Micro-USB question

BrutulTM

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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The micro-USB cables that came with my cell phone and kindle look different than the ones I buy from monoprice and the like. Here's a picture, note the 4 slots in the top.

rrr_img_7168.jpg


I had to trade in my phone a few months back because the USB port would no longer hold the cable and it fell out all the time. I suspect that my cheap monoprice charging cables might be to blame. They don't have the 4 slots on top that the "good" cables do and they don't fit into the mating connector quite as well. I can't find anything on the net about this nor can I find any to buy that look like this.

Anybody know what the deal is with this? Is it just that they are cheap or are the slots important for some reason? Anybody have a source for good USB cables that don't fuck up the mating connector?

Thanks.

rrr_img_7168.jpg
 
Joeboo

Joeboo

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I'm not 100% sure about Kindles as I haven't owned one, but Nooks use a modified Micro USB, it's not quite the same

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/...r/td-p/1093812

Kindle might do something similar. I can't plug any of my generic Micro-USB cables into my Nook, they fit fine, but they aren't long enough to stay attached, you have to hold them in place. They *might* stick if you removed the plastic casing to make the connector longer, but I haven't jacked with it, I've just kept using the cord that came with the Nook.

I have a lot of random Micro USB cables (HTC cords that came with my EVO, Samsung cords that came with my S2, generic cords from monoline, etc) and they seem to all be slightly different lengths because of differences in the plastic casing. They all work with all my phones just fine, and my Nexus 7 just fine, but none work with the Nook.
 
A

a_skeleton_03

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There are springy "teeth" in a lot of phones/devices in the shape of a ^^^^ that slide into those slots just to retain it a bit better is all.

They aren't important for any kind of anything else other than just retaining the connector.

You might want to go to a brick and mortar store to see if you can spot one rather than ordering online, monoprice is as cheap as it is because they do the bare minimum on everything.
 
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