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LDMartin1959

macrumors newbie
May 28, 2011
17
0
I'll pay $28 for the cable - but they lost me at another $20 for international shipping. It doesn't cost more than a few dollars to post something to the UK.

Sadly, too many companies (on both sides of the pond) view shipping charges as another source of revenue, and doubly so when it comes to international shipping (which, in the US, includes Alaska and Hawaii since too many companies believe double and triple shipping charges to these locations are also appropriate). I'd say make buddies with someone in the states and work out a private deal.
 

jlgolson

Contributing Editor
Jun 2, 2011
383
8
Durango, CO
What is the current obsession with paracords? I was in Home Depot the other day and they were selling "genuine paracord bracelets". Why??
The bracelets are for hikers and hunters and cops and EMTs and other types of people who may run into a situation where having some paracord may be useful in an emergency.

Those bracelets pack a surprising amount of rope into a small package.
 

kaielement

macrumors 65816
Dec 16, 2010
1,242
74
If I knew the cable would last ten times as long as the 2.99 crap cable from chine I might be down.
 

technopimp

macrumors 6502a
Aug 12, 2009
645
219
The bracelets are for hikers and hunters and cops and EMTs and other types of people who may run into a situation where having some paracord may be useful in an emergency.

Those bracelets pack a surprising amount of rope into a small package.

Huh...fair enough I guess.

So why then do I need a Lightning cable wrapped in it?? :p
 

jkrarup

macrumors newbie
Jul 18, 2011
21
7
Heavy Duty Cable at Amazon

Check out Amazon for a better built fully compatible lightning to USB cable for 1/2 the price of this. The lightning connection is a bit thicker but fits my Speck and Otterbox Defender case.

"AmazonBasics USB A to Lightning Compatible Cable"
 

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
What is the current obsession with paracords? I was in Home Depot the other day and they were selling "genuine paracord bracelets". Why??

The bracelets are for hikers and hunters and cops and EMTs and other types of people who may run into a situation where having some paracord may be useful in an emergency.

Those bracelets pack a surprising amount of rope into a small package.

"Are for" but that doesn't actually address the obsession. How often do you see these bracelets on people's hands? I see them frequently, in suburban Raleigh, at any bar, restaurant, mall, etc. Chances of these people actually needing them or thinking of using their fashion statement when in a true bind are slim.

They indeed have their place. I would have something like that in a camera bag or on my dog's leash because I tend to venture off places where people may not be passing every moment (hiking Umstead for example) but again, I am not sure I'd ever need it. Nor do I think I need to make a fashion statement out of a utility. :D

I should note, I am not really fashionable, not even a little.

Not sure this cable is worth it though. Can they sell these with the tech owned by Apple?
Then again, if they had an actual orange one, I would be the sucker to buy it. :D
 

PinkyMacGodess

Suspended
Mar 7, 2007
10,271
6,226
Midwest America.
They're using glue to seal these things too, that's just another thing to get in the way. It's going to come off eventually.

It's not 'glue', it's 'resin'. It sounds more expensive... :D

----------

Cables are a fashion statement now?

I know! Who knew... :confused:

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The bracelets are for hikers and hunters and cops and EMTs and other types of people who may run into a situation where having some paracord may be useful in an emergency.

Those bracelets pack a surprising amount of rope into a small package.

But how do you use the cord? I've got one (before they were cool) and can't figure out how to get the damned thing unwrapped...

----------

Check out Amazon for a better built fully compatible lightning to USB cable for 1/2 the price of this. The lightning connection is a bit thicker but fits my Speck and Otterbox Defender case.

"AmazonBasics USB A to Lightning Compatible Cable"

Monster had a heavy duty dock cable that really was durable. I'll have to check if they have a Lightening cable too...
 

jkrarup

macrumors newbie
Jul 18, 2011
21
7
It's not 'glue', it's 'resin'. It sounds more expensive... :D

----------



I know! Who knew... :confused:

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But how do you use the cord? I've got one (before they were cool) and can't figure out how to get the damned thing unwrapped...

----------



Monster had a heavy duty dock cable that really was durable. I'll have to check if they have a Lightening cable too...

If Monster does, it won't be cheap.
 

rdlink

macrumors 68040
Nov 10, 2007
3,226
2,435
Out of the Reach of the FBI
Sadly, too many companies (on both sides of the pond) view shipping charges as another source of revenue, and doubly so when it comes to international shipping (which, in the US, includes Alaska and Hawaii since too many companies believe double and triple shipping charges to these locations are also appropriate). I'd say make buddies with someone in the states and work out a private deal.

Actually, I would recommend doing what I do when companies try to make shipping a profit center: Send them feedback spelling out very clearly why you're not going to reward them for it. I have done this to several online vendors over the years. I even had one offer to give me a discount on the shipping. I told them to take a hike until they publicly lower their shipping costs.

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What I'd really love is if Apple would make an official 6 foot cable. I have an Elevation dock on my nightstand plugged into the wall, and the length of the cable makes it hard to maneuver into the spot I want it.
 

7enderbender

macrumors 6502a
May 11, 2012
513
12
North East US
Actually, I would recommend doing what I do when companies try to make shipping a profit center: Send them feedback spelling out very clearly why you're not going to reward them for it. I have done this to several online vendors over the years. I even had one offer to give me a discount on the shipping. I told them to take a hike until they publicly lower their shipping costs.

----------

What I'd really love is if Apple would make an official 6 foot cable. I have an Elevation dock on my nightstand plugged into the wall, and the length of the cable makes it hard to maneuver into the spot I want it.

