Working in Publishing, using Mac computers is standard practice. Many of the original layout programs worked best on Apple’s computers, so graphic designers, editors and publishers all got used to working on iOS operating systems. But every few years, Apple changed something that drove users, like us, batty.
New products launched with proprietary connectors and chargers that only worked with one specific Apple product. And if you had to travel, like we did recently, you might be carrying a proprietary Lightning charger for your aged iPad, a charging block with a USB-A cable for that or your Apple Watch, another block and cable with a USB-C cable for your iPhone, and still another block and cable for your laptop. Traveling with wireless earbuds? Another charger to pack. What happens when you travel with a spouse that uses Android devices? Then, you get to the hotel room, and there’s nothing that directly connects into USB-C! You shouldn’t have to travel with half the contents of an Apple store just to keep everything user-ready. It’s madness.
All of this is reason to celebrate that the world, according to Jeff Beavers, is moving to standard cabling, including universal USB-C and RJ-45 jacks. In “Innovation or Liability?” on page 34, flexibility makes “structured cabling indispensable for modern building operations.” Who doesn’t love that?
Do you have USB ports or an EV charger in your home? In “Home Is Where the Charge Is,” page 40, Katie Kuehner-Hebert talks about why installing these perks makes sense when working in new homes.
Chuck Ross writes that the old AC versus DC debate isn’t over. Nikola Tesla might have thought his AC power had it in the bag, but Chuck explores fault-managed power (also known as digital electricity) and why Thomas Edison’s DC isn’t out of the fight. Check out “It’s All Your Fault” on page 22 to learn more.
“Future-Proofing Fiber Networks,” page 72, is for you forward-thinking integrators. Susan DeGrane talks to experts about fiber optics and digital electricity and what we can do now to prepare for what might come next. Meeting current needs is just not good enough.
Our project profile this month is on TSX Broadway in New York City’s Theater District. Four electrical contractors worked on the skyscraper, and Susan Bloom talked to Rick Brownstein, project manager and account executive with H&L Electric, about this unique project. Those on the project employed a system of hydraulic pistons to raise the 400-ton Palace Theatre. “Times Square Triumph” is on page 50.
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR’s economist Chris Kuehl debuts his new monthly column, Current Outlook, on page 28. Chris will share insights into the electrical construction market and what contractors might expect or need to watch out for. This month, he asks if industrial and manufacturing construction will take center stage this year.
Unlike lugging around a kit and caboodle of cords that power all your devices, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR is easy to stow in a backpack or tool bag. Plus, you don’t need a compatible charger to peruse the informative articles every month. You’re welcome.
