Best USB Cable

The years of dealing with hundreds of different cables is past, and now nearly everything is USB port Type-A to Micro-B which is USB2 speed and also works on USB3 devices, this is mainly due to the common EPS agreement and ignoring bloody Apple means you can use the same cable for everything from charging batteries to data transfer.

But not all cables are created equal as we have all discovered when we open something shiny and beautiful and discover at the bottom of the packaging a stunted inflexible thing that looks as if it came out of a Christmas cracker. Now there are lots of posh cables out there costing a sodding fortune, flat ones, retractable ones, gold plugs etc etc. but really all I want from a good cable is:

  • Small heads so it fits all devices (even if you have a case on the device)
  • Able to take 10Watt (5v x 2amp) load safely
  • Flexible with a good metal shielding inside against interference
  • USB2 speed and a good low resistance (some of the tablets can be really picky about this)
  • Ideally a repeatable order so they are all the same size (Its nice and neat if they are all the same)

Turns out that reliable cables with these specs have been kicking around forever and you can still get them for about £2, its the old Nokia ones back when Nokia was king of the Hill, to search for it you want to look for CA-101 a 120cm (47inch) cable with its own attached tidy clip and the CA-101D (a 19cm (7.5inch) version with no clip) these cables have served me well and consistently on a variety of devices when other more expensive ones have let me down, recommended

The reason I do not suggest the newer Nokia CA-179, is that I have heard that it wont charge at the the higher amps i.e. more than 500ma

Oh, all the ones I have ordered have been a bit stiff then they arrived but have soon softened up with a but of use

 

 

 

 

The Perfect Consultant

Two of the things you discover when you set out on a change of career, is how many friends you have got and how much real use you are after your years of effort.

Well I’m still working my way though the discovery of the latter (although initial work loads are looking good) but as far as the former goes it turns out that I am a very rich man,

Along that line a shout out goes to Mike Smith of the Turtle Partnership who took the time out when I was on site at their offices to pass on some tips that he has from his years of experience in running a consultancy / business.

With the tips came a book called The Perfect Consultant which made for interesting if slightly eye popping reading, a short book (barely more than a pamphlet), every page contained stuff I should not only know but act upon, think of it as an expanded and professional version of Working from Home by the Oatmeal, From finding Work and clients to behaviour and dealing with harsh decisions, this book seem to deal with it all.

This book looks like it will live up to is boast of “All you need to get it right first time” so thanks again Mike

 

 

First Tuesday Club November 2013

We had all been missing the first Tuesday club by Information Security Solutions during its couple of months hiatus so were really pleased when it announced this month’s event would be going ahead.

There was a new sponsor in Arxan who did a fine job doing active tours and trying to talk to everyone without a sales pitch, particular credit goes to their tech (I have his card but am not publishing his name, it is a security meet up after all) who worked his socks off handling the huge variety of questions that were fired at him while only drinking water 🙁 , on a side note I had not even heard of Arxan before this meet up despite coming into contact with both their clients products and having mobile security issues which they could have really helped with, this was defiantly a “Ooooo” moment and exactly what the 1st Tuesday is for (I spent the trip home reading their web site)

As normal conversations varied wildly from the minutiae of users rights to privacy on a corporate network in various different countries through to Gandhi’s life and achievements (especially comparing his self sacrifice compared to modern leaders), though that makes it sound far more high brow than it was,

I had a great time as normal and this was an excellent night for learning new stuff and meeting one of the serious players in the mobile security.

(Yes I always take a picture when people are facing away)

 

 

New Anime Series: Blaz Blue Alter Memory

First Episode(s) Review for: Blaz Blue Alter Memory
Summary:

Based of the computer game series BlazBlue, a lone fighter is being slowly overtaking by the great power he possesses, all the while being hunted by those who wish that power for them selves.

Animation:

Very detailed backgrounds with slightly flat cell characters over the top, perhaps this is done to to make the battle scenes easier to draw as they are very very fast and involved.

Plot Potential:

I’m assuming you must have played the game to know what the hell is going (so much so that I went to see if this was the first series or a continuation), but it has settled down into the standard “haunted anti hero in a timeless cycle of battles” theme, I reckon by the 3rd episode it will become a background Anime, but it is fun and the fight scenes are very well done.

Music:

Not up to the visuals

Reminds me of:

A light hearted Devil May Cry

Overall:

A good blood stirring series, Makes me want to go play the computer game…. Oh sod…. I HAVE this computer game, got it at an convention because I wondered what everyone was getting so excited about, so when today’s work is finished I will go and give it another try

 

 

 

Disclaimer: These are mini reviews of anime’s that are fresh out in Japan and are not licensed in the UK, buy them once they have been licensed or at the very least buy the merchandise, remember if the anime makers make a loss, THEY WILL STOP MAKING ANIME!!