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Description
The Glass Cage: How Our Computers Are Changing UsDrawing on psychological and neurological studies that underscore how tightly people's happiness and satisfaction are tied to performing hard work in the real world, Carr reveals something we already suspect: shifting our attention to computer screens can leave us disengaged and discontented. From nineteenth century textile mills to the cockpits of modern jets, from the frozen hunting grounds of Inuit tribes to the sterile landscapes of GPS maps, The
Drawing on psychological and neurological studies that underscore how tightly people's happiness and satisfaction are tied to performing hard work in the real world, Carr reveals something we already suspect: shifting our attention to computer screens can leave us disengaged and discontented.
From nineteenth-century textile mills to the cockpits of modern jets, from the frozen hunting grounds of Inuit tribes to the sterile landscapes of GPS maps, The Glass Cage explores the impact of automation from a deeply human perspective, examining the personal as well as the economic consequences of our growing dependence on computers.
With a characteristic blend of history and philosophy, poetry and science, Carr takes us on a journey from the work and early theory of Adam Smith and Alfred North Whitehead to the latest research into human attention, memory, and happiness, culminating in a moving meditation on how we can use technology to expand the human experience.
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 09/08/2015
ISBN: 9780393351637
Pages: 288
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 0.70d
Review Citations: New York Times Book Review 01/17/2016 pg. 24
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4.7 ★★★★★
Based on 750 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Works great (quick test)
Just got this and tested and works great
I attached to my MacBook with Ethernet and had a solid connection
I tested my steam deck by plugging in Ethernet then adding HDMI then adding power and everything worked as it was plugged in
I tested my Nintendo switch even though it clearly states it's not supported and it did not work at all. Even the power pass through did nothing. This is not even remotely a problem since it was advertised as such but I figured it was with a try and worth noting
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Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2026
★★★★★ 4
Despite some caveats; this is a versatile hub
The Anker 555 8-in-1 USB-C Hub is a good buy if you’re looking for a hub from a reputable brand. I use it with an M1 Macbook Air, and it has been reliable so far. This hub has the following ports: 1 USB-C data port, 1 USB-C Power Delivery Port, 2 USB-A data ports, 1 HDMI port, an Ethernet port, and a microSD/SD card reader.
Charging, PD (Power Delivery):
To keep my Macbook charging, I connect a PD (Power Delivery) capable cable to the USB-C port meant for PD. (The other USB-C Port on this hub is meant only for data.) Once connected, the hub will eventually become warm to the touch, but this hasn’t caused any problems so far.
Video Performance - no problems in 1440p
I can connect my 1440p 144hz monitor to this hub’s HDMI port and my Macbook Air has no problem outputting a refresh speed of 144hz, as well the lower refresh rates of 120hz and 60hz. (I do not have a 4k monitor, so I could not test that.)
USB-A Ports - works flawlessly
I’ve tried keyboards, USB Drives, and even gaming Mice. All of these devices work as expected when connected to the USB-A Ports.
Ethernet - Excellent speed
I've connect this hub using an Ethernet cable to Gigabit speed Internet. The speed is just as fast as other computers on the network, and there is no slowdown at all, even with most of the ports on the hub being used.
Gaming Keyboards with USB-C connectors - some issues.
Some peripherals such as keyboards with USB-C connectors may not work on the USB-C ports on this hub. I tried using a Glorious GMMK Mechanical Keyboard and it did not work with this hub’s USB-C ports. (Of course you could try to simply use a USB-C to USB-A adaptor and then connect via the other USB ports on the hub instead.)
Extension Cable - Use a Thunderbolt 4 cable
Although this is totally optional, I like to use a small, 6-inch USB-C Extension cable to allow this hub to have more slack away from my laptop when connected. To allow this to work, I had to use a Thunderbolt 4 extension cable. I've tried other cables such as a Thunderbolt 3 extension cable. However, some of the attached devices on the hub were not recognized. Only the the Thunderbolt 4 extension cable allowed all my attached devices to be recognized.
Other devices
I have successfully connected an external SSD via the USB-C data port on this hub. I also regularly use an external DAC using the USB-A ports connecting to an IFI HIP DAC. Both of these devices work perfectly with this hub. Data transfer speed is rated at 10Gbs, though I haven't actually confirmed that. It works well enough for my purposes of transferring text documents and the occasional batch of vacation photos to my external SSD.
Conclusion
This hub from Anker is rated at 10Gbs which is plenty for me. But if you regularly transfer large amounts of data (like for video editing), I would instead recommend a powered docking station such as those from CalDigit. But for me, this portable hub does everything I need, and for much less money.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2023
★★★★★ 5
Almost perfect, could use one more USB-C Gen 2 port and a metal case instead of plastic.