I second that. So far non of the non-Apple cables and chargers that I bought haven't been working - which included an "authorized" Belkin charger.

So I went ahead and bought the Apple cables. Problem is they are way to short. I could use one or two 4-6" cables that are fully compatible and reliable. But Apple doesn't seem to make any and after wasting money on the third party stuff now I feel like I'm done with that.

Apple is really to blame here by using this technology instead of a reliable and established industry standard. The usual I suppose.
 

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
I second that. So far non of the non-Apple cables and chargers that I bought haven't been working - which included an "authorized" Belkin charger.
This one has been working for us so far. And it is used by my 14yo, he is hardly careful with it.

Note it is a certified cable, priced accordingly, not a POS.
 

Builddesign

macrumors regular
Sep 14, 2012
100
10
Hey, that's the same thing I said about my first girlfriend!


.... and also my first MacOS computer.


+1

Time to trick people at the office into thinking there is a snake loose!

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100% sold out

If you build it they will buy it.
 

ApfelKuchen

macrumors 601
Aug 28, 2012
4,334
3,011
Between the coasts
Cloth-jacketed wire and cable goes back to Thomas Edison. The patch cords used by telephone switchboard operators (and later in professional audio and video) - yep, cloth-jacketed. Nylon replaced natural fibers not long after WWII.

Cloth jacketing was (and is) as much for hand-feel as anything else. It won't get sticky, like an often-handled rubber- or vinyl-jacketed patch cord may. It also adds bulk, which imparts the impression of durability (there's usually a very nice, thick rubber jacket under the cloth, which would be enough all by itself).

The key feature that helps ensure patch cable durability is strain relief/reinforcement where the cable meets the connector. Flex there is the cable-killer. A well-designed patch cord will be substantially thicker at the point where cable meets connector, with reinforcement that extends into the body of the connector and several inches beyond the connector (look at any premium guitar cord).

This product has no apparent strain relief. The chance that a stock, plastic-jacketed iDevice cable would wear thin before the cable failed due to flex at the connector is 1 in 1000, if not higher.

But hey, do I like the look and feel? You bet. I've used a fair amount of kernmantle rope and cord for boating and backpacking, and spent several decades using audio and video patch cords, so it tickles my nostalgic side.

I already have a similar cable ("para-jacketed" stereo mini to stereo mini) to connect iDevices to my car stereo. It doesn't hurt anything, it's kinda fun, I think it looks cool (though it probably hasn't impressed anyone else), and didn't cost much more than other models, so why not?

You want your cables to last? Be sure to grasp them by the connector when you connect/disconnect, not the wire.
 

VoR

macrumors 6502a
Sep 8, 2008
917
15
UK
Actually, I would recommend doing what I do when companies try to make shipping a profit center: Send them feedback spelling out very clearly why you're not going to reward them for it. I have done this to several online vendors over the years. I even had one offer to give me a discount on the shipping. I told them to take a hike until they publicly lower their shipping costs.

Have I misunderstood you, or are you saying that you will buy a product at a total cost you're happy with and then leave negative feedback because of the postage costs? Who cares what the 'postage cost' section says if the total cost to your door is acceptable?

Re topic: This isn't a more durable cable, it's a cable that comes with a cloth texture in pretty colours. I wouldn't buy one (because I'm far too cheap), but I quite like them :)
 

rdlink

macrumors 68040
Nov 10, 2007
3,226
2,435
Out of the Reach of the FBI
Have I misunderstood you, or are you saying that you will buy a product at a total cost you're happy with and then leave negative feedback because of the postage costs? Who cares what the 'postage cost' section says if the total cost to your door is acceptable?

Re topic: This isn't a more durable cable, it's a cable that comes with a cloth texture in pretty colours. I wouldn't buy one (because I'm far too cheap), but I quite like them :)

Yes, you misunderstood me. What I said is that if an online vendor is selling something and it's obvious to me that they are trying to use the shipping as a profit center (i.e., an item that costs $2.90 to ship via USPS priority mail, but they're charging $12.99 for shipping) I will NOT BUY the product, and let them know in no uncertain terms why I am not doing so.

If you're having trouble selling a product at a profit, raise the price and let me decide based on the price of the product whether it's worth it to me. Don't lowball me on the price, then try to make it up with shipping. It's insulting and deceptive.
 

Gordy

macrumors 6502a
May 22, 2005
663
0
Bristol, UK
Sadly, too many companies (on both sides of the pond) view shipping charges as another source of revenue, and doubly so when it comes to international shipping (which, in the US, includes Alaska and Hawaii since too many companies believe double and triple shipping charges to these locations are also appropriate). I'd say make buddies with someone in the states and work out a private deal.

It depends on the method of shipping they use. Sometimes they only ship via certain providers who don't do a cheap option :(

I'd love one of these in red, but not at those prices. It would have gone so nice with my Rokform dock
RF-Rokstand-ip5-dtls-04.jpg
 

VoR

macrumors 6502a
Sep 8, 2008
917
15
UK
If you're having trouble selling a product at a profit, raise the price and let me decide based on the price of the product whether it's worth it to me. Don't lowball me on the price, then try to make it up with shipping. It's insulting and deceptive.

Shipping costs are often inflated in place of product prices for a multitude of reasons other than 'deceptive' price advertising. Not that it always applies of course but for example (in europe at least...) missing a tax bracket could increase margin and potentially reduce cost to your door - consider boycotting or supporting a seller based on that :)
You'll probably do the same, but I'm selfish and cheap :)
 
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