came with your device, unless you can absolutely substantiate an alternative is the same.

If it fits it will work, most important after that is what the output voltage and amps are,lower volts and amps, usually about 5 volts and 1 to 2 amps work on almost anything they fit but lower amps take longer to charge...

It is annoying and not all that easy to tell the difference except at purchase...

Some really cheap cables only charge. Others are data capable.

The really cheap ones generally come with items that need charging but not data. For example e-cigs.

Did we fix the stupid?

Trust me, no technical stuff from me. My iPad and phone are synced. Put something in phone (like photos) and it goes in the other. I’m not sure how that happens or how they got synced but they are.

Some cables have power lines so thin they won't even charge phones properly.

The absurdly expensive name brand USB cables usually work, but I'm not going to pay $15 or more for one.

I haven't had any trouble with Amazon's house brand cables.

I have had trouble with bargain store or gas station USB cables.

Three that I know of.

Ones from vendors like Apple have data. Ones for other types of devices might have only the lines for power.

The sale of USB cables accounted for an estimated 59% of the GNP of China in 2018.