Square usb connector. Micro USB connectors

The Universal Serial Bus, or simply USB, is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s to standardize how peripherals connect to a computer. It has replaced most interfaces and is now the most common type of connector for consumer devices.

Today, almost every device, whether portable or stationary, has various types of USB connectors. But everything is much more complicated than beginners think. Today we will look at the types of USB ports and various standards.

Many could now have a question: "If USB should be universal, then why does it have a large number of Types?" The fact is that all these types of USB connectors perform different functions. This helps ensure compatibility in the event that a device with improved characteristics is released. Let's look at the most common types of USB ports.

• Type A- most cables have this type of USB connector at one end, as do the cables of modern keyboards and mice. The same type of USB is supplied with personal computers and chargers;
• Type B- this port is used to connect printers and other peripherals to the computer. But nowadays it's not as common as it is USB Type A;

• Mini USB- it was a standard connector for mobile devices before the advent Micro USB. This connector is smaller than the standard one, which can be understood from its name. This type of connector is also a little outdated and has been replaced by Micro USB, but this does not mean that these types of USB cannot be found anywhere;
• Micro USB- on the this moment is the standard for portable devices. It has been adopted by all major mobile device manufacturers except for Apple. But Micro USB is gradually being replaced by USB Type-C. By the way, there are different types of Micro USB connectors, but we'll talk about this a little later;
• Type C- such a cable can have the same connector at both ends. Claimed higher data transfer rates and higher power compared to previous USB standards. This connector was used by Apple for Thunderbolt 3. We'll talk about USB Type-C a little later;

• Lightning- does not belong to the USB standard, but is a proprietary interface for mobile Apple products since September 2012. Devices up to this time used a less compact 30-pin proprietary connector.

USB 3.0

The new standard provides a higher data rate while being backward compatible with the old standard. The shape of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 Type-A is the same, just new standard colored blue to distinguish USB 3.0 from 2.0.

But the speed increase will be only if the connector where the cable or flash drive is inserted must be USB 3.0, and the cable or flash drive itself must have USB connector 3.0.

Also, in addition to USB 3.0 Type-A, there are other types USB connectors 3.0. Type-B and its Micro version have extra pins to allow higher data transfer rates, which breaks the compatibility of these connectors with older versions, but old usb 2.0 devices can be plugged into the new USB 3.0 connectors, but you won't get a speed boost.

Micro USB

if you have Android device then you need to have a Micro USB cable. Even the most ardent Apple fans cannot avoid this type of connector in portable batteries, speakers and more.

There are also divisions into types of Micro USB connectors. Mainly used Micro USB Type-B, Type-A is not particularly common, and I real life never saw. The same applies to Mini USB.

If you start buying a lot of gadgets, you will soon start using different wires for different devices still no difference. So you don't have to buy additional wires if you don't lose or tear them.

When buying a cable, people usually buy the cheapest one, which I do not advise you to do, as the quality of such products can be very poor. In the future, this will lead to the inoperability of the cable.

Also decide on the length of the cable. When traveling, the short cable is handy, but at home, with this, you will sit on the floor near the outlet. A long cable will get tangled and interfere with you in every possible way. For portable battery I have a cable 35 centimeters long, and the cable for charging a smartphone at home is 1 meter long.

USB On-The-Go

USB On-The-Go (USB OTG) is a relatively new standard that allows flash drives intended for other users to be inserted into portable devices. USB interfaces, cables to charge something from the battery of your portable device and so on. USB OTG supports not only USB Type-A, but also other types of USB ports.

Now imagine that you have external hard disk, smartphone and laptop. What steps would you take to move a file from an external hard drive to your smartphone? The easiest way is to first move the file from external hard disk to a laptop, and from it to a smartphone.

Now imagine that you have a USB OTG adapter. Just insert the adapter into your smartphone, and into it the cable from the external hard drive. No need for a laptop. Comfortable?

Unfortunately, not all devices support USB On-The-Go, so before buying an adapter, I advise you to check your device for USB support OTG.

Adapters for Lightning exist and they are even with iOS versions 9 work everywhere, but somehow I don’t really want to call it OTG.

USB Type-C

This new standard has great potential for the future. Firstly, it is fast and can transmit large currents, and secondly, it can be inserted in any direction and there can be the same connector at both ends of the wire.

