Retractable USB cable for Sony Reader 500 and 505

[gardenstate]

Just saw this interesting item on ebay..

http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-Cable-Lead-F...3%3A2|294%3A50


Brand New, High Quality USB Data/Lead Cable.

This cable connects your digital reader to USB-ready computer or USB hub for data transferring.

2-in-1 feature: this cable can sync and charge your device through USB port.

USB 2.0 certified cable: this is a USB 2.0 certified cable, which consists of 3 small wires (only 2 for the USB 1.1/1.0 cable) and thus has much better performance in term of speed and quality than the USB 1.1/1.0 cable when downloading or uploading big files, such as files with graphies or pictures.

It is designed and manufactured to USB specifications to ensure it delivers its excellent performance:

+ Foil and Braid Shielding to reduce EMI/RFI Interference
+ Oxygen free copper core with environmental-friendly recyclable plastic
+ Twisted-Pair construction to ensure high-speed, error-free data transfer
+ Up to 480 Mbits/sec transfer
+ Heavy-duty cable.

Length & weight: retractable, 2.5 feet when fully stretched, light and easy to carry.

Package includes: 1 USB cable.

Compatible with:

Sony eBook Reader PRS-505 PRS-500 RC LC SC.

[Ervserver]

Oh the better half has a mouse for her laptop that retracts like that, works great

[steen]

My husband has one for his iPod... so handy!

[Kokomo Lee]

Thanks for the link: I purchased one today, will post a review after I receive it.

Sherri

[RSaunders]

That's a nice device, but it only works with the USB port has the right drivers. I use the following, which plugs into the round power port:

http://store.itrimming.com/dsonpspdat01.html

Disclaimer: I'm just a customer, I've got no stake in this firm.

[bbusybookworm]

While Nice, I've had limited success charging my PSR-500 of the USB (Not sure about the 505 as I don't have one), and not wanting to carry another charger 'Brick' around, I decided and got a retractable cable which I could use both for Transferring files and Charging.

So I got the Logic3 Data And Charge Cable (PSP)



I've had it for over a year, and its worked great, as I've also used it to power a number of other gadgets such as my Archos Player (Slowly, in an emergency) and a Portable Speaker.

[BookishDreamer]

Originally Posted by bbusybookworm

While Nice, I've had limited success charging my PSR-500 of the USB (Not sure about the 505 as I don't have one), and not wanting to carry another charger 'Brick' around, I decided and got a retractable cable which I could use both for Transferring files and Charging.

So I got the Logic3 Data And Charge Cable (PSP)

I've had it for over a year, and its worked great, as I've also used it to power a number of other gadgets such as my Archos Player (Slowly, in an emergency) and a Portable Speaker.

That looks exactly like the retractable cable I use for my Creative Zen Touch mp3 player. I hadn't considered the possibility that it might work with my 505.

Dreamer

[DrMoze]

Originally Posted by bbusybookworm

While Nice, I've had limited success charging my PSR-500 of the USB (Not sure about the 505 as I don't have one), and not wanting to carry another charger 'Brick' around, I decided and got a retractable cable which I could use both for Transferring files and Charging.

So I got the Logic3 Data And Charge Cable (PSP)



I've had it for over a year, and its worked great, as I've also used it to power a number of other gadgets such as my Archos Player (Slowly, in an emergency) and a Portable Speaker.

Niiiice. I have the non-retractable version, but that one looks tempting.

And once again: It is ALWAYS better to charge the Reader through the round power port!!!!! AVOID charging via USB!

[MidknytOwl]

Originally Posted by DrMoze

And once again: It is ALWAYS better to charge the Reader through the round power port!!!!! AVOID charging via USB!

Pardon the ignorance but I haven't stumbled across that advice before...why?

[Kokomo Lee]

Happy New Year!

The cable came in yesterday, and I tested it this afternoon. At full extension, the cable is a bit over 2 feet long. The extension and automatic retraction were smooth.

I use a MacBook, and run Windows XP in a virtual window using Parallels. The cable worked fine in both Mac and Windows. I was able to transfer a file to the 505 Reader using the Sony software in Parallels, and I could look at the Sony as a drive on the Mac side (OSX 10.4.10).

I travel a lot, and have wanted a retractable cable to help lighten my load when transferring books on the road. This cable will be perfect for my needs! Organizing my power cords for travel is a 2009 project: I have been reading older posts on this subject, and just need to choose a solution

[RSaunders]

Originally Posted by MidknytOwl

Pardon the ignorance but I haven't stumbled across that advice before...why?

This advice is in a number of forum posts. It started with the 500, which is capable of charging at a pretty fast rate. The USB 1 spec guarantees a minimum amount of current to all new devices. You can get more, but some laptops don't enable higher power unless the device is "active", which usually means having drivers so it is a recognized device. In USB 2 I think the spec raised the minimum current, but not everybody implemented it differently. The laptop guys are more concerned about battery life, so they like to switch stuff off. If the 500 couldn't get high power, it takes nothing. Sony being a laptop company, this is probably the "polite" thing to do.

I don't have a 505, but folks have reported that it is willing to charge with low power. That's essentially with the PSP cords do. They just dump however much power they can get form the USB port into the charge circuit. That's what users like me usually want. If you really have 5.2V (what the PSP charger provides) you can charge the battery more fully, so charging with the real round cord of a PSP charger does give a more complete fill. The USB brick I got with my cord is actually 5.2V, which seems common in a couple other bricks I tested. The laptop is 5.00V, of course, no extra power here.

The advice isn't probably as general as folks suggest, but it is the more general solution as it avoids any USD data uncertainty. Not to mention you can read while charging.