Rambler Socket tucks a recoiling extension cable, pinch of genius within your AC outlet

Meysam Movahedi's latest concept certainly isn't the first revolutionary tweak to the tried-and-true power outlet, but it's easily one of our favorites. Put simply, the Rambler Socket is an in-wall box that contains 1.5 meters of extra cabling along with a traditional AC outlet. Granted, you'll need a pretty deep wall to make something like this work (in theory, of course), but the result is nothing short of brilliant. If your AC cord is long enough, you simply plug it into the socket per usual; if you need a little extra length, the built-in extension cord pulls out with a gentle tug. Once you're done, you simply tug on the cable once more and watch as it recoils back within the wall. GE, or someone -- can we get a contract to this guy, pronto?

[Douglas Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:37AM]

And when the wind up fails like the vacuum ones do?

[wako Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:41AM]

@Douglas


you slowly but surely stuff it back in there :D

[ImSpartacus Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:42AM]

@Douglas When that happens, you just use it like a normal outlet. Pulling it out in the first place was a /privelege/.

[naniekso Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:45AM]

@Douglas haha, totally true, then what?!

[Eugene Action Posted Dec 25th 2009 2:09AM]

@naniekso learn the crapgadgets limitations...

[yulebellow Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:40AM]

Well what if...but what happens when...seriously do you really...

Ok I can't think of one negative thing to say, this is awesome.

[dcnoren Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:42AM]

combine this with the cat5 jack outlets, and it would be great! maybe a mini microwave in it would be a nice touch... or a shoe polisher... or toenail clippers?

[B3astofthe3ast Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:44AM]

In soviet russia, you don't bring extension to outlet, outlet bring extension to YOU!

[fanandualum Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:46AM]

they actually have something similar to this but for hdmi cable.
i was gonna buy it at the local Menard but it seemed more of an inconvenience. but this is awesome!!!

[formetopoopon Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:51AM]

Contents of socket: Extension Cord(1), Win(infinite)

[behindthesail Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:55AM]

i had this idea when i was like 12. i should have done something about it.

[Special Agent Steve Posted Dec 25th 2009 9:01AM]

@behindthesail
When I was 14 I thought of the idea of having wireless electricity sent around a house. They haven't perfected it, but they have the premise.
I WANT MONEY.

[Spiraling Shape Posted Feb 10th 2010 1:29AM]

@Special Agent Steve Sorry Tesla beat you to it.

[AeronPeryton Posted Dec 25th 2009 2:03AM]

The first computer this thing yanks off the desk because the recoil kicks in on its own...

[sintricate Posted Dec 25th 2009 2:32AM]

@AeronPeryton

I'd like to see this thing pull my computer.

[henkerik Posted Dec 25th 2009 2:12AM]

There is one major flaw though: you can't use it while (partially) coiled

[monkeyontherun4 Posted Dec 25th 2009 4:01AM]

@henkerik

umm yes you can.

[Azlo Posted Dec 25th 2009 11:11PM]

@henkerik

Wow. Now I'm really curious as to how you came to that conclusion...

[henkerik Posted Dec 26th 2009 6:35AM]

@Azlo read the safety guidelines of regular power extension reels. This will never pass the FTC...

[henkerik Posted Dec 26th 2009 6:37AM]

@monkeyontherun4 read the safety guidelines of regular power extension reels. This will never pass the FTC...

[statelypenguin Posted Dec 25th 2009 2:19AM]

Wasn't this on gizmodo several days ago? I see no linky to them. Though I'm sure everyone has Yanko Design in their RSS feed reader.

[BrianH Posted Dec 25th 2009 1:47PM]

@statelypenguin

just because one site covered it earlier doesn't mean that is where they got the info.

[Dante of the Inferno Posted Dec 25th 2009 2:30AM]

All this can easily be circumvented with wireless power...

[Aguiluz Posted Dec 25th 2009 3:05AM]

@Dante of the Inferno
...Which would interfere with many wireless devices, and allows neighbors to suck your power (power can't be encrypted), and getting a crap signal will make your devices fail.

Sounds good in theory, in practice? I think not.

[spin cycle Posted Dec 25th 2009 2:41AM]

That kind of cord isn't code for use inside walls. Also, the worst thing you can do is use an extension cord while it is coiled. Didn't see the Mythbusters where they set a Christmas tree on fire with a coiled up extension cord?

[monkeyontherun4 Posted Dec 25th 2009 4:02AM]

@spin cycle
they used a shitty old extension cord, that had way to many devices plugged into it.

