Tag: Outlet

I like to think by the time we make it to the 23rd century, we won’t be using wall plugs, and all power will be completely wireless. But Trekkies living in today’s world must suffer through the act of connecting their electrical devices to a wall outlet.

Ya know, I like BB-8, but nobody will ever replace R2-D2 as the coolest droid in the Star Wars universe. You can never have enough R2. Just like you can never have enough power. This device gives you both in one handy home gadget.

How many times have you been lounging on the couch and wanted to charge your gadgets at the same time. Sure, you could buy a really long USB extension cable, or you could go for the Couchlet.

In my house, you can’t find an empty outlet. We have smartphones, tablets, kitchen gadgets, laptops, TVs, and all sorts of weird things my wife keeps that are supposed to make it smell good. If you want to plug in a smartphone to charge around here, odds are you have to unplug something else first.

These electrical plugs look like noses, just in case you want some great big nostrils on your wall. These Hanaga Tap Nose Outlets from design firm ekoD Works will make your home look pretty damn weird.

Electrical outlets are so unsightly. They just look out of place and disturb the flow of the room. Or so my wife tells me. They don’t bother me, but I can see how they might interrupt the design of a room.

Home automation technologies have been around for a while, but most systems require additional gadgets to be plugged into each outlet you want to add to the system, and are generally quite costly. bRight Switch wants to replace every switch and outlet in your home so it can truly become a smart home – all without breaking the bank.

Like the Pivot Power, 360 Electrical’s products allow you to cram in electrical plugs and adapters that would otherwise not fit in one outlet or power strip. But unlike Quirky’s power strip where the whole body is adjustable, 360 Electrical’s products have sockets that rotate in place.

So, how about that power squid under your desk? Is it big enough yet? Well, if you’ve got the same problem that I have, then maybe a more discreet power strip would help. Or maybe it won’t.

How much electricity do your electric curlers gobble up while they’re heating up? What about your iron or your food processor? In this day and age, it pays to know how much electricity your appliances and devices are consuming.

There are plenty of wireless speakers on the market these days, but sometimes, you just need a small speaker to deliver the right amount of sound at the right place. While outlets might not be optimally placed, this speaker takes advantage of the fact that most wireless speakers still need to be plugged in – at least to be charged.

If you frequently find yourself needing a power outlet strip or short extension cable, and are looking for a way to tidy up your act, you might want to check out the Plugbook. This cleverly designed outlet box is designed to look like a book, and hides away on your bookshelf when not in use.

You never know where or when you might need an outlet for your plugs until you need one. And it’s extremely annoying to have to bend down and search behind cabinets or tables just to find one to plug your phone charger in.

Power strips that turn on or off when you turn your computer on or off aren’t new. These things have been around for several years now and they’re good for saving power for people that like to be green.

Here in the U.S. and in much of the Western world, we take many of the little things for granted. For instance, if you want a power strip, you just head down to your local Best Buy or other mega-chain store and buy one.

Peter Bristol’s minimal American Standards Lamp has its own walls switch built right in. The light switch is fully-functional, so you just flick it when you want some light.