Accessories Will any micro usb cable work?

[mosabi]

I am looking for a couple extra micro usb cables so I can keep one at work and just have a spare. I know not all micro usb cables are created equal so here is my question. Where did you buy your spare cables and how are they working? Looking for a website I can order from. I'm sure I don't have to spend much but want to make sure what I get work fine for my incredible.

Thanks in advance.

 

[necosino]

Yup. USB = Universal Serial Bus, so any generic cable (like from monoprice.com) will work, as long as it is the right size (micro in our case)

 

[mosabi]

Thanks for the rapid response! I will check out monoprice as you suggested.

 

[necosino]

MonoPrice is awesome. You can get 3 cables, 2 car chargers, and 2 wall chargers shipped for <$10.

 

[slackfumasta]

I use monoprice ones here, paid $1 or less for them (got the short ones, just for emergency charging at work or on the road really).

 

[elwray]

Just an FYI - some cables will only have the charging pins populated, and while it will work for charging, it may not let you use it for data transfer.

 

[necosino]

Just an FYI - some cables will only have the charging pins populated, and while it will work for charging, it may not let you use it for data transfer.

lol, what? I have never heard of such a thing.

USB = Universal Serial Bus. Each manufacturer cannot change a thing, including the internal wiring. Otherwise it isn't USB..

Sorry to say, but, um.. isn't it a lil early to be drinking?

 

[elwray]

lol, what? I have never heard of such a thing.

Maybe it's not the case nowadays, since these things have gotten to be so damn cheap and mass produced.

But some older devices that I've purchased that charge via USB (i.e. bluetooth earpiece/headset) shipped with a USB cable that only had pins 1 and 4 populated (+5v and ground) and nothing on the data pins 2 and 3. So it would charge anything that would fit in it, but since there was no wire at the data pins, you couldn't transfer anything across it.

I suppose now that they are cranking these cables out left and right for just about every electronic device out there, they don't save any money making a "cheaper" charge-only cable. I guess they probably all do data now...

 

[elwray]

lol, what? I have never heard of such a thing.

USB = Universal Serial Bus. Each manufacturer cannot change a thing, including the internal wiring. Otherwise it isn't USB..

Sorry to say, but, um.. isn't it a lil early to be drinking?

Guess I quoted before your ninja edit

Right, the device "bus" is all the same. Cables aren't necessarily the same. Like I said probably not the case anymore and not something to be concerned about.

And it's FRIDAY it's never too early to start

 

[sabrewings]

lol, what? I have never heard of such a thing.

USB = Universal Serial Bus. Each manufacturer cannot change a thing, including the internal wiring. Otherwise it isn't USB..

Sorry to say, but, um.. isn't it a lil early to be drinking?

The "Universal" in USB does not mean everything is the same. The fact that USB is a standard means everything is the same. "Universal" is referring to the fact that many devices can use the bus from keyboards to printers to modems to storage devices to network adapters etc et all ad infinitum. It's universal across devices because before we had USB there was no universal data bus all these devices stuck to.

Now, having said that, there are a lot of USB cables out there that only have the 5v power and the ground pins wired. They are usually included with some sort of device (PS3 controllers comes to mind) that doesn't require a data connection. Two wires and two pins are cheaper than four...

 

[milnivlek]

lol, what? I have never heard of such a thing.

USB = Universal Serial Bus. Each manufacturer cannot change a thing, including the internal wiring. Otherwise it isn't USB..

Sorry to say, but, um.. isn't it a lil early to be drinking?

It's definitely not as common now as when USB cables first started being used as power cables, but elwray is definitely correct. I had a few of these power-only USB cables myself a few years back. They were especially common for simple electronic devices that don't have any data connectivity functionality.

Btw, I wouldn't really place too much stock on what abbreviations like USB stand for. These days, even technology names are often little more than marketing brands/buzzwords rather than accurate descriptions.

 

[TravelingGeek]

Hey... I'm actually looking for a power only micro-usb cable. If anyone know where to find one (I tried monoprice) please post.

Why???

Verizon's MIFI broadband 3G hotspot device can operate in two modes... either as a WiFi access point for upto 5 connections or as a tethered 3G modem. In tethered mode, you have to use the POS verizon broadband application that invariable locks ups and screws up a the shut down. I've used that method for the last four years on my old laptop... As the WiFi access point, it is just that... a little box that two radios... the 3G and the WiFi... no wires required. No extra crappy software on my laptop. But it does suck the battery pretty quick.

BUT.... to charge the device, the data pins on the cable make it think you want to be in Tethered mode, which I do NOT ever want to do. A buddy got a has a power only cable and it lets him charge from the laptop an use the WiFi mode at the same time. The alternative is to downgrade to and older BIOS that wasn't as picky... I just don't like the idea of downgrading.

So... does power only break the standard? I don't care if it solves my problem ;-)

TG

 

[freddyttt]

I purchased some of these..... between what I had, what came with the phone and a few of these I got charging cables everywhere

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300453516435&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_857wt_918


or search ebay for this-
HTC Evo 4G OEM Travel Home Charger TC U250 w/cable

 

[kennychaffin]

lol, what? I have never heard of such a thing.

USB = Universal Serial Bus. Each manufacturer cannot change a thing, including the internal wiring. Otherwise it isn't USB..

Sorry to say, but, um.. isn't it a lil early to be drinking?

I don't know about Micro USB but what the previous poster said is certainly true of Mini USB -- in particular wrt Ebook readers. Some will Drain the battery instead of charging it.

 

[cuban11182]

I purchased micro USB cable from deals extreme and it doesn't work right. If I plug it into my computer to charge, it continually pops up asking if I want to charge, or the other three options. Then it goes away, then pops up again. Now if I use this cable instead of the factory one, it charges fine, although via usb as opposed to AC (slower charging).

 

[Mokie]

lol, what? I have never heard of such a thing.

USB = Universal Serial Bus. Each manufacturer cannot change a thing, including the internal wiring. Otherwise it isn't USB..

Sorry to say, but, um.. isn't it a lil early to be drinking?

Um, before you "lol" and ridicure fellow members, make sure you know what you're talking about. Here's an article about USB:
Support Center - CableWholesale.com

For those who're still too busy laughing, I'll summarize it for ya.

There are 5 pins in the USB 2 plug, 1&5 being power & ground, 2&3 being data in & data out, 4 to identify whether it's an A plug (connected) or B plug (not connected). By shorting the data lines (pin 2 & 3) with 200ohm resistance, you can increase the maximum current from 500mA (connected to a standard hub) to 1.8A . The net effect is the ability to significantly lower the charge time of your device without damaging the equipment, as long as the ports adhere to USB specifications.

So yes, power-only connections for USB hubs do exist. Sorry to say, but aren't you too ignorant on the subject and too unfunny to be "The Phone Guide"? Oh I see, you're related to Steve Jobs and your real title is the "iPhone Guide".