Archives for Cable Clutter
New Eye-Fi products
Last fall, I posted about the new Eye-Fi memory card, which wirelessly uploads your photo files to your computer. Eye-Fi has now released a more powerful version called the Eye-Fi Explore and a lower priced Eye-Fi Home. Also included in the new lineup is the Eye-Fi Share, which can upload photos to the photo sharing website of your choice (like Flickr).
The Eye-Fi memory card has been out for less than a year and noticeable improvements have been made in that time. These new cards offer faster upload speeds, online sharing capabilities, and geotagging. I’m surprised that they didn’t increase the storage space, which is still at 2GB. It is only a matter of time before that is doubled or even tripled. And, for those who have a camera that uses Compact Flash cards rather than an SD card, you can use an adapter for use with the Eye-Fi SD cards.
Posted by Matt on Sep 30, 2008 |
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More than a tv stand
Sony has come up with a clever television stand that is composed of speakers. It has right, left, center, and subwoofer speakers integrated into the stand. The concept cuts down on cable clutter and doubles as a place to set you television and a few components.
The concept serves multiple purposes, but I’m not sure replacing the tv stand with this speaker set up is advisable. If one of the speakers are damaged or malfunction, the whole unit would have to be replaced, leaving you without a tv stand or speakers.
The Sony RHT-G500 is not on the market as of yet and pricing has not been released, but it is an intriguing option for people who want a simple home theater that won’t add unwanted wires and cables to your living room. Is this yet-to-be-released speaker-laden tv stand something you find useful? Let’s read your opinions in the comments.
(via Unpluggd)
Posted by Matt on Sep 4, 2008 |
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Curbing cables on a media center
My husband and I recently purchased a new media center. Our previous media center was damaged when we moved more than three years ago, and we finally reached our limit of staring at the broken piece.
We searched for more than two months for a replacement. We talked to a furniture designer about creating a custom media center, we searched Craigslist and the classifieds, we visited dozens of furniture stores, and we wasted many hours online looking for possible solutions.
Ultimately, we decided to go with Elfa Freestanding. We realized that as our family expands, our current office/television room will be moved to another part of the house or another house entirely. So, the media center needed to be easily portable and able to be repurposed as our requirements change. Plus, we rarely have visitors in our office/television room, so function outweighed form on our list of priorities.
The back of the unit is exposed, which meant that we had to get creative hiding equipment cables. We used two methods to corral the cables:
I’m pretty happy with the results except for the mess of cables under the media center near the surge protector/power strip. I’m going to let the equipment sit for another week to make sure that I like where everything is located, and then use velcro cable ties to get rid of the mess at the bottom of the unit. You can see a few cables behind the equipment, but they’re orderly and controlled.
All of the cable wrangling gear we picked up at our local Home Depot, and the Elfa Freestanding we purchased from The Container Store. I know that there will be multiple comments from people saying that we shouldn’t use plastic cable ties, but ultimately they were the best solution for us. The only cords we used them on are for our gaming equipment, and we haven’t experienced any interference or delay in play. We initially tried velcro ties on the gaming cables, but they slipped out of place and were distracting. The plastic ties stay in place and are virtually unnoticeable, which is what we wanted.
If you’re looking to curb cable clutter at the back of your media center, think about using kwik klips, and either velcro or plastic cable ties. They can supply order where chaos typically ensues.
Posted by Erin on Jul 11, 2008 |
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Plastic card cable organizer
Unclutterer reader Creatrope sent us a terrific do-it-yourself project that is simple and useful.
Using a discarded hard-plastic card (like a grocery store membership card), you can untangle the cords for your computer and its peripherals:
Step-by-step instructions for how to make a card cable organizer of your own are provided on his site. Thank you, Creatrope, for sharing your idea with us!
