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Google engineer writing Amazon reviews on USB-C cables that don't work

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Re: Google engineer writing Amazon reviews on USB-C cables that don't work

#351

Post by TeMPOraL »

odbol wrote: post #259
fixermark wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fact that the market is full of low-cost USB-C cables that aren't reliable may suggest that the cables cost $13 because it's actually a $13 problem to get it right. ;)

It's probably not. It's just no one is buying USB-C cables yet. Once they are common and produced at massive scale, the price will drop considerably.

Oh they are produced on a massive scale, and they are cheap - in Shenzhen, it's easier to find them now than the ordinary ones. Every other vendor has them stacked up to the roof.

Re: Google engineer writing Amazon reviews on USB-C cables that don't work

#352

Post by Shank »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #297
csours wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To quote Tommy Boy: "Hell, I can take a crap in a box and slap a guarantee on it for you"

And to put in terms of real-life - in Shenzhen, China I've seen people selling whole spools of "QC PASS" stickers, as well as any logo or guarantee label you want.

To be fair, QC pass stickers are going to be sold like that just because you'll need a lot of them if your only way of identifying pass/fail is via a sticker. I don't see why you wouldn't buy those en masse, and use them on a real assembly line -- especially in a country where most plastic goods are produced.

Re: Google engineer writing Amazon reviews on USB-C cables that don't work

#354

Post by jtha »

Google screws up cables as well. My Chromecast (V1) came with a dud cable that will provide some charge to some devices, but won't power or charge anything I've tried it on. So my Chromecast is now powered courtesy of Lenovo.

It's a statistic though, just as anything mass-produced. But I found his comment on the quality of 3rd party manufactured cables vs Google and Apple slightly amusing. Apple cables in my household and everywhere I've come across them are no prize pigs. Samsung Galaxy provided cables on the other hand have proved to be exceptionally durable in my experience. Nokia cables and chargers also seem to be made out of solid Kevlar or some flexible Titanium, seeing that every single one I've owned since the late '90s is still working. My blue LED modded Nokia 3310 is still going strong, battery and all, but that's another story.

Re: Google engineer writing Amazon reviews on USB-C cables that don't work

#356

Post by dspillett »

bryanlarsen wrote: post #50

"USB" and the various USB logos are trademarks of the USB-IF. I was under the impression that non-compliant products can be sued for trademark infringement by the USB-IF. Sure, they could be sold without the logo, but not being able to put the word "USB" in their product description would make them unsearchable and kill their online sales...

The trouble would be chasing all the cheap manufacturers, distributors, and resellers. It would be rather time consuming and costly.

Re: Google engineer writing Amazon reviews on USB-C cables that don't work

#357

Post by legulere »

ricksplat wrote: post #355

You wouldn't get Apple doing this for third party lightening cables .. yeah I know it would be like them giving away their own lunch, but it further underlines that lightening is just a money-spinner not any real technical advance.

Actually they have the MFi program [1] and you just have to look for the logo when buying cables. Of course you can criticize the program, but it's just plain wrong that Apple isn't doing something about cable quality.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MFi_Program

Re: Google engineer writing Amazon reviews on USB-C cables that don't work

#358

Post by dalore »

mathewpeterson wrote: post #131
DiabloD3 wrote: post #66

I see no reason why to buy anything but Anker. I once tried to purposely destroy an Anker MicroUSB cable (bought a 5 pack that had three 3ft, one 6ft, one 1ft, didn't need the 1ft), by grabbing the head of it with clamping pliers and yanking the fuck out of it with the cable wrapped around my hand, and bending it to near 180 degrees repeatedly for about 5 minutes. I could not kill it without straight up taking wire c…

Just keep in mind that all these products are mass produced and are subject to imperfections. Really, the only thing that matters is how good their customer support is and Anker is probably better than most but they still have a long way to go. I say this because I had one of their USB power ports that my children use to charge their iPads (2x 4th gen) that overheated and burnt up[1]. I completed the contact form on…

I had a much different experience. I had a 5 port usb charger and all but one of the ports stopped working. I emailed them about it and they sent me a replacement without any questions.

Re: Google engineer writing Amazon reviews on USB-C cables that don't work

#360

Post by Robadob »

ars wrote: post #344
x0x0 wrote: post #338

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except for a given review, you can't tell which seller sold that item. Anyone can list on a given item.

When I give a review and it's an item with a lot of sellers I mention who I bought it from. It would be good if everyone did that.

Except when sellers send their stock to Amazon, to be distributed from their warehouses (fulfilment by Amazon), I recall reading about their stock being comingled, such that one seller was being legally sought after for selling pirated DVDs that another seller had sent to Amazon.

Sorry I can't find a better source at short notice.

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y13/m02/i25/s01

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