Be careful of the USB you purchase.

Daikun

Google engineer Benson Leung has been leaving a string of Amazon reviews (positive and negative) regarding various different types of USB cables which could potentially damage your devices. Please see the video above for more info.

Also, if you have a Nexus, be sure to download the CheckR app to see if your USB is safe for use.

Matt

I caught wind of this on Reddit over the weekend as well. Basically, a non-spec cable can trick the phone into thinking it can pull the full 3 Amps from the USB 3.1 spec, when it's not actually plugged into a 3A charger. This could ruin the charger, or the USB port on your computer.

Easiest way to know you've got an issue is if you are obviously not using a high-amp charger, but your lock screen says "charging rapidly."

Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)

Benson's reviews have been going around Google to some amusement for the last few weeks; it's nice to see that this has made it out externally. The best part was when one cable manufacturer called a review "defamation" because "they only claimed to meet USB 3.0 spec, not 3.1".

Daikun

Linkigi(Link-ee-jee) said:

The best part was when one cable manufacturer called a review "defamation" because "they only claimed to meet USB 3.0 spec, not 3.1".

Which one was it? I'd love to see it; it'd make a great laugh for us.

EDIT: Benson's Google+ page is awesome.

Cable Savage also has completely taken down their product (currently unavailable). At one point they tried relisting 3 similar products but immediately deleted them from Amazon (404'd) after I ordered one of each for review.

Ha ha ha ha!

Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)

It was that same Cable Savage: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2DQ7OH7PQG24F/ref=cm_cr_rev_detmd_pl?ie=UTF8&asin=B013XFANAA&cdForum=Fx2X5W623J3PRPU&cdMsgID=Mx2OU2NJ4L0UDLZ&cdMsgNo=19&cdPage=2&cdSort=oldest&cdThread=Tx2O5XXKTTD2YAL&store=pc#Mx2OU2NJ4L0UDLZ

Daikun

*reads review thread*

Ha ha, wow! It's great reading Cable Savage's posts getting completely eviscerated.

Daikun

Leung's reviews are making a difference! Three of his previously reviewed USBs were fixed.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R1HMOCOTWS1KOG
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2BM6NKTIB9J8Z
http://www.amazon.com/review/R339WKITXI6ZAN