reviewers. Or maybe this one better → [CLICK ME!].

• But, what about the 108 Megapixel camera? Is it good? 🤔 Let's find out, and I have right here! ↓

15th & 16th Image(s) 📷📲: ↑

• Here are my first two snapshots using my new smartphone from Tecno. When I transferred it to my google drive (, which I haven't tried to connect to the PC via USB cable), the images were big at 9000 x 12000 resolution with a quality snapshot size of 12 Megabytes to 16MB and up, and that was from the 108 Megapixels. I also tried the switch off the 108 Megapixel mode, and it's now a normal 50 Megapixel (or something). Which had less resolution and less quality size images at 5 Megabytes to 8 MB, and sometimes at 9 MB. But back to the 108MP mode. I would say, it is pretty neat and again a huge step up to my Honor 8C's least megapixel camera of just 13 Megapixels. However, a 108-megapixel camera doesn't make perfect, though. Because some objects didn't adjust the detail, textures, color balances, and intrusive shadows. So much so, that I decided to make some tweaks before my final decision, which thankfully became an industry standard of editing photos via smartphone rather than transferring them to PC for an hassle editing. And to be honest, the only thing I could adjust on every snapshot is the sharp quality image than anything else. lol 😅🤷‍♀️ On the plus side, it has "Super Night Mode" for a serious snapshots during night hours. Which also I haven't tried it, yet, but I could at least turn off the lights as an alternative way.

BTW: I was surprised, that tumblr can handle the uploading 20MB size of snapshots/artwork rather than 10MB as their limitation. Good for you. 👏😊

17th to 19th Image(s) 📷📲: ↑

• Here are some more photos from the main camera, featuring a sim tray was removed from my Tecno phone, which by the way, a dual sim card and a micro SD card slot expanded up to 1TB capacity size, and two snapshots of the Spark 20 Pro's information specs, with and without a flash. And the latter was A-Okay, I still prefer the Honor 8C's led light over the Tecno Spark 20 Pro, though. Because the led light of the Spark 20 Pro was a bit warmer side than the solid white counterpart. 🤏

20th & 21st Image(s) 📷📲: ↑

• Lastly, the front-facing camera. Here are my examples, and from the looks of these, there once again pretty impressive. Even the details were slightly washed out when it zoom in, though. This is a very step up for my front-facing camera usage. Heck, it even possessed a "Super Night Mode", as well, delivering a decent job. Guess, I don't need to share some more front-facing photos to prove it (I suppose). 😊👍

22nd to 25th Image(s) 📷📲: ↑

• All right, I've got one last thing to do before my overall and experience thoughts. Here, I'm comparing the old Honor 8C that I claimed the prize in May of 2019. And you could tell their sizes, heights, camera lenses, and their screens (which were unseen) were completely different from their respective design. Sorry, I never get a chance to take more snapshots of their different sides and button layouts. On the plus side, my paper dolls were appreciated and I've owned two smartphones from my winnings rather than earning profits to buy a brand new one. 😊📱📱

My Experience:

• As of now, I'm still using it within a month, with zero issues, and completely intact whatsoever, even the tempered glass screen protector built-in had no cracks, only minor scratches. My old Honor 8C, on the other hand, showed its aging from usage, the back of the phone had already peeled off from wiping, mostly beside the fingerprint scan, and the tempered glass had two huge lines of cracks when I unlocked the phone. Now back to my Tecno phone, I decided to tweak the battery settings to make it more longevity by lower the refresh rate to "auto" instead of staying 120Hz because of battery consumption. Yes, the 5000mAh battery was huge (at the time), nowadays, it became a default standard on all modern smartphones, particularly the budget line. Another thing was switching off the virtual memory for the same reasons. Still, I have no plans to install heavy mobile games (even if I finally getting hands on the 1TB Micro SD card). I was gonna install "Asphalt 9 Legends", but I was so busy doing things. Other than that, though, it is perfectly fine. 📱😊👍

Overall & Asking Price:

• I'm enjoyed my new smartphone from Tecno Mobile, and man, I'm thankful enough to getting hands on absolutely FREE by winning instead of buying with my earnings. 🥰📱

• As for the price of this phone, this 16GB RAM version I have cost ₱7,999 ($142) 💵, while the 21GB RAM version cost ₱8,499 ($151) 💵, as of March of 2024. (Both from the official online shopping site and physical phone stores nationwide) And despite the pricings, it is officially a "Budget Smartphone" with remarkable specs and neat features that rivals the mid-range/flagship smartphone lines (sometimes). In all honesty, there's not much difference between the two, same specs with different RAM choices. Although, she should've review the 21GB version instead of the 16GB of the same phone, but that's just ME. I think I'm happy with what I've claimed! 📱😊👍

Well, that's all for now! 😊 More topics to come, very soon. In the meantime, I have another parcel coming up, so please → [CLICK ME!].

