Can't Connect Nook to Computer? or, Living on the Edge...Of Technology

I just noticed that eight out of the nine books pictured on my Nook here, are all either written by John Scalzi, or were recommended by him or by someone in the comments section when he gives his readers the go ahead to self-promote. An old high school friend made me aware of the Emily the Strange book, because she knows Emily is my inner child.

I spent over an hour on forums this morning, trying to figure out why my computer wouldn't recognize my Nook Color. I restarted both my computer and my Nook Color at least three times, trying variations of when to attach which end of the Nook's USB cable to it's appropriate port. Many of the "experts" insisted there was nothing wrong with the Nook cable, especially since there was no problem using it to charge the Nook, which was also true in my case. After coming dangerously close to uninstalling everything under "Universal Serial Bus Controllers" and then restarting my computer, so the uninstalled items could be magically reinstalled by the reboot, (because someone on the forums said it worked for them so...) I chickened out, and continued my search for answers with less potentially devastating side effects.

I found a post where someone had actually called B&N support and found out that it was, indeed, the cable and they would be receiving a new cable in 3 to 5 days. Someone replied to it and told them, that while they were waiting for their Nook cable, they could use any USB cable with the appropriate connection for the Nook. This made me a little nervous, because in my Nook Color manual, it says to not use any other USB cable than the one made for the Nook Color or it could damage my Nook. I looked over at the USB cable for my digital camera and noticed the micro USB cable looked to be about the same size as the one for my Nook.

Nook Color USB cable and plug (left) vs. Kodak USB cable and plug.

I was a bit nervous. Would it damage my Nook Color forever? Or would it be similar to buying off-brand printer ink in spite of manufacturer's warnings (not really a problem)? Occasionally, I like to be the kind of gal who lives on the edge, like Alison Bradbury from "The Sure Thing." (skip to 1:40 if you don't have the patience to wait less than two minutes for that line --which is reference to a line Walter "Gib" Gibson says earlier in the film [Oh, just be patient, it's at the end of the clip!]) 

Where was I? Oh yeah, living on the edge...Okay, so, with great fear and trepidation, (I guess I am being overly dramatic here. To be honest, I was feeling only a slight bit of concern) I used the Kodak USB cable, and guess what? It worked! Yay me!

I could have saved a lot of time here, by simply saying: "My Nook Color USB cable didn't work when I tried to connect my Nook to my computer. I tried the USB cable from my digital camera and it worked." But then you would have missed out on the high drama and clips from "The Sure Thing." You're welcome.

I am considering apologizing for the title of today's post, but then that wouldn't be living on the edge, would it?