GoKawiilUSB-C breakaway connector 4 / 5 Very good pros and cons Pros Excellent range of swiveling and rotating.
Smooth action with just the right amount of magnetic force holding the connector together.
Can carry 240W of power. Cons Limited to 480Mbps data. $9.99 at Amazon
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The other day, a friend of a friend brought over their car for me to check out. It had a broken USB-C port on the dashboard. There's always a tale of woe that comes with a damaged vehicle, especially when the owner feels even slightly responsible. This story was no exception.
Apparently, a smartphone was plugged into the port when some kittens (yes, kittens!) darted into the road. Cue sudden braking, the phone flying across the car, and the cable yanking out of the port, breaking it in the process.
But the story doesn't end there.
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The owner took the car to the dealership, where they were charged more than $100 in diagnostic fees to confirm the port was broken. The dealership then quoted another $150 for the replacement part and installation, promising the part would arrive in a few days.
However, "a few days" turned into weeks, and weeks turned into three months. That delay was because the port was so popular that it was on extended backorder. The owner was desperate to fix the issue, worried that a broken port might hurt the car's resale value.
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