In 2015, Apple shocked the world with the release of a single USB Type-C MacBook. This could be the start of a trend.

There are a lot of USB Type-C devices out there these days. To connect to a computer, you should use a USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable if you do not have the same connector in your computer.

Buying cheap USB Type-C cables is not worth it, not worth it at all. It is very easy to kill your device. In addition, large currents pass through such a cable, so a low-quality cable will also lead to a fire. Don't waste your money on a quality cable.

conclusions

Today we looked at different types of USB connectors and standards. Now you know all the popular types of USB connectors. Hope this information was helpful to you. If so, then feel free to rate this article below.

Alternative connection methods, such as USB connectors, are widely used to connect modern devices.

This name is quite common and of English language translate as "Universal Serial Bus".

All USB connectors are presented in three versions.

Characteristic features of the main three versions of USB connectors

The first version of USB connectors (1.1). Its characteristic feature is a very low speed, at which all information is transmitted with a large delay.

The transfer rate is 12 Mbps. Its main purpose is to use it for device interconnection.

The second version of USB connectors (2.0).

Characterized by a data transfer rate of 480 Mbps. This corresponds to a speed of 48 MB/s.

The bulk of all modern technical devices and devices adapted to the use of this particular version. It is the most popular and well-known, and therefore is in demand in the electrical goods market.
True, due to many factors, the real speed of this standard does not exceed 30 - 33 MB / s.

Because latest releases hard drives, for example, SSDs are designed to read information at a much higher speed (almost 4 times), then this version of the standard delays the operation of new drive models.

This is the main drawback of the properties of USB 2.0 connectors. But despite this, certain devices are quite compatible with this version of the connectors: mice, keyboards, scanners and printers.

The third version of USB (3.0).

This version is characterized by the speed of information transfer - 5 Gb / s - which is considered a fairly high figure.

This speed corresponds 500 MB/s

This is much higher than the latest generation of hard drives (150 - 170 MB / s).

USB 3.0 connectors are specially marked in blue for their recognition.

Interface Compatibility

If we consider the issue of compatibility of devices that have the connectors presented above, then we can state that the first and second versions of the USB connectors can be interchanged with each other.

A certain device that has a USB version 2 connection but accepts a version 1 connection may display a message stating that it can be faster.

because this model computer is designed to receive information through the second version, the speed of which is higher than the first.

That is, the full potential of the speed of this device will not be used.
Modern devices that have connectors of the second version can be connected to the third version of USB, and the use of the third version relative to the second is excluded, except for USB 3.0 type A.

Additional contacts create conditions for increasing the speed of the interface - this is a feature latest models cables and devices that have connectors of the third version of USB.

USB power supply

The power rating of connected devices with USB connectors is 2,5 watts and also 4,5 W (for the third version).

Based on this, USB connectors of all versions need voltage 5 B. current up 0,5 Oh, and for the third version - 0.9 A.

Devices such as players, memory cards, phones, flash drives (that is, devices with low power) can be freely connected using such connectors.

BUT technical means, having a large capacity, are connected to an external electrical network.

Connector types

The second and third versions of the connectors are distinguished by size: Mini USB (small sizes), Micro USB (more smaller sizes); as well as types: A, B.

A reliable connector, the main characteristic of which is the ability to withstand more than one connection, while not losing its integrity.

The cross section of the connector has a rectangular shape, which creates additional protection when connected.

Its disadvantage is its large size, and all modern devices differ in portability, which influenced the development and production of connectors of a similar type, but smaller.

USB 2.0 type A was introduced in the nineties and is still the most used today.

It has a significant part of low-power devices: keyboard, mouse, flash drive and others.

USB connector version 2.0 type B.

Basically, we find its application in stationary devices with large dimensions. These include scanners, printers, less often ADSL modems.

Rarely, but still it happens that cables of this type are sold separately from the equipment itself, because they are not included in the kit. technical device. Therefore, check the complete set of devices.

Connectors of this type are not as popular as type A connectors.

The square and trapezoidal shape is inherent in all type B connectors.

These include both Mini and Micro.

The peculiarity of the section of connectors of type "B" is their square shape, which distinguishes it from other types.

Mini USB connectors of the second version of type B.

The name of this type of connector indicates that it has a very small size. And this is not surprising, because the modern market is increasingly offering miniature goods.

