Cheap iPhone charger cables?

[Sandman77]

I read also in a amazon customer product review that cheap iPhone cables burn up in fire!

I charged one time my iPad on a 199 bath power cord splitter what ends in a lightly shortcut into the splitter now I import one for 50€ with lighting protection never got problem aigain

[nikster]

Yeah.

Don't use cheap chargers on your $600 device.

Also, don't use cheap charger cables on your $600 device.

You'd think it's common sense....

Actually I was recently scouring Central Airport up and down for a new iPad power adapter - the kind that can charge the iPad in a reasonable amount of time instead of 10 hours with an iPhone or other weak USB adapter. All the good ones - e.g. brand name, good looking, and enough power - were more expensive than the Apple original one at 690 Baht (USB 12 Watt iPad adapter). Most of them were bigger and uglier, too.

So I ended up getting the Apple original as the price leader. Strange but true.

All the ones that were cheaper were one or more of low power / extremely cheap looking / huge. And all the brand name ones, Belkin and so on, were more expensive than the Apple one!

Edited July 23, 2013 by nikster

[bubba]

It's not just a worry that maybe a cheap Chinese charger will catch fire...apparently they can kill you!

http://www.electronista.com/articles/13/07/19/30.year.old.chinese.man.was.able.to.call.for.help.now.in.coma/

[Banzai99]

The cheap USB to dock cables are very often crap too, better off buying an original cable.

I bought 3 of them once thinking I was onto a good deal, wrong, all ended up failing and I had to buy an original from Apple, gotta hand it to Apple, they sure know how to make you buy their overpriced accessories once you are in the Apple system, but they do work, and if they don't , they replace.

[cheeryble]

As Flashman said:

"It takes 16 Chinamen to do the work of an Englishman."

They really are bloody useless with no pride in what they make, if they can save a couple of pennies they do it with no thought for the end user.

[mogandave]

Don't all cables burn up in a fire?

I have Belken and iLuv chargers & cables that are nice. I remember them being pretty cheap, but I got them online, not at an airport.

I also have the Belkan two-hole car charger which is is great.

The thing I don't like about the Apple is that it is something of a plug hog.

[lujanit]

We have three cables purchased from the internet (charging iPhone, iPad), also a converter to transfer photos from my camera to my iPad. All third party and no problems. Apple are just plain greedy when it comes to necessary accessories.

[ubonrthai]

I learned my lesson tonight with a recently purchased Pantip Plaza special... Thankfully the iPhone, socket, and couch it blew sparks on are all ok.

I've used the plug several times now with no problems but that was the first time using the cable.

Edited August 24, 2013 by ubonrthai

[bubba]

We have three cables purchased from the internet (charging iPhone, iPad), also a converter to transfer photos from my camera to my iPad. All third party and no problems. Apple are just plain greedy when it comes to necessary accessories.

I think the issue here is not non-Apple, third-party cables and chargers. Companies like Belkin produce high-quality, Apple approved accessories that work well and don't burst into flames. Apple are not the only company that sells approved, good quality cables and chargers, so you do have a choice. The problem is the cheap Chinese knock-off or fake accessories. Sure, they cost a lot less than a Belkin or Apple one, but do you want to risk your expensive device using them?

Also, I will admit that I have bought a couple of iPhone 5 USB cables off the street here in a pinch because I needed one. Sometimes they don't work at all, sometimes they last a few weeks. In the end, might as well buy a real one.

[HerbalEd]

Cheap ain't always cheap in the long run. When it comes to electronics, I'm much more concerned with saving lives than money.

[wooloomooloo]

At least Apple are trying to address the problem:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2385565/Apple-offers-USB-Power-Adaptor-Takeback-Programme-ALL-customers-bid-wipe-counterfeits.html

[lujanit]

At least Apple are trying to address the problem:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2385565/Apple-offers-USB-Power-Adaptor-Takeback-Programme-ALL-customers-bid-wipe-counterfeits.html

Anyone tried to access this offer in BKK? If so, where please?

[morocco]

Where in Pattaya can I buy a USB cord for my iphone 5?