Never really had any problems with Anker gear, I've come to trust the brand name. This little hub is almost perfect for use with my 2019 MacBook Pro, but where Anker really dropped the ball is by not adding one more USB-C port. I mean, there's two, but if one is dedicated to power devices only that doesn't really leave much room for expansion by only giving you one extra, I mean they were thoughtful enough to give you two USB-A ports. I do like that the USB-C and two USB-A ports are version 3.2 Gen 2 rated for up to 10Gbps transfer speeds versus Gen 1 at 5Gbps. The plastic casing does get hot, not sure if aluminum metal would be any better, but it would feel nicer, plastic just feels cheap. Also, a dark case with dark letter printing doesn't work because you can't see the writing, should have used lighter letter coloring. Otherwise, solid performer. I'll keep it along with my other one because having two hubs with a laptop is convenient so I don't have to always haul a hub around from place to place.
PROS:
• 1 USB-C port version 3.2 Gen 2 rated up to 10Gbps.
• 2 USB-A ports version 3.2 Gen 2 rated up to 10Gbps.
• Also includes, HDMI, Ethernet, SD and micro SD card ports.
CONS:
• Plastic casing, gets hot.
• Should have one more USB-C port.
• Port description lettering is too dark, gets lost against dark case color, should have used white or silver lettering instead.
• No audio port.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2024
★★★★★ 5
It WORKS! I'm Back at Work. Thx to Apple for support and Amazon for fast delivery
I am thrilled to report that the Anker USB C Hub with Ethernet fixed a dire problem that nailed me when I switched from my maybe-20 year old dying wired Apple Extended Keyboard to the Macally keyboard comparable (with USB-C connection). I have a 2023 MacBook Pro 14", a lovely workhorse, with 3 USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, a MagSafe power port and an HDMI port (with, it turned out, limited ability to handle UHD displays, so useless for my desk setup). It turned out my old Dockteck hub with ethernet didn't have thunderbolt capable USB-C ports, so my new MacAlly keyboard connected to that hub stopped working. On top of that, as I swapped with my Logi webcam, it also required a trickle of power the Dockteck hub didn't provide. As soon as I figured out what the issue was, I read up on several multiport adapters with ethernet, and it seemed that either I would be stuck purchasing WAY more than I needed, adding another bulky (annoying!) device on my desk surface and costing me close to $200. This seemed crazy, so I called Apple Store support. The only Apple Store multiport adapter was useless to me (and also $80) because, of all weird things, it had only ONE USB-C/Thunderbolt compatible port among 8--most ports were legacy. (Ugly too, just saying folks don't HAVE to make devices ugly!) The Apple Store rep, in one of those brilliant customer rep incidents, understood quickly the challenge, said Apple Store didn't have anything that would work for me, but SHE KNEW SOMEONE (ta-da! better than AI!) who would know and could recommend. Three minutes later she said this Anker device would work. I had it in hand by 6pm same day. So this is not just a rave for a solution that WORKS, but also a thank you to the great support from Apple to get me back to work fast. And Amazon for getting the item to me fast too!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Great as long as you know its limitations; runs warm; monitor settings may need to be changed
I reluctantly gave up MagSafe and joined the USB-C future when my employer issued me a new 2019 16" MacBook Pro. Searching for a way to connect my various peripherals I settled on this hub as a reasonable way to connect a 4K display, pass power from the laptop charger (albeit not the full 96W; macOS reports 79W after hub losses—good enough most of the time), connect 1GigE, and provide a few spare USB ports and occasionally-used SD card slots. I've learned a few things: A port that looks like USB-C does not pass video unless it is a "Thunderbolt" port (look for the lightning bolt logo, apparently); connecting a USB-C-to-mini-DisplayPort adapter to the USB-C port on this hub did not allow my monitor to work. Lesson learned. The HDMI port did work, and did pass 4K@60Hz, but only after I adjusted my monitor settings. At first I was convinced either my HDMI cable or this hub were defective, because macOS would only allow me to select 4K@30Hz. I have an LG 4K display, and from reading forums, one must enable 60Hz in the on-screen display menu before the monitor will tell the computer it is capable of displaying 60Hz video. For my monitor, that meant changing "Ratio" in "Quick Settings" to "Original" (it defaulted to "Wide", with a separate configuration for each port), as well as turning on "HDMI ULTRA HD Deep Color" from "Picture" -> "Picture Adjust." After I changed those two settings, 60Hz was not available until I unplugged the HDMI cable from the hub and plugged it in again. After that I had buttery smooth 4K video at 60Hz. The hub works as advertised, at least for my configuration. The 1GigE port works well, and is equivalent to a direct USB-C to Ethernet adapter I tried. It does run warm to the touch as other reviewers have reported. That's not problematic, but I'd prefer it pass the missing 17W to the laptop rather than dissipate it as heat. Time will tell how well the hub holds up, but for now I'm happy. In summary: if you have a new Mac this hub will likely work for you, though you may need to adjust your monitor settings.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2020