Tagged: @lordromulus90, @bryan360, @carmenramcat, @leapant, @rafacaz4lisam2k4, @paektu, @alexander1301

[ericvanderburg]

Anker USB C Charger Block 20W, Anker 511 Charger (Nano Pro), PIQ 3.0 Compact Fast Charger for iPhone 15/15 Plus/15 Pro/15 Pro Max, 14/13/12 Series, Galaxy, Pixel 4/3, iPad (6 ft USB-C Cable Included)

http://i.securitythinkingcap.com/T45p6J

[ohblackdiamond]

black and gold (kiss/endgame crossover, part 18 of ?)

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | part 11 | part 12 | part 13 | part 14 | part 15 | part 16 | part 17 | part 18

Prequel to “the end of the world tour.” Four ex-bandmates and even-more-ex-superheroes reunite in the aftermath of Thanos’ snap, and attempt to adjust.

In this chapter: “I’m Gene. This is Paul. You feel like taking a couple Jews out of the wilderness, Moses?” Paul and Gene bum a ride on their journey to Peter's house, and Paul faces an uncomfortable conversation with Ace and a worrisome dream.

Paul sang himself completely hoarse. Kept on like it was a setlist. “Get Off of My Cloud.” “Come a Little Bit Closer.” “Bus Stop.” “Daydream.” “Maggie May.” “Friday on My Mind.” Gene was surprised he didn’t try for any Beatles songs, but maybe those were just too stark a reminder.

“‘I’m gonna have fun in the city, I’ll be with my girl, she’s so pretty…’”

“Paul, you’re gonna kill your voice.”

“I did that a long time ago.” He was already barely able to speak, that reedy, cracked quality to his voice even worse than normal. Gene thought back, unwillingly, to all those times thirty-odd years ago, hearing Paul belt out annoying warm-ups in the dressing room. How much he’d wished Paul would just shut the fuck up back then. The reality of having had to witness his decline was so much worse. “It’s okay.”

But he did stop after that. The rest of the walk to the gas station, Gene tried to fill with conversation and comments that Paul mostly only nodded or shook his head at. He could only get out a few short, raspy responses every so often. Gene felt more grounded now. More able. Paul had propped him up. Made him stable again.

He expected to spend hours waiting at the gas station, leaning heavily against an old payphone, watching the cars fill up and drive away. There was no real food inside the station itself, unsurprisingly, and so he finished off one of the lunches as he stood there. His legs and right arm were already painfully sore. He’d barely be able to move tomorrow morning; he knew it. Paul hadn’t really complained, but Gene had caught him rubbing his arm and shoulder off and on the times they’d stopped to rest. Paul was sitting down in front of the payphone, legs crossed, one arm around his luggage. He was smiling at every single car that pulled up, every person that got out to get gas, like he thought it was ’78. He was still barely able to talk, so Gene was doing that for him, a dozen of the same lines, like a preacher’s tract. Excuse-me. We-need-a-ride. Just-to-the-nearest-car-dealership. We’ll-pay-you. Nothing but stares and headshakes. It was getting closer to dark before they ever got a nod.

“Sure.” It was a kid. Maybe Nick’s age at best, but no older. His hair was in a bushy Afro. Gene’s gaze dove down to his worn-out sneakers, then over to his car, a puke-green Celica with the paint wearing off the hood. “How much?”

“Two hundred.” Then, quickly-- “I’ll… I’ll have a check sent after, too.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“It’s gotta be an open dealership,” Gene added. “Don’t screw us over here.”

“I’m not screwing you over.” The kid stuck out his hand. Gene took it. “I’m Moses.”

“I’m Gene. This is Paul. You feel like taking a couple Jews out of the wilderness, Moses?”

“You got some definition of wilderness, man. Get in.”