Through the use of personal hard drives, card readers, players and other small devices, Type B USB Mini connectors have become very popular.

It should be noted the unreliability of such connectors. With frequent use, it loosens.

But the use of models of USB Mini type A connectors is extremely limited.

Micro USB 2.0 type B connectors.

Micro USB connector models are more advanced than Mini USB models.

This type of connector is incredibly small.

Unlike the previous mini types presented, these connectors are very reliable with their fastenings and fixing the connection.

The Micro USB 2.0 type "B" connector has been recognized for its qualities as the only one for general use for charging all portable devices.

What will happen over time, when all manufacturers will produce equipment adapted specifically to such connectors. Probably not long enough to see it.

But such a decision was already made in 2011 by all modern manufacturers, although the Micro USB 2.0 type “B” connector is not yet present on all devices.

Type A third version USB connectors.

USB 3.0 connectors have a high speed for transferring information due to additional contacts.

With such changes, compatibility is still preserved feedback. Its use has been established in computers and laptops of the latest generation.

USB connectors of the third version of type B.

The third version of USB type "B" connectors are not suitable for connecting USB connectors of the second version.

It is used in the operation of peripheral devices with medium and large performance.

Micro USB 3.0.

Modern external drives having high speed as well as drives type SSD, basically, all are equipped with such a connector, which is characterized by a high speed of information exchange.

Increasingly, it occupies a leading position due to the fact that it has very high-quality connections.

The connector is easy to use due to its compactness. Its predecessor is considered to be a Micro USB connector.

The main differences between Micro and Mini USB connectors

At first glance, these connectors are very similar. Indeed, most of the characteristic features of the main parameters of these species coincide.

But upon closer inspection, you can see the following differences:

1. The USB Mini connector is larger than the USB Micro connector.
2. Availability of special purpose latches on the back side of the USB Micro connectors.

Many users have already seen that it is most convenient to have not one type of connectors, but several, because different types of devices have different types of USB connectors.

Unfortunately, device manufacturers have not yet come to a single standard, and most likely they will not come for a long time, because each type of USB connector has its own purpose.

Pinout micro usb connector— technological process does not stand still. Modern models of various digital devices very different from their older counterparts. Not only their appearance and internal equipment have changed, but also the ways of connecting to computers and chargers. If even 5-7 years ago, many phones and even cameras did not have such an opportunity. But at the moment, absolutely every digital device can be connected to a personal computer or laptop. Phone, player, smartphone, tablet, camcorder, player or camera - all of them are equipped with connectors that allow you to connect them to other devices.

Micro USB connectors. Types of USB connectors, their features

But, as you can easily see, the connector is different for the connector. And for some reason, the cord bought with the phone cannot be used in conjunction with your favorite player. As a result, a bundle of cables accumulates, you constantly get confused in them and cannot understand why it was impossible to make one wire suitable for connecting all devices. But, as you know, this does not happen. Although now there is a more or less standard connector, at least for smartphones, phones and tablets. And his name is micro-USB. What is this miracle and how does it work, how is it done micro usb connector pinout, we will explain below.

Micro USB connector: what is it?

The two most popular connectors in recent times are mini and micro-USB. Their names speak for themselves. These are smaller and more practical designs that are used on small-sized digital devices to save space and, perhaps, for a more elegant design. appearance. For example, the micro-USB connector for a tablet is almost 4 times smaller than a standard USB 2.0. And given that the device itself is several times smaller personal computer or even a laptop, this option is just perfect. But there are some nuances here.

For example, more can never be made smaller, so micro-USB connectors cannot be replaced even with mini-USB. Although in some cases the reverse process is acceptable. And replacing the micro-USB with your own hands is unlikely to end in something good. It’s painfully jewelry work, besides, you need to know exactly how it’s done micro usb connector pinout. In addition, under the word “micro” lies several types of connectors at once, and this must be remembered. Especially if you are trying to buy a new wire. Your tablet's micro USB may not be compatible with the connector on the end of the cable you purchased.

Varieties

Micro-USB connectors can be absolutely two different types. They have different applications and, accordingly, they look different. The first type is called micro-USB 2.0. type B - it is used in devices by default and is an unspoken standard for the latest models of smartphones and tablets, because of this it is very common and almost every person at home has at least one micro-USB 2.0 cable. type B.

