Multipot Organizer Thingy
Okay at least somebody is thinking about the problem: The big mess of gadgets, chargers and wires we all face when we come home. This thing is kind of cool, but I'm not sure it is entirely successful from a design standpoint. The image shows it as clear, but I think the real thing is less transparent.
Take a look
http://www.multipot.it/eng/home.html
Take a look
http://www.multipot.it/eng/home.html
Comments
reg
Originally posted by reg
What is really needed is an airport style charger. Put your devices ( iPod, cell phone or whatever) inside the coverage area or dock and it recharges and comunicates without cables or wires.
This is nice, but doing this requires an AC-DC converter withing the device since the AC is still the only way to get electricity to travel in air. (or vacuum, for that matter) There are some electronics here and there that use this method for charging.
There's only one thing that might need improvement and that is the area of the lid. Is there enough room for everything? If not, that's easily fixed in a next iteration of this, or a different product line. Going with the idea that chargers and wires go below, and devices on the lid, the thing can be stretched horizontally, and there's no need to change the height.
This reminds me, anyone know good cable management thingies for desks? DIY solutions would also be interesting.
I count ten cables on my desk for power and network alone. Probably another ten to connect peripherals and displays. Spending an hour of quality time with duct tape helps, but in the end it's ugly, you have rolls of wire dangling in the air under the desk, and if you choose bad duct tape like I just did a while ago, the whole thing unravels and falls apart one wire a day - just slowly enough that you don't care to go buy new tape and re-tape as long as there are some wires that are not loose.
http://www.dwr.com/search.cfm?Ntx=mo...ltipot&x=0&y=0
Originally posted by Gon
This reminds me, anyone know good cable management thingies for desks? DIY solutions would also be interesting.
Zip-ties.
As far as the multi-pot, for $280 I can buy a nice side-table and stick the cords in the drawer.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
Zip-ties.
Zip-ties are good for bundling and looping the wires. To keep the wires off the floor, the zipties will need attachment points in the table. Add the power strip and external powersupplies, zip-ties will have a hard time keeping up, and they don't alleviate the dust problem at all.
280$!!!
Oh well, I don't think there's likely to be anything patentable in a bucket, so others will probably manufacture similar apparatuses and the prices will come down. In the meantime, with that price, I'm certain I won't buy and almost certain there won't be any importers.
[i]Originally posted by Gon
280$!!!
Oh well, I don't think there's likely to be anything patentable in a bucket, so others will probably manufacture similar apparatuses and the prices will come down. In the meantime, with that price, I'm certain I won't buy and almost certain there won't be any importers.
DWR is the importer, they are a US based furniture company. It is a little spendy, but you are right many others will now jump on the train. There will be cheaper alternatives.
[i]Originally posted by Gon
This reminds me, anyone know good cable management thingies for desks? DIY solutions would also be interesting.
These folks could be helpful
http://www.cableorganizer.com/
Originally posted by WelshDog
DWR is the importer, they are a US based furniture company. It is a little spendy, but you are right many others will now jump on the train. There will be cheaper alternatives.
You're assuming I'm in the US. I'm not.
Originally posted by Anders
Power through USB or Firewire, bluetooth mouse/keyboard and cinema display foot= much more handy solution.
Wireless mouses and keyboards leave you with a small part of the selection you have with wired ones (and not necessarily the best part), while adding hassle with batteries. If the batteries are rechargable, then you have just as much wire around because you have a charger.
Furthermore, power through USB or Firewire does not address the same problem (keeping a clean, organized desk) at all. You'll have devices laying around the desk and wires going in them. If we're thinking for the future, it would be much better to have this kind of bucket thingy to take care of the power, and to have the devices do any data transfer over wireless network. Special solutions like the memory card reader integrated into my screen are okay too.
When do I get Firewire charging for my electric toothbrush, shaver, mobile phone and camera?