Gene was more nervous than he wanted to let on as they climbed inside. If Moses did strand them somewhere, even in the car lot, they’d probably still be able to regroup from there. It would just take awhile. The big problems were going to be if they-- 

“You got a place for a charger?” Paul had read his mind. Paul’s voice sounded like two pieces of sandpaper getting rubbed together. He could tell that the kid hadn’t even understood what Paul had said. 

“Charger?” Gene repeated for him, and Moses waved vaguely at the Frankensteined plug set-ups below the radio. There was an iphone charger already there--  Paul reached over from his seat in the back to plug Gene’s phone in. One thing down.

“Where are you headed, anyway?”

“Connecticut.”

Moses whistled. He turned on the radio, turned on his own phone, googling around for dealerships, before pulling out of the gas station. 

It was a mostly-silent trip. The radio reports were the only interruption. The military had been deployed to help with relief efforts and what the report kindly termed as deescalations. Most, if not all, major cities were being razed and looted. They were going to put price ceilings on gas. Gene remembered what Paul had said about seventies inflation, way back in Maury and Charlotte’s RV, and swallowed thickly.

“I thought Hurricane Katrina was bad,” Moses finally said, changing the station. “I didn’t know what bad was, huh?”

“You must’ve been a kid then.”

Moses shrugged and didn’t elaborate. It was two hours before he managed to pull into an open dealership. The place looked crummy, nothing like the dealership Paul and Gene had stepped into just a few days ago, to take the lunches from-- but the lights were on inside, and there were a handful of vehicles in the lot.

“We’ve got it from here,” Gene assured, digging in his wallet. Paul unplugged the phone. “Thanks. Gimme your address for the rest.”

“I don’t need the rest.” Moses said, pocketing the two hundred.

“You sure? Kid, I saw apples go for ten bucks apiece. I wouldn’t turn down--”

“I don’t wanna do that to you.”

“But--”

“I know who you are, man. I can’t charge you extra. It’d be like charging Superman for a taxi.” Moses’ expression was distant. “Nah, you go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

“Be real careful, okay? You’re only halfway there.”

-- 

Hey, Ace

Ace: Gene?

No this is Paul. Sorry

Ace: What did you do about the car?

We left it. We bought another one

Ace: How much?

Eighty grand.

Ace: What is it?

A pickup truck

Ace: Are you fucking kidding

No

Ace: What year is it

1988

Manual transmission too

Ace: Jesus Christ you got fucked over which one of you paid for it

Gene did

Ace: Didn’t you try to haggle?

It was the only one left in the lot

Ace:  Jesus Christ. Can Gene drive a manual

What do you think

Ace: You screwed yourselves over, you got shitty gas mileage now

Ace, shut up.

Ace: Eighty grand is a down payment on a Bentley

Ace, shut the fuck up

Ace: Paul seriously let me talk to you. I’m calling now

Against his better judgment, Paul answered the phone. His voice was cracking on every third word, and his throat felt like it was on fire. None of that was new to him-- none of that had been new to him in years after overextending himself-- but it just felt worse now, that was all. He didn’t regret singing for Gene at all; he just hated what he was contending with in the aftermath. And he hated, too, the worry that he’d just wrecked himself even further past repair than before. 

“Ace, I really don’t wanna hear it–”

“You sound like shit,” Ace said shortly. “What happened?”

Paul cleared his throat. It didn’t help at all.

“I might’ve performed.”

“For who?” Ace paused, not waiting on Paul to respond before changing tacks. “Look, that truck’s just gonna slow you down. If Gene can’t drive a manual–”

“Gene can barely drive an automatic.”

“--then the whole damn trip is up to you.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

“You’re gonna have a real bad time. I… look, man, I’d try and meet you part of the way over, but I don’t think I can.”

Paul couldn’t really blame him at all. He asked anyway.

“Why not?”

“People are raiding houses. Anyplace you leave behind, even for a little while, you come back and it’s completely ransacked if you’re lucky. Squatters if you’re not.” Ace exhaled. “I don’t want to leave Peter here alone. He’s doing really bad, Paul.”

“Nobody’s doing really good right now.”

“Don’t strain yourself. You sound fucking awful. Gene around?”

“He’s asleep.”

“How’re you for food?”

Telling him not to strain himself, then asking him questions. Paul let out a long breath.

“I think we can make it.”

“You’re pretty damn skinny as it is,” Ace pointed out dryly. “Gene can’t lend you twenty pounds, y’know.”

“We’ll make it.”

“Yeah. I know you will. Still nothing on reaching out to the fans, huh?”