Posted by Erin on Jul 3, 2008 |
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iHome iH70 speakers also act as iPod dock
If you are looking for new computer speakers you may want to check out the iHome iH70 speakers. They also act as a dock for your iPod and syncs to iTunes. From iHome:
The iH70 charges, plays and syncs your iPod with iTunes while it’s docked securely into the base of the computer speakers.
Comes complete with a computer port, sync switch, volume controls and a headphone jack for private listening.
With the dock built into these speakers you can remove the iPod dock (does anyone ever use the actual dock) or wire from your desk. Less wires and multifunctional products are always a plus.
These speakers aren’t available until July, but you can pre-order them through iHome’s site.
Posted by Matt on Jun 14, 2008 |
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Creative uses for velcro cable ties
There are the obvious uses for velcro cable ties:
But, you also can use them to wrap belts for storage or when traveling:
Keep pens and pencils grouped together in your purse or briefcase:
Use multiple ties together to bind larger objects:
Join flip-flops when heading to the pool:
You could even use them to tie up tomato plants.
How do you use velcro cable ties to help keep you organized? Let’s hear about your creative ideas in the comments!
Posted by Erin on May 30, 2008 |
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Reader question: Help curb my cable clutter!
Reader Sara contacted us with an office organization dilemma:
I need some ideas for organizing my “office.” My office is built into my kitchen, a counter top matching the rest of my counters was dropped lower, with a open place for a chair to be rolled under etc. Initially the idea felt awesome because that’s where all the trafic is and I can be available to the kids. There is no other place to move my computer that would be convienant in my house, so it needs to stay here. The biggest problem is all the wires. My internet connection is ontop of the desk as the people who installed it drilled a whole threw the wall, because otherwise it would have required running wires over the end of the counter, or drilling a hole threw the counter. The plug in is also on top of the desk. Which means, everything all the wires have ended up tangling on top of the desk. No matter what I do, I’ve taped them up, I’ve used ties on them, it still looks disorganized and messy. I’ve thought seriously about drilling a hole in the counter top, but it still doesn’t correct the issue with the plug in being on top of the counter.
I thought that since she included pictures, I might put her question out to all of you to see what creative suggestions you can devise for her:
What would you do to curb the cable clutter? Let’s help Sara solve her office organization problem!
Posted by Erin on May 22, 2008 |
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Rock Band clutter: A possible solution
Matt warned me back in December, but I didn’t listen. After playing Rock Band at a friend’s house, my husband and I rushed out to purchase a Playstation 3 and the Rock Band game. We were able to justify the PS3 because it includes a Blu-Ray player, which was recently declared the standard for HD movies (much like VHS beat out Beta back in the day). And, while there is no similar justification for buying the game, it has brought hours of fun to our home.
We love our Rock Band game. For me, I get to be a rock star despite having no musical talent whatsoever. For my husband, he gets to laugh at me as I rock out on the microphone or try to keep a beat on the drums. But, the problem we have now is finding a place to store the game pieces when they’re not in use.
Thankfully, reader Melissa has come to our rescue. Melissa sent us a link to the Kotaku site with a review for a rock band stand (and I think Kotaku picked up the link from Gizmodo). At $50, the stand seems a bit expensive. However, the comments to the post she sent us contain a number of do-it-yourself options for how to build your own. Also, if you follow some of the DIY tips, you can even find a way to include space for the drums on the stand.
What do you do with your guitar and drum set when not in use? Share your ideas in the comments.
Posted by Teri on May 8, 2008 |
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CNET’s guide to wireless products
Wire and cable clutter is a real pet peeve of mine. Here at Unclutterer we have an entire category devoted to getting wires and cables in order. The good folks over at CNET have a feature highlighting just about everything you can think of that is available in the wireless world. From CNET:
More and more gadgets are letting us cut the cord. From home theaters and headphones to routers and radios, wireless tech simplifies all kinds of connections. This month’s feature tackles the wonder of wireless, looking at how far off we are from a fully wireless home, along with a gaggle of gadgets that can ready your home for the wireless way, starting today.