The second type - micro-USB 3.0 - these connectors are not installed on tablets, but can be found on smartphones and phones of some brands. Most often they are used to equip external hard drives.

Advantages

The main advantages that micro-USB connectors for tablets have are the increased density and reliability of the plug. But this fact does not exclude the possibility of problems with these components, especially with inept attempts to repair and pinout the micro usb connector. Most often, the cause of the breakdown is the negligence of the owners of digital devices themselves. Sharp movements, falling tablets and phones on the floor or even asphalt, especially on the side where the connector itself is located, attempts to fix something with your own hands without the appropriate knowledge - these are the main reasons why even the most durable parts of USB ports fail out of service. But it happens that this happens due to wear and tear of the device, improper operation or factory defects.

Most often, the cause of a malfunction is either the micro-USB connectors themselves, or the parts adjacent to them and connected to them in a circuit. For any experienced craftsman, replacing it is a matter of minutes, but not everyone can handle it at home. If you are still interested in how you can fix the micro-USB connector yourself and how micro usb connector pinout(or, in other words, soldering). Then you need to understand that this process, although not the longest and most difficult, if you approach it with the mind and preliminary reading of the relevant information. A few tips will be given below.

Micro USB connector: micro usb connector pinout

As you know, with conventional ports and connectors, everything is simple - you just need to take an image of the front part of their connector, but in a mirror image, and solder it. With USB mini- and micro-species, things are a little different. Their connectors contain 5 pins each, but pin number 4 is not used on type B connectors, and on type A it is closed with GND, which occupies the fifth place.

Functions of the "legs" of the micro-USB connector

Since most modern tablets have micro USB, which serves not only for charging, but also for synchronization, due to the more frequent use of the connector, problems with it occur more often.

So, as mentioned above, a regular micro-USB connector has five "legs". One positive, five volts, and one negative. They are located on different sides of the connector and, accordingly, suffer less when separated from motherboard. Only one "leg" of the connector, which breaks out of the pad more often than others, is more subject to wear. It is located closer to the minus "leg". If this contact is damaged, the device cannot be charged. That is, the system can see the power supply, but the charging process will not be performed.

The remaining two "legs" are responsible for synchronization, that is, for the ability to upload and download photos, music, etc. They do it at the same time, so the separation of one will cause the second to stop working.

Knowing the functions of the "legs", you will be able to determine, due to the departure of the contacts of which you started having problems and which ones you will need to solder in order to return your tablet to "service".

Incorrect pinout of the micro usb connector or its incorrect replacement - consequences

By incorrectly soldering the micro-USB, owners most often encounter the following problems:

1. Short circuits of the power supply if they are soldered inverted type.
2. The tablet detects the charging cord, but the battery (battery) does not charge.
3. The tablet battery charges fine, but it does not sync with a laptop or computer.
4. The tablet works fine, but sometimes it "reminds" that you should take it to the workshop, and not solder it yourself (for example, charging does not start immediately after turning it on, or sometimes the cord needs to be pulled out and inserted again several times before charging begins).

The future of micro USB

Since these are some of the most popular ports today, if you learn how to change them one day and learn how to do it micro usb connector pinout, this skill will help you out in the future very often. And let them not be taken as the "gold standard" in the development of phones and other digital devices. And we still have to have a whole collection of wires specifically for Acer laptop, for a phone from Samsung, for an iPad from Apple and a Nikon camera, but the active use of micro-connectors gives hope, then soon instead of a “bouquet” we will have one micro-USB cable on our shelf, suitable for at least 90% of the equipment in the house .

What are USB connectors and plugs

Mini USB on the left, Micro USB on the right.
Mini USB is much thicker, which makes it impossible to use
it in compact thin devices.
Micro USB is easy to recognize by two notches,
firmly holding the plug when connecting.

Three brothers of the same family.
Mini USB and Micro USB are much thinner than usual.
On the other hand, the "crumbs" lose
in reliability to an older comrade.

Due to the fact that there are quite a lot of USB connectors, confusion between them often occurs. Sometimes, after buying a cable, a wave of disappointment sets in, because it may turn out that the plug of the purchased wire does not fit the device. Therefore, in this article I will try to tell you what types of connectors USB cords have.