“I wanted to, Gene didn’t. We-- did it on accident anyway.”

“Okay. Hey, Paul?”

“Yeah?”

“You are feeling it, aren’t you? You gotta be. I am. Peter is, I know Peter is--” 

That again. Just when he’d hoped that Ace had let up, that their argument the other day had proved something to him. Apparently not. Apparently Ace was as determined as everyone else to try and resurrect the past.

“Ace, I gotta go. I’ll text you tomorrow.” Paul hung up, plugging up the phone as if it mattered when the truck engine wasn’t running. He’d been well enough aware of the hustling they’d contended with when buying the truck before Ace had bitched him out about it, but it did have one of those cigarette lighter adapters like the one Moses had. And it was red. And it had custom leather seats. And, most importantly, it had been their only option. It had turned out that it was the only automobile in the lot left that hadn’t been vandalized beyond driveability or stolen.

It had been a long time since eighty grand had been a whole lot of money to him, compared to his net worth, but after he hit about thirty or so, unnecessary expenses started to agitate him. Okay, no, twenty-eight was when it first started to bother him, when he’d originally been stuck paying Peter a twenty-five percent cut from a band he was no longer in. It had taken nearly ten years to buy that bastard out of the only smart decision he’d ever made. Thinking about it still burned him up. Peter staying rich off of the sweat of his and Gene’s brows. Only a couple years after he’d been bought out of KISS’ dwindling profits, Peter’d been high and dry.

(paul doesn’t want to talk to me)

Peter was right. Paul never did want to talk to Peter. He didn’t know what he’d say to him once they finally got over there. Paul had not had a resentment-free conversation with Peter since the seventies. Peter was borderline illiterate, a high-school dropout, a guy who’d been living off his wife and fooling around in lousy garage bands before KISS. Peter had always ruined everything. If not for him-- 

If not for him-- 

No. No, he couldn’t think like that right now. Ace couldn’t get him started on that path. He was only thinking this way anyway because of Ace, and because thinking of Peter was easier than thinking of himself and the raspy whisper currently constituting his voice. Already-charted territory, decades of it. And even that was easier, far easier, than thinking of his wife, his children, his sister.

All of whom he could only think about because of Gene. He’d never stop owing Gene. For saving him. For continuing to save him, even though he wasn’t worth it. Even though he was a petty bastard at best. He had only been any good to Gene just lately. Only been able to sing Gene a couple songs. It was the smallest of repayments for his life.

He reclined his seat as much as he could, and closed his eyes, the sound of Gene’s breathing eventually lulling him to sleep.

--

Paul dreamed most nights. He tended to take sleep aids, a profoundly bad habit that had started way back when KISS had shifted from tour buses to flights. Generally, he went with melatonin when he was trying to wean himself off prescription stuff-- but even now, without them, he’d dream. The old standards. Tests for classes he’d never taken. His teeth falling out of his head, or crunching to pieces as he spoke.

That night, he dreamed of her. 

She always looked the same. Long, stick-straight blonde hair, bony wrists, large blue eyes. He had met her in 1972, on the T.V. in his parents’ apartment. A Vitalis commercial. In five years, he’d have her; in six years, she’d be gone. The first real loss of his life. She hadn’t even had a funeral; the rabbi had refused to complete the rites for a suicide.

She always looked the same; he was always his own age, even in dreams. He used to hate that, the way she was always frozen in time while he shifted so profoundly past her. But now it was almost a comfort. The world could be destroyed and she would stay the way he remembered her.

Maybe it was shameful, dreaming of her now. Maybe he’d just kept her in his head because she had died so young, tugging her out of his own subconscious like some sort of symbol to soothe him at all the worst points of his life. Like Paul McCartney’s Mother Mary. That had been Hilsen’s suggestion over the years. But Paul didn’t quite believe that. He had never quite believed that at all.

Now she was sitting next to him in jeans and a sweater, in the bed of their new truck, and he reached for her with weathered, sinewy arms and trembling hands. I’m ninety-three and you’re sixteen, he thought, so briefly. The fucked-up line he’d added to Gene’s longing little ballad. I’m sixty-two and you’re twenty-nine. 

She didn’t reach for him, though his arms wrapped around her, though his head pressed against her shoulder. She never did. 

“There’s a ring for you, if you want it, Paul.”