[c w j Posted Dec 25th 2009 2:57AM]

(tries frantically to be first to come up with a "that's what she said" joke that fits)

[m1lt0n Posted Dec 25th 2009 7:06AM]

@c w j :
"It extends!"
"That's what SHE said!"

[AlexKnutson Posted Dec 25th 2009 3:20AM]

Why on earth nobody has thought of this before is beyond me. Hellz ya u baddass engineer you!

[AlexKnutson Posted Dec 25th 2009 3:21AM]

Why on earth nobody has thought of this before is beyond me. Hellz ya u baddass engineer you!

[monkeyontherun4 Posted Dec 25th 2009 4:04AM]

i still want to know why someone posted this at 1:34 AM on christmas morning?! still a pretty good idea, ive had to many times where my laptop cord just isnt quite far enough to fit in the socket.

[OnAir Posted Dec 25th 2009 4:37AM]

I think i saw exactly this idea in a MAD magazine from 82 or 84.

[Wigley69 Posted Dec 25th 2009 5:09AM]

@OnAir You're exactly right, I have the same magazine and recognised it as soon as I saw the title of this article.

[petethefreeze Posted Dec 25th 2009 5:13AM]

Great idea, but who has 1 foot thick walls for the winding mechanism?

[ImDaIllest Posted Dec 25th 2009 5:32AM]

hello, make it for the usb outlets as well!

[Requiemvalorum Posted Dec 25th 2009 5:42AM]

Why Didn't anyone think of this sooner?

[cbuchner1 Posted Dec 25th 2009 10:47AM]

@Requiemvalorum

My wife did in 2007. She built a prototype, although not as fleshed out as the one which won the Red Dot Design Award by Meysam Movahedi. Lame that this won a concept award, although the concept existed longer.

See here for "prior art".
http://es-werde-strom.hfg-karlsruhe.de/v2ml/index.php?pg=projekte&lang=de&proId=1

[rtdunham Posted Dec 27th 2009 9:49AM]

@cbuchner1

kudos!

[ravenxxx Posted Dec 25th 2009 5:49AM]

am i the only one who thinks this is a terrible idea?

1. the cable diameter is too thin to be used on high consumption items like power tools and/or heaters

2. in the retracked position, the spiralling cable carrying electrical current around a rod (if the rod which collects the cable is of metal origin) should result in a potentially powerful electromagnet

[pretol Posted Dec 25th 2009 5:52AM]

Electrically it's a bad idea.Extension cables have more resistance than solid copper wiring that homes use. Therefore more resistance in the extension cable (everybody already knew this). And, in this case, you're forced to use this build-in extension cables permanently. Even if you don't unroll it. It'd be a mini disaster to have someone put a high-load everyday appliance into this plug, unknowingly wasting their money while warming a coil of extension cable in the wall.

[Jason Murray Posted Dec 25th 2009 6:17AM]

How do you actually trigger the cable retraction? There's no button...

[scriptguru Posted Dec 25th 2009 8:49AM]

@Jason Murray I think it has web interface. Or utility like iTunes.

[vman81 Posted Dec 26th 2009 2:25PM]

@scriptguru

SLAP! BAD DESIGNER.. BAAAD!

I hope you aren't anyone in charge of making design decisions.

[NirvanaFlames Posted Dec 25th 2009 6:25AM]

lol, when i was in 4th grade, a classmate of mine made this idea into a science project
I'm in 12th grade now

[Javindo Posted Dec 25th 2009 6:29AM]

This is dangerous if someone starts using high powered appliances without extending it because it will go brittle and catch fire. Seen it happen too many times at my local theatre.

[Frawley Posted Dec 25th 2009 9:23AM]

That's nice and all...but are those outlets audio grade?

[KingJustin Posted Dec 25th 2009 9:49AM]

So are they going to stop putting normal length cords on stuff?

[BigJayDogg3 Posted Dec 25th 2009 10:01AM]

It may just be me, but I don't see the point. That way not only do I have the longer cord, but I also have surge protection. Its extremely rare that I plug anything directly into the wall (both my PS2 and original Xbox bit the dust from a surge; I learned my lesson). If I'm in my own house, I'd much rather have a power strip to this thing run across the room.

Maybe I just don't have enough gadgetry.

[iStarr Posted Dec 25th 2009 11:12AM]

@BigJayDogg3 , for sure, they should start making sockets with surge protection built in. That way, if it blows, u just replace a fuse and press on with life.

[BigJayDogg3 Posted Dec 25th 2009 11:18AM]

@iStarr They exist, but aren't really used in home construction as far as I know. Even in work places, I've only come across them every once in a while. I have a feeling that they would be overkill for most, and cost prohibitive for others.