Electronic gadgets and accessories maker Elecom has launched some flashy new cables with built-in LED lighting. The company will start selling these USB-C and Apple Lightning cables, which have touch-activated LED tips, in late July.
Before you roll your eyes — these are not just more RGB-infused PC peripherals. The LED lighting present here is functional, and serves to solve a common problem: Not being able to see the connector port you're trying to plug the cable into (in a dark room, or behind a desk, for example). Also, the lighting isn't RGB, it's monochromatic.
In a press release announcing the cables, Elecom says the tip of the cable connector lights up when touched to make it easy to insert into a port. When you release the cable, the light goes out. The light doesn't offer any secondary functionality, such as signaling charging or data transfer.
The company is kicking off its range of touch-LED cables with just two products. Both have a USB-A connector at one end — which has no LED lighting — and feature either a touch-LED USB-C connector or a touch-LED Apple Lightning connector at the other end. Both cables are 1.2 meters (3.9 ft) long and are capable of both charging and data transfer.
| Header Cell - Column 0 |
Elecom MPA-ACT12 |
Elecom MPA-UALT12 |
|---|---|---|
|
Type |
USB Type-C |
Apple Lightning |
|
Charging |
up to 15W (5V / 3A) |
Up to 12W (5V / 2.4A) |
|
Data transfer |
up to 480 Mbps |
MFi certification, so data transfers work |
|
Length |
1.2m |
1.2m |
|
Colors |
Black or white |
Black or white |
According to Hermitage Akihabara, the cables will be available in Japan toward the end of July and will come in black and white. The USB-C cable will cost approximately $15.75 (including tax), while the Apple Lightning cable will cost approximately $19.40 (including tax).
At the moment we don't have any details on when the cables will be available in the U.S., but Elecom sells its products worldwide — so these cables should find a route west via outlets such as Amazon, soon.
