USB-C cables are fairly new on the electronics market, but they’re quickly taking over for laptop, tablet, and cell phone cables all over the place. It probably won’t be long before these USB cables become truly “universal,” but for now, there are still some kinks to work out in the system. Specifically, there are some poorly-made USB-C cables available for sale that could potentially fry your devices, if you’re not careful.

Benson Leung, a Google engineer who worked on the team that developed the Chromebook Pixel tablet in 2015, found this out the hard way. The new tablet was one of the first to use C-type connectors for the USB cables, which are designed to be universal in shape, size, and direction. Leung was in charge of testing the tablets’ charge capacity — but when he unwittingly purchased a cable that was missing the two extra wires needed to support the SuperSpeed in C-connectors, it completely ruined the device.

“This is a potentially dangerous condition, not just one of inconvenience,” Leung said.

So he took it upon himself to start sharing his findings with vulnerable consumers who might be purchasing the same cables through the Internet. He’s posted dozens of Amazon reviews that let other potential buyers know when the USB cables in question aren’t meeting the proper specifications.

As a result of Leung’s diligence — and other volunteer reviewers like him — Amazon no longer allows third-party marketplace sellers to offer USB-C cables or products that fail to comply with all of the relevant USB standards.

While there are many different types of cables that you can buy off-brand for a cheaper price and the same quality performance — HDMI high-speed cables or lightning cables, for instance — it’s best to stick with only the reputable dealers for USB-C type cables, at least for now. Note that most of the problems seem to occur with USB cables with two different types of connectors on each end: C to A, or C to B, for conversion purposes. Hopefully, as USB-C becomes standard across all devices and industries, this problem will become a mere hiccup of the past.

When you think of HDMI cables, you probably imagine the cables used to connect your cable box, television, streaming devices, and gaming systems. But HDMI isn’t just a cable, it’s also a standard that determines which types of signals can be transmitted between devices.

On Jan. 4, the HDMI Forum announced the launch of HDMI 2.1, the latest HDMI version, which will have a number of improvements to its capabilities.

As HDMI 2.1 cables hit the market, what should we expect to see?

1. One of the biggest differences is that these new HDMI high-speed cables will support a higher resolution. Highspeed HDMI cables previously only reached 4K resolution — which is still pretty high — but these new cables function at 8K resolution at 60 Hz, and an unprecedented 10K at 48 gigabits per second. However, these cables are backwards compatible with 4K devices at 120 Hz.
2. While resolution doesn’t always translate to better picture quality, there’s one thing for certain: newer televisions have a far superior high dynamic range (HDR). HDMI 2.1 is compatible with HDR, which controls brightness, contrast, and color of the image depending on scene, or even frame.
3. These new HDMI high-speed cables also come with improved audio capabilities. The audio return channel makes setting up soundbars or A/V receivers much simpler. The latest version, called eARD, keeps functionality essentially the same but is now compatible with systems like Dolby Vision and DTS:X.
4. While most of these features are geared toward those who own a home theater or advanced entertainment center, HDMI 2.1 also has improved gaming compatibilities. Game Mode VRR refreshes seamlessly, reducing delays in motion as well as saving, and prevents tearing. For gamers, the best part may be the shorter input lag, meaning that the controls are more precise.

These new specifications will be made available to all HDMI 2.0 adopters when the version is officially released in the second quarter of 2017.

As far as adoption goes, it is up to product manufacturers to decide whether they will revamp their devices. Apple, for example, has disregarded new technology adoption in the past. The tech giant still uses USB 2.0 in place of USB 3 versions. In Apple’s case, using 12 watt iPad chargers in place of 5-watt chargers are a more economical way to get a faster charge than upgrading cables.

As far as the new HDMI version, it is unclear how Apple and other manufacturers will respond.

Much like your heat, water, and electricity, your Internet connection is a necessary utility, especially for businesses. And while having your home Internet shut or slow down is a huge inconvenience, at work, it’s a hindrance on productivity.

The Internet is the primary business platform for a number of industries, from communications to medical, retail, food service, IT, and more. If you don’t have a decent Internet connection, how can you expect to get any work done?

If your work Internet connection is running on the slower side, you may have some unresolved technical issues to take care of. Of course, angrily Googling, “Why is my Internet so slow?”, isn’t likely to help — especially if it takes five minutes to get an answer. Here’s a quick troubleshooting guide to help identify the problem:

1. Is your router placement optimized?

   You may not know this, but other devices and even appliances like microwaves can interfere with your wireless router’s broadcast signal. If your signal is weak, your connection will be too. Be sure to position your router away from other devices that give off frequencies that may cause interference.

   Similarly, placing your router in a remote area of the office may also limit your connection. When your signal has to travel through walls and doors, it is weakened. Place your router in a more accessible, central part of the office so the network signal can travel throughout the building.

2. Power down once in a while

   Many people will leave their modems, routers, and computers on 24/7. And while this doesn’t seem to pose much of a problem at first, after a while you may notice slower Internet activity. Most of the time, shutting off your router for just ten seconds will help restore a faster connection. No need to call your Internet provider.

3. Use network Ethernet cables instead

   Wifi signals can be interrupted by interference, while Ethernet cables are far more reliable. For a home network, cat5e cables should be fine, but in a work setting, you may need something of higher capacity. Review your needs and consider purchasing bulk cat6a cable if you haven’t already.

   While you may only need a few hundred feet at a time, you do need to account for all employee computers and future needs. You also may go through them more quickly than you expect. In fact, the RJ45 plugs on the end of each Ethernet cable are only useful for about 1000 to 2000 insertions, so buying bulk cat6 cable is a good idea for planning ahead.

If you need bulk cat6 cable for your office, look no further. Cable Wholesale has cables of all grades and varieties for a fraction of the price of most other brand name cable retailers.

In part one of this series, we explained we explained future proofing basics. In this blog, we’ll tell you why HDMI cables are a perfect example as to why many people are skeptical of the future proofing concept.

Premium HDMI Cable certifications are designed to reassure users that these cables are “future proof” and can perform intensely enough to pass 4K video content. But many have responded to this program with cynicism. Aren’t all high-speed HDMI cables able to pass 4K video content?

The short answer, yes. As long as the cable is a true high-speed HDMI.

The majority of HDMIs have no problem streaming high-capacity content but lack the official certification on the packaging. The program, therefore, looks to set up unsuspecting customers looking for verification, when in reality, just about any HDMI would perform the necessary job sufficiently.

HDMI Licensing appears to be giving consumers the bad end of the stick here with the argument that all cables are equal, but some are “more equal” than others, according to CNET writer Geoffrey Morrison.

Companies that charged more money for their high-speed HDMI cables needed a way to differentiate their products from the budget cables in order to justify the price gaps.

The larger companies that can afford to pay the licensing fee are now heading to the top of the market, while lesser-known companies with equal quality products are losing out on the licensing opportunity.

Essentially, this is a scheme that allows companies to market their HDMI high-speed cables as “future proof” in order to rake in more money.

This isn’t the first time that HDMI Licensing has been shifty with its marketing either. When HDMI 2.0 was announced, the organization flat-out said that HDMI 2.0 didn’t change any cables or connectors. There’s no such thing as an HDMI 2.0 cable, although many are labeled as such. Any HDMI cable is capable of carrying the increased bandwidth transmitted by HDMI 2.0 outlets in your television, desktop, or other network hardware.

HDMI products often cost $50 or more in-store, but there is no reasoning behind this. None of these cables are so-called “future proof.” They’re the same cables that have been around for years.

Cable Wholesale’s HDMI high-speed cables are just as functional as any licensed HDMI product, and cost a very small fraction of the price.