If you are in the market for a new gadget, you may want to check out what is available in a wireless option. The less wires you have the more uncluttered your space will be.
Posted by Matt on May 6, 2008 |
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Wi-fi printer on sale now
The Brother HL-2170W is now on sale for a very reasonable $99.99. You can get rid of that clutter-inducing USB cord that you currently have attached to your printer. If you are in the market for a new printer, this is a very affordable option that gets rid of cable clutter and streamlines your workspace.
CNET has a pretty decent review of this wireless printer and the Amazon customer reviews are rather positive. For just a penny under $100, you could do a lot worse.
Posted by Matt on May 5, 2008 |
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Simple charging station
Reader Koz sent us a link to this little contraption:
The Driinn Mobile Phone Holder reminds me of the Load Thing we featured on the site last June. This one seems a little smaller, but just as efficient. It also appears that it could be used for other electronic devices of similar size, like a DS Lite or digital camera. And, at $8, it’s not the most expensive solution on the market. Thank you, Koz, for the link!
Posted by Erin on Apr 19, 2008 |
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That wire mess can win you a prize
The contest is called “What’s Under your Desk” and that mess under your desk can qualify you to win a dinner with Peter Brady, er, I mean, Christopher Knight.
The contest is sponsored by Green Plug.
Green Plug’s mission is to sign up electronics manufacturers to use its chip that would go into power supplies. With the chip, consumers would be able to plug any device into a hub to power multiple devices. Software, which the company intends to make available for free, will be able to read exactly how much power a device needs.
Here at Unclutterer, we have made it our mission to rid your workspace or entertainment center of that wire monster that may be lurking under your desk. The wire monster is incredibly pesky and hard to control, but with some tips and the right plan of attack the wire monster can be conquered.
(via Crave)
Posted by Matt on Apr 15, 2008 |
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What to do with old gadgets and hardware
Over at earth2tech, they point you in the direction of five sites that can help you get rid of that old hardware or gadget. The five sites are dedicated to reuse of electronic products that can help curb the consumption bug when it comes to gadgetry.
When electronics become obsolete or outdated, it is easy for consumers to trash their old gadget when they replace it with something new. Obviously, you have no use for something you just replaced, but tossing these items in the garbage shouldn’t be the first thing you do.
I agree with Jerry and have found SecondRotation to be the most viable of the sites that earth2tech recommends. The site offers you a market value for your used gadgets. They give you a step-by-step process to estimate the value of what you are trying to unload and then you mail it into them for free. They then review your product and send you a payment.
You may also want to reconsider tossing out electronics that aren’t working properly. The site FixYa offers a community of users to help get your electronics back in working condition. Tips range from simple troubleshooting to part replacements.
Rather than simply heading out to purchase a new electronic device at the drop of a hat, you may want to look at these options before you buy. Be sure to check out our first post on this topic for even more ideas.
Posted by Matt on Apr 7, 2008 |
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Wireless iPod streaming
Products that are wireless immediately gain my attention. Monster’s new iSoniCast is now shipping and it allows you to stream your iPod wirelessly to your home stereo. It also makes your iPod into a remote control so you can select what you are listening to on your stereo. From Monster:
The Monster® iSoniCast™ turns your iPod into a wireless jukebox, so you can easily enjoy all your iPod music on your home stereo system. With the iSoniCast, you use the iPod itself to control playback with full access to all the familiar iPod controls! You don’t need to turn on your TV to view menus or use a clunky separate remote to control your iPod. Even better, the iSoniCast is also incredibly easy to hook up and no batteries are needed: the smart low-power consumption lets you listen for extended periods.
I currently use a Y-Cable for my iPod listening needs. It adds a wire to the mess that lurks behind my receiver and it doesn’t allow me to change tracks remotely. This wireless gem will set you back $100, which isn’t bad for a brand new iPod accessory. Additionally, if it gets rid of another cord, I’m interested.