Despite the fact that there is a lot of information on this topic on the Internet, it usually affects development issues, gives dates of approval and commissioning, design features and pinouts. In general, there are more reference Information, which is usually not of particular interest to the end user. I will try to consider connectors from a household point of view - where they are used, their advantages and disadvantages, differences and features.

USB versions. What is the difference between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0

To start briefly general information. USB devices come in three versions - 1.1, 2.0 and 3.0. The first is almost never used, as it provides too low speed data transfer (12 Mbps - approximately 1.2 Mb / s) and can be used solely for compatibility with fastidious pieces of iron. The second version now occupies a dominant position. Most devices sold in stores and currently in use have support for the second version. It provides a throughput of 480 Mbps, that is, the copy speed should theoretically be at the level of 48 Mbps. However, due to design features and not quite ideal implementation in practice, the speed rarely exceeds 30-33 MB / s. Most external hard drives can read at a speed 3-4 times faster. That is, this connector is a bottleneck that slows down the work of modern drives. For mice, keyboards, etc. speed does not matter.

The third version is painted blue, which means that it belongs to the last generation. The bandwidth is 5 Gb/s, which can give 500 MB/s. Modern hard drives have a speed of about 150-170 MB / s, that is, the third version of USB will be able to provide a large margin in speed for the coming years.

Compatible with different USB versions.

A few words about compatibility. Versions 1.1 and 2.0 are structurally fully compatible with each other. If one of the connected parties is old version, then the work will be carried out at a reduced speed, and operating system will display the message “The device can run faster”, which means that there is a fast USB port 2.0 in the computer, and the device that is stuck into it is slow - version 1.1.

But with the compatibility of USB versions 2.0 and 3.0, not everything is so simple. Any USB 2.0 device or cable can be connected to the blue version 3 port. But the opposite is not possible. Modern cables and devices with USB 3.0 differ from the usual connectors with additional contacts that allow you to increase the interface bandwidth, so you won’t be able to connect them to the old port (the only exception is type A).

USB power

A voltage of 5 Volts is supplied in any USB connector, and the current cannot exceed 0.5 Amperes (for USB 3.0 - 0.9 Amperes). In practice, this means that the maximum power of the connected device can be no more than 2.5 watts (4.5 for USB 3.0). Therefore, when connecting low-power and portable devices - players, phones, flash drives and memory cards - there will be no problems. But all large-sized and massive equipment has external power from the network.

And now let's move on to the types of connectors. I will not consider completely exotic options, but will only talk about the most popular and frequently used plugs. In brackets will be indicated belonging to certain version USB.

This is the most common and most recognizable connector in existence. Most devices connected via USB have it. Mice, flash drives, keyboards, cameras, and more all feature USB type A, which dates back to the 90s. One of the most important advantages this port is reliability. It can survive a fairly large number of connections, does not fall apart and really deserves to become the most common means of connecting everything that is possible. Despite the rectangular shape, you can’t stick it with the back side, there is a “fool protection”. However, it is not suitable for portable devices, as it has rather large dimensions, which eventually led to the appearance of smaller modifications.

USB type B (USB 2.0)

The second type of USB has gained much less fame than its relative. Unlike Type A plugs, which are rectangular in shape, all Type B modifications (including Mini and Micro - see below) are usually either square or trapezoidal. The regular, full-size type B is the only one that is square in shape. It is quite large in size and for this reason it is used in various peripherals and large-sized stationary devices - printers, scanners, and sometimes ADSL modems. Interestingly, printer manufacturers rarely complete their products with such a cable, so the cord for the printer or MFP has to be purchased separately.

Mini USB Type B (USB 2.0)

The emergence of a huge number of miniature devices has led to the emergence of tiny USB connectors. And in truth, Mini USB type B became massive with the advent of portable hard drives, in which it is widely used. The connector has five pins, not 4 like "adult plugs", although one of them is not used. Unfortunately, miniaturization has had a negative impact on reliability. Despite the large resource, after a while the Mini USB loosens and starts to hang out, although it does not fall out of the port. Currently, it continues to be actively used in players, portable hard drives, card readers and other small-sized equipment. It is interesting that the second modification (type A) is almost never used, you will hardly find such a cord on sale. Gradually begins to be replaced by a more advanced modification of Micro USB.

