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iPad 2 Power Cable is Junk

donabell

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The design of the iPad2 power cable is criminal. Most every other small electronic device, phones, tablets, etc. have a power cable and adapter that uses a standard mini-USB connector to interface with the device; you can use the same cable for all such devices. Apple, in their own designs everything to be incompatible with any cable except and Apple power cable. To make matters worse, the design of their power cable is to promote its breakage (and more sales of cables for Apple). Any competent cable designer knows that a cable will break if it is not designed to have strain-relief at the connector; this is simply accomplished by tapering the cable thickness from the connector outward, to distribute the stress. Apple designs their cable to concentrate the stress at one point - the junction between the connector and the cable length. We are now about to buy our third cable because of failures promoted by Apple. I believe they are a great sales promotion company, but their products stink.
 

scifan57

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There are several third party manufacturers such as Belkin, that make approved Apple compatible cables. Have you considered gatting one of them instead of an original Apple cable?
 
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Blue92

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I've had problems with knockoff cables pulling apart but never had an Apple cable fail yet. I've had the iPad 2 since December 2011.

I have trashed a few knockoff Lightning cables though.
 

alexm1

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The design of the iPad2 power cable is criminal. Most every other small electronic device, phones, tablets, etc. have a power cable and adapter that uses a standard mini-USB connector to interface with the device; you can use the same cable for all such devices. Apple, in their own designs everything to be incompatible with any cable except and Apple power cable. To make matters worse, the design of their power cable is to promote its breakage (and more sales of cables for Apple). Any competent cable designer knows that a cable will break if it is not designed to have strain-relief at the connector; this is simply accomplished by tapering the cable thickness from the connector outward, to distribute the stress. Apple designs their cable to concentrate the stress at one point - the junction between the connector and the cable length. We are now about to buy our third cable because of failures promoted by Apple. I believe they are a great sales promotion company, but their products stink.

No supply cable is designed to be handled by the cable itself. The best method is to grasp the connector itself when removing it, thus avoiding any strain on the cable or the connector. There are a significant number of users who have not experienced any issues with the cables over many years so perhaps your methodology is the problem?
 

giradman

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The design of the iPad2 power cable is criminal. Most every other small electronic device, phones, tablets, etc. have a power cable and adapter that uses a standard mini-USB connector to interface with the device; you can use the same cable for all such devices. Apple, in their own designs everything to be incompatible with any cable except and Apple power cable..............

All - I'm uncertain whether this is a 'trolling attempt' to start some lively discussion - first post from a profile description of a 79 y/o woman? The 30-pin Apple Adapter was released over a dozen years ago and is now a legacy technology - why complain now? I have an old iPod Touch 2G and the cable still works fine; my first iPad (2011) came w/ this adapter - the only pain was the one-way orientation.

Also, if the link is checked, Apple used virtually all of those pins (apparently Firewire - no longer extant as a current technology - used many of those pins), so not sure that a simpler USB connection would have been sufficient? All of my 30-pin cables are still intact, so why now complain about old cables that may have been poorly treated and abused - just a thought. Dave :)
 
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KevinJS

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All - I'm uncertain whether this is a 'trolling attempt' to start some lively discussion...

Whatever it might be, the fact remains that this forum is independent of Apple, and exists for users of the products to help each other get the most out of them. We are certainly not in a position to influence Apple's choice of available technologies. Sometimes, when you are way ahead of the pack, you appear to be out of step with the pack, and I'm thankful for that. No other manufacturer offers a range of products that function so well when considered as components of a system.

As far as cables go, I've had my fair share of failures, usually caused by children pulling on the wire itself. It's noticeable that as the kids have grown older and appreciate the cost of cables, the damage has diminished. I can't remember the last time I bought a cable, 30 pin or Lightning. In spite of dragging my Mac and iPad around with me in a truck for a couple of years, I never had a cable failure, and I was not gentle with my equipment.
 

Pit bull puppy

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I think the problem lies with the user. Most people don't take care of the cords the right way....including laptop chargers.
 

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