“A ring?” He sounded better than he had in years. Sounded better, but didn’t look better. He let go of her. He looked at his fingers-- then he looked at hers, both bare. “I don’t understand.”

“A ring. A call. There’s a call if you want it.”

She’d never said that before. Paul wracked his brain, suddenly desperate.

“Do you want me to come back? I can’t. I can’t come with you. Not yet. I will but not yet. Y-you know that, right?”

“There’s a call if you want it.”

“What call?” 

“You have to want it. It’ll be there for you if you want it.”

“What call? What’s there for me? Victoria, tell me, please–”

He woke in a cold sweat, breathing hard. Checked for messages on Gene’s phone. Nothing. Nothing at all.

[nickgerlich]

Charged Up

One of the most frustrating things that happens to consumers, especially when it comes to tech products, is to find out that something you own is now obsolete. It happens all the time, but one company—Apple—has been notorious for doing it. Worse yet, the obsolescence affects one of the most mundane aspects of the product, yet also one of the most critical: the charger cord.

It was eleven years ago that Apple introduced the Lightning connector for its iPhones, leaving the much clunkier 30-pin connector to fade away. While it was a net improvement, it meant that all of our household and car chargers were done. They also did a similar move with charger cords for their MacBook line of laptops. And don’t get me started about when they eliminated the headphone jack back on iPhone 7 in 2016. It was clearly a move to bolster sales of their wireless AirPods.

Now they have done it again. At their big media announcement earlier this week, Apple announced iPhone 15 among other products, but also had to tell us that—here we go again—the phone’s charger cord would now be USB-C. It’s just that this time, Apple is not trying to pull another fast one, because they have been forced to change.

While it is convenient to think that the US rules the world and we set the standards, we are quickly waking up to the fact that the EU—European Union—has significant clout. The General Data Protection Regulation that was passed in 2018 ensures that European users have much higher expectations of data privacy online, and while they can opt-in to cookies, they are not the de facto setting. We can thank the GDPR for all those annoying questions we face on many websites today asking us if we would like some cookies.

The EU is at it again, with charger cords the next item to come in their cross hairs. Starting next year, all devices sold in Europe must have a common connector. USB-C was chosen as the standard. In both cases—the GDPR and charger cord—American firms have decided to go with the flow, and not fight it. Rather than have two websites, one for the EU and the one for everywhere else, they opted for one. As for Apple, it had no choice but to yield, if it wants to sell phones there.

Of course, this once again puts consumers in a bad place, because we still have legacy products that require the Lightning cord. At my office, both my keyboard and mouse are charged by—you guessed it—the Lightning cord. And my two Apple MagSafe external batteries also require that connector. Even when I upgrade my phone from 12 to 15, I will still have to keep some of these old cords around, while also changing out my home and vehicle charger cords.

Lovely. I will be using two systems at the same time. I see a tangled mess of cables in my future.

It can be argued that Apple should never have stuck with proprietary connectors in the first place, that it wasn’t being a good corporate citizen. But there is a monetary explanation. On Wednesday’s Morning Brew Daily podcast, they reported that Apple makes $5 billion a year either selling its own cords, or licensing their manufacture to third-party companies. That is a significant revenue stream that is now gone.

I am also perplexed that Apple had already adopted the USB-C standard on its own for MacBooks and iPads. It’s enough to make me pull out my hair. Well, if I had enough to pull.

Yes, I am an Apple fan boy. I made the switch in 2005, and have not looked back. While I do not own an Apple Watch or AirPods, I have phone, laptop, office iMac, and tablet, and I love the eco-system. Everything plays well together, which makes it a powerful bundle not replicated elsewhere. I’m good with paying the so-called “Apple tax” to own these products.

Sometimes, though, I admit to the frustration you get when you feel like someone is just yanking you around. This time Apple is getting yanked around. It lost the battle in Europe, and had to concede the world. I’m happy, because there really never was a good reason to have unique connectors other than extra revenue. In fact, this is something that has been going on for years in tech products, from cords to batteries. I can show you a bunch of incompatible camera batteries within both the Sony and Canon lines.

It’s just that Apple is the one getting the black eye for it now. It’s going to be a wobbly transition period for a while until we wear out all of our older products that still use Lightning, but we’ll get there one day.

And we can then add those old charger cords to that box everyone has in their home. Heck, mine still has Cat-4, RS-232, RCA, and land-line phone cables in it. Just in case, you know.

Dr “Of One A Cord” Gerlich

Audio Blog