Micro USB type B (USB 2.0)

Modified version of the previous connector. It has a very miniature size, as a result of which it is used by manufacturers in modern technology, which has a small thickness. In addition, the fastening has been improved, the plug sits very tightly and does not fall out. In 2011, this connector was approved as a single standard for charging phones, smartphones, tablets, players and other portable electronics. Therefore, having only one cord, you can feed the entire “electronic zoo”. The standard continues to gain momentum, one can hope that in a year or two almost all new devices will be equipped with a single connector. As in the previous case, type A is almost never used.

USB type A (USB 3.0)

A new USB standard with significantly higher bandwidth. The advent of additional pins has led to a change in the appearance of almost all USB 3.0 plugs. Despite this, type A remained unchanged in appearance, only the blue color of the core betrays a newcomer in it. This means that backward compatibility has been preserved. USB device 3.0 can be connected to the old USB 2.0 port and vice versa. This is the main difference from other USB 3.0 connectors. Such ports can be found in modern computers or laptops.

USB type B (USB 3.0)

By analogy with previous version given type used in medium and large peripherals and devices requiring high performance– NAS, stationary hard drives. The connector has been heavily modified and it will not work to connect it to USB 2.0. On sale, such cords are also not often seen (as opposed to the previous one). Plugging such a connector into USB 2.0 type B will no longer work - top part will interfere.

Micro USB (USB 3.0)

This connector continues the tradition of the "classic" Micro USB. It has the same qualities - compactness, reliability, good connection, but it also has a high data transfer rate. Therefore, it is mainly used in new external ultra-high-speed hard drives and SSDs. It is becoming more and more popular, so in order not to carry a wire with an external hard drive, you can buy an additional cable at any store. The main part of the connector completely copies Micro USB of the second revision

The main thing is not to confuse - the difference between Micro USB and Mini USB.

The main confusion among users is between Mini USB and Micro USB, which are really a bit similar. The first has a slightly larger size, and the second has special latches on the back. It is by the latches that you can always distinguish between these two connectors. Otherwise they are identical. And since there are a lot of devices with both, it is better to have both cables - then there will be no problems with connecting any modern portable equipment.

Mini USB on the left, Micro USB on the right.
Mini USB is much thicker, which makes it impossible to use
it in compact thin devices.
Micro USB is easy to recognize by two notches,
firmly holding the plug when connecting.

Three brothers of the same family.
Mini USB and Micro USB are much thinner than usual.
On the other hand, "crumbs" lose
in reliability to an older comrade.

USB (Universal Side Bus) is a universal serial bus that is used to connect a variety of digital devices to a computer. Now it is used to connect almost all peripheral devices, for example, scanners, manipulators, etc.

The USB bus appeared in 1995 and since then has gained immense popularity and has become truly universal. The advent of the USB bus made it possible to replace obsolete interfaces such as PS / 2, serial port and parallel port. At the moment, these interfaces are used very rarely.

The history of development

Since 1995, the USB bus has received 3 major upgrades. USB 1.0 was released in early 1996 and could transfer data at speeds up to 12 Mbps, with a maximum cable length of 5 m. USB 2.0 was released in the spring of 2000 with a maximum data transfer rate of 480 Mbps. Exactly this version The USB bus is now ubiquitous. Last update USB bus number 3.0 was released in 2008. The data transfer rate in this version was 5 Gbps. At the moment, USB 3.0 is being actively implemented by computer manufacturers and is gaining popularity.

The most a new version USB 3.0 has received many innovations compared to USB 2.0. To increase the data transfer rate, 4 more conductors had to be added. Because of this USB cable 3.0 has become much thicker. The contacts of the new conductors are located in the connector in a separate contact row. The current strength was also increased from 500 mA to 900 mA. This allows you to supply power to more powerful devices. A distinctive feature of USB 3.0 is the blue connectors. This allows you to accurately distinguish the USB ports of the new version.

What is USB: USB Type A and USB Type B

One of USB features is different types connectors. In the first version of USB, two types of connectors were provided: USB Type A and USB Type B. The USB Type A connector type is intended for installation on the side of the controller, that is, for installation in a computer. The USB Type B connector type is used for installation in the connected device.

Later, connectors appeared for connecting devices with small dimensions: Mini-USB and Micro-USB. These connectors are used in MP3 players and other mobile gadgets.