What use is an A male to A male USB cable

[Ryom]

The only thing I can find a use for it after searching is to simply power devices. Data transfer cables have special hardware/software in the middle and don't count.

Does anyone know if there is some useful purpose to this type of USB cable other than just a power link?

 

[TheResidentEvil]

it depends on the device. whatever the manufacturer used when they made it. this person on amazon used one in an external hard drive

"I bought this cable to replace the one that came with my external hard drive; the old one started acting up some months ago and finally quit on me, leaving me stranded in terms of accessing my back-up. This cable worked right away, not the fastest data transfer speed in the world but normal for a USB."

here is another example where you can use the cable to connect two computers to transfer files

http://www.digiconcepts.com/cables_usb_06.htm

"Use CalBeta's premium certified USB 2.0 A male to male cable to transfer files quickly and easily between computers. These 24/28 AWG A male to male cables support data transfer rates up to 480Mbps and are fully backwards compatible with all USB 1.0 and 1.1 devices."

 

[keenan]

The USB standards body describes in the standards that such cables should never be made, sold or used in a commercial product, and they won't certify any such devices as USB compliant. And rightly so, the unlike connectors are used for good reason.

So yeah, aside from poorly designed hardware and odd situations, they won't be useful for anything.