I read it but I have no idea what it meant. I am very interested in getting a Pi4, so can some of you more knowledgeable folks help me understand what this means?
The Pi4 does not work with all USB-C chargers. You may be lucky and it will work, or you may be unlucky and it will not work and you will have to buy another USB-C charger (which again may not work).
The reason is that the developers of the Pi4 made a mistake while designing the electronic circuit. They tried to design it themselves instead of copying it from the specification.
The other reason for is that the developers of the USB-C specifications left us with a terrible confusing mess where visually identical cables have different capabilities and behaviors.
If it’s confusing, just don’t use it. They could have stuck with a micro-B charger, or a custom charger, and no one would have questioned it. Instead, they decided they were confident enough in their understanding of USB-C to implement it on their device. And they were wrong.
I don't think anyone would complain much if they supported a popular barrel connector with a popular power draw. As it stands, I'll only ever use a Pi with a charger sold as working with it after all the 3B+ issues I had (7 chargers, none worked without a warning on screen).
The article states it is an issue with an eMarked cable, not the charger. With a different cable, the Pi 4 started up with the same chargers as it was no longer detecting the Pi as an analog audio accessory.
The issue still lies with the Pi 4 for not having two CC resistors.
Due to a design flaw, the raspberry pi 4 won't receive power if you connect it to a USB-C cable that supports advanced features. If you use the official charger (or most USB-C chargers that come with their own cable, I'm guessing) you should be fine.
There are multiple types of USB C cables/devices. Raspberry Pi advertizes itself as the wrong kind of device, so it will only get power from a cable/charger that ignores that information.
(This has always been my complaint anyway. The Pi Zero works great with any of the USB chargers you already own too many of, but the rest of the Pi line needs higher-spec chargers that most people need to buy as an add-on)
I completely agree, I'm not sure why you're getting downvoted. The price is extremely important, and I don't care who says it's not. If it's a $35 computer, sure, buy a couple, play around with them, it's OK if one gets damaged/stolen/whatever. If it's $35, sure, the school can buy them for the kids. If it's $35, you can gift one to your nieces and nephews who are interested.
But it's not $35. You need an SD card and power at an absolute minimum (+$15), and then some way to connect to a screen and a keyboard (if just for a minute, to set up SSH and to fix it when it breaks.)
That's why I like the Pi Zero W. $10, and then $5 for a microSD card, and you can run it off of a laptop (or a powerbank, or an old phone charger, or a USB port.) It's beautiful. That leaves you with plenty of room to buy stuff like the PiOLED tiny display for $15, or a radio bonnet, or what have you.
The price is very important, but so is the act of minimizing electronic waste. I've personally collected so many gadgets and their associated accessories that I don't know what to do with them.
It is a fair criticism to say that I am going too far, but I want to reuse the things I already have. I don't want to continue buying single-use things that will eventually be waste. It's not that I won't ever do it, but I now think very carefully about it before buying more electronic toys.
If you ever thought that the raspberry pi was a $35 computer then I have a bridge to sell. The fact that it doesn't even come with a cheap plastic case should already be a warning signal that it's going to cost more than that.