Originally posted by Gon
Wireless mouses and keyboards leave you with a small part of the selection you have with wired ones (and not necessarily the best part), while adding hassle with batteries. If the batteries are rechargable, then you have just as much wire around because you have a charger.
Furthermore, power through USB or Firewire does not address the same problem (keeping a clean, organized desk) at all. You'll have devices laying around the desk and wires going in them. If we're thinking for the future, it would be much better to have this kind of bucket thingy to take care of the power, and to have the devices do any data transfer over wireless network. Special solutions like the memory card reader integrated into my screen are okay too.
When do I get Firewire charging for my electric toothbrush, shaver, mobile phone and camera?
Wireless keyboard was to free one of the USB ports on the display. But even with wired solution you still have 2 USBs and 2 firewire.
The advantage of power over interface is that the gadget will automatic be connected to your computer, so you don´t have to move it from the bowl to the computer when needed. And most iPod users have the wires connected to the computer all the time anyway. That won´t go away with the bowl.
I don´t see how a bowl with wires on top will organise anything. And shavers and toothbrushes doesn´t belong with your iPod anyway. Which leaves your camera. I don´t know much about cameraes. They don´t come rechargable through their interface? Thats pretty stupid anyway but even if then to keep the bowl to serve one gadget don´t make any sense.
Here is pictures of my setup (and they confirms the comment about me and cameraes above)
http://household.engadget.com/entry/1234000473054105/
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/akiba..._habrashi.html
Originally posted by Anders
The advantage of power over interface is that the gadget will automatic be connected to your computer, so you don´t have to move it from the bowl to the computer when needed.
I like power over interface, especially if it's something you are going to connect to a computer anyway. Nothing wrong with that.
I don´t see how a bowl with wires on top will organise anything.
It's not hard to see. Mobile phone, camera, another mobile phone, PDA, GPS, any kind of battery chargers. They will all sit on top of the bowl. There is only one wire going from the powerstrip to the bowl. That is the only wire anywhere on your desk. If you want to clean the desk, you move the bowl, wipe, move bowl back.
And shavers and toothbrushes doesn´t belong with your iPod anyway.
... says who? I live in one room. The chargers have to be somewhere in the room. They might as well be stuffed in a bowl like this for the exact same purpose than other electronic devices: to keep wires hidden and not gathering dust.
Which leaves your camera.
I guess that would be true if you don't count the zillion other devices that this would fit like a glove. Not everyone has just an iPod.
Thats pretty stupid anyway but even if then to keep the bowl to serve one gadget don´t make any sense.
...
Here is pictures of my setup (and they confirms the comment about me and cameraes above)
I actually had seen the USB toothbrush before, but it's silly.
Originally posted by Anders
The advantage of power over interface is that the gadget will automatic be connected to your computer, so you don´t have to move it from the bowl to the computer when needed.
I like power over interface, especially if it's something you are going to connect to a computer anyway. Nothing wrong with that.
I don´t see how a bowl with wires on top will organise anything.
It's not hard to see. Mobile phone, camera, another mobile phone, PDA, GPS, any kind of battery chargers. They will all sit on top of the bowl. There is only one wire going from the powerstrip to the bowl. That is the only wire anywhere on your desk. If you want to clean the desk, you move the bowl, wipe, move bowl back.
And shavers and toothbrushes doesn´t belong with your iPod anyway.
... says who? I live in one room. The chargers have to be somewhere in the room. They might as well be stuffed in a bowl like this for the exact same purpose than other electronic devices: to keep wires hidden and not gathering dust.
Which leaves your camera.
I guess that would be true if you don't count the zillion other devices that this would fit like a glove. Not everyone has just an iPod.
Thats pretty stupid anyway but even if then to keep the bowl to serve one gadget don´t make any sense.
...
Here is pictures of my setup (and they confirms the comment about me and cameraes above)
BTW, I actually had seen the USB toothbrush before, but it's silly. It doesn't cut down wires, it just moves them in another location. Power over wire you'd have anyway is legitimately useful.
Originally posted by Gon
... says who?
Your hygiene instructor