(via Crave)
Posted by Matt on Mar 20, 2008 |
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Bluelounge’s SpaceStation helps with cable clutter
Cable clutter is a scourge all to its own. The tops and back sides of desks are usually wrapped in a web of cables and wires. Here at Unclutterer we have a whole category dedicated to this pesky problem.
Bluelounge has a new product which tackles the wires and cables on the top of your desk. The SpaceStation creates a nice tidy area to confine this desk top mess. From Bluelounge:
Hovering just 5mm above the desk, cords are free to enter or exit the hub at any point – on the side to connect a scanner, the front for an iPod, the back for a laptop or camera. An internal 4-port USB 2.0 hub will keep all peripherals connected. One USB plug exits the station right where needed to connect a laptop. Just tip the front of the SpaceStation up to access the hub and cords.
And here are before-and-after photos to see what the SpaceStation can do for your workspace:
Before:
After:
Posted by Matt on Mar 13, 2008 |
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Multifunctional home office hub
CNET’s positive review of the Brother MFC-685cw Color Inkjet Multi-Function Center caught my attention mainly because of the inexpensive price and all the functions it performs. For a price as low as this ($130), you can’t really expect to have high quality photo printing when the device consolidates so many functions into one product. But, if you are in the market for an all-in-one printer, fax, scanner, copier, phone, answering machine, wireless network interface, and photo printer, this may be for you.
You are sacrificing quality for quantity and run the risk of losing all functionality if one of the devices breaks, but you are saving space. Fewer wires and a smaller footprint for your home office can be beneficial to an uncluttered workspace.
Posted by Matt on Feb 25, 2008 |
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The Socket Sense Surge Strip
Have you ever had to plug a large black cube type of plug into a surge strip? The size of the black cube takes up two or possibly three outlets on the strip. That’s not fair, is it? So, what can be done about this outlet injustice? Well, take look at the Socket Sense Surge Strip and this problem looks to be solved by the clever folks at Ideative. The outlets on the strip are not only angled, but they can also be moved to accomodate bulky black plugs. From Ideative:
The Socket Sense surge protector handles all power adapters with ease. Simply expand or contract the movable sockets to adjust for the best fit. Compare this to a typical surge strip where power adapters typically block one or more sockets. Socket Sense can do the job of two ordinary surge strips.
Instead of using two surge protectors or possibly swapping plugs in and out of your surge strip, this looks like a very useful and innovative alternative in the war on cable clutter.
(via Crave)
Posted by Matt on Feb 21, 2008 |
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The beauty of organized cables
The blog Royal Pingdom knows how to make an Unclutterer’s heart go pitter patter. Their post, When data center cabling becomes art, sent me into a blissful tizzy gawking at the well-organized cables. Swoon. Here’s a teaser to entice you to click through to the site:
Photo courtesy of Jef Newsom
Posted by Erin on Feb 9, 2008 |
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Make your own earbud caddy
Walking around with an earbud cord that is too long can hinder your range of motion and get in the way. People come in different shapes and sizes, but earbud wires are all one size, which is usually super long. Why not take some time and easily make yourself a little earbud caddy to neatly wrap up that extra wire?
Over at wikiHow, you can easily follow the steps and have yourself a cheap do-it-yourself solution made from material you may have around your house already. Or, if you’re not feeling handy, you can just purchase the one pictured with this article for $2.
Posted by Matt on Feb 7, 2008 |
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The wireless Wii nunchuk
The Wii remote control is quite an amazing development in game console controllers. The Wii remote is wireless, but not completely so because there is a wire that connects to the nunchuk to the controller.
Nyko, a third party supplier for gaming accessories, now has Wii owners covered with the wireless nunchuk. But what about the Wii owners who already have all their controllers purchased and don’t want to buy new wireless nunchuks? Well, Nyko has you covered there, too. You can purchase an adapter for your wired nunchuk and the wire will be a thing of the past. Unfortunately, the adapter won’t be available for another month.
(via Engadet)
Posted by Matt on Feb 4, 2008 |
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