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Ubiquitous iRemoTap puts your powerstrip in the cloud, turns lights off remotely (video)

Sean Buckley — Mon, 23 May 2011 17:02:00 EST

It probably won't help you if you leave your oven on, but if you let lights linger after leaving home, Ubiquitous' iRemotTap may help you save a few Kilowatts. This seemingly vanilla powerstip is anything but, boasting the odd addition of a tiny OS embedded in a wireless LAN chip -- all the better to turn your lights off. Users can control the internet-enabled socket stick remotely via a mobile or desktop web browser, allowing them to switch off gadgets and lights after leaving the house. Can't be bothered to log in to switch off? No worries, this plug powers devices down automatically after they reach a pre-defined power consumption limit. If you're forgetful enough to need a light switch in the cloud, Ubiquitous is hoping to sell you peace of mind for less than ¥10,000 ($122) -- whenever these taps get out of R&D, that is. Vid's after the break, if you need convincing.

Continue reading Ubiquitous iRemoTap puts your powerstrip in the cloud, turns lights off remotely (video)

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Pivot Power strip starts shipping, folks who ordered a year ago rejoice

Dana Wollman — Thu, 12 May 2011 11:07:00 EST

Don't you hate it when you preorder something and it doesn't show up for, like, a year? We know of at least 960 early adopters who can feel your pain. The Pivot Power strip, which lets you rearrange six outlets to plug in adapters of any size, went on sale in June of last year for $23 a pop. But, because the community-driven website Quirky is selling it, the ordering process wasn't as simple as paying and waiting for it to show up on your doorstep: the company would only ship them when 960 people "committed" to buying them -- not unlike how a certain number of people are needed to activate a Groupon deal. Well, the company quickly met its goal, the strip is at last shipping, and Jake Zien, the inventor (that's that giddy fellow up there) couldn't be more pleased. When we first reported on the Pivot Power strip's availability, more than half of those pre-sale slots had already been filled ~~so we're not sure just what took so long~~. Since then, Zien & Co. have been spending their time seeing the thing through the manufacturing process. In any case, if you missed the boat the first time, it looks like there might still be additional units up for sale.

[Thanks, Dan L. and Zo]

Gallery: Pivot Power strip

Continue reading Pivot Power strip starts shipping, folks who ordered a year ago rejoice

Pivot Power strip starts shipping, folks who ordered a year ago rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 May 2011 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motion sensor-equipped HiSAVER power strip cuts power when you leave the room

Donald Melanson — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:46:00 EST

You probably wouldn't want to use it for all your electronics, but we're guessing that most folks could find a few uses for this new motion-sensor equipped HiSAVER power strip, which can automatically cut off power when you leave the room. To avoid too much powering on and off, the strip only shuts off power if it doesn't detect any motion for ten minutes, and it includes a master outlet and a second selectable outlet that can be kept on all the time if you like. No word on US availability just yet, but Tomauri has just announced that it'll be distributing the strip in Canada, and it promises that it'll save you between $30 and $50 a year on your power bill -- good thing, considering the power strip itself costs $110. Head on past the break for a quick video demonstration.

Continue reading Motion sensor-equipped HiSAVER power strip cuts power when you leave the room

Motion sensor-equipped HiSAVER power strip cuts power when you leave the room originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Universal USB controlled 'Power USB' strip turns on when your PC says it can

Darren Murph — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:23:00 EST

Needlessly annoyed by how much energy is being wasted in your home thanks to vampire draw? Regrettably, it looks as if you'll have to just tough it out for the remainder of summer (or winter, depending on hemisphere), as the device you're peering at above won't be on sale until August. The USB controlled "Power USB" power strip is a rather unique device, housing a grand total of four universal power sockets (hello, travelers!) and a single USB port; as you may expect, the USB port links the strip to your computer, giving it the power to turn a given socket on or off. Two of the plugs are actually on at all times (a good thing -- trust us), while the other two can be turned on automatically when triggered by a software program or a print job, for example. There's no mention of a price just yet, but even more alarming is the omission of a 12 socket version for the hardcore users among us.

Universal USB controlled 'Power USB' strip turns on when your PC says it can originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wet Circuits waterproof power strip presented by all-time best dubbed videos

Ross Miller — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 09:53:00 EST

Can't say we're any keener on the idea of blasting our outlets with Super Soakers, but Wet Circuit's water resistant power strips boast its ability to withstand just such a defiant action -- occasional rain and snow, wet hands, temporary flooding, and accidental water spills (assuredly intentional, too). $35 is the asking price, and while the company claims you can put metallic objects in the socket without fear of electrocution, you probably shouldn't press your luck. Check out a plethora of demonstrations after the break -- no really, we beseech you. Crank the speakers for this one.

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Wet Circuits waterproof power strip presented by all-time best dubbed videos originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 09:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Community-developed Pivot Power strip now available to order

Donald Melanson — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:49:00 EST

The community-driven Quirky website has already managed to bring products like the Space Bar and DigiDude camera mount to market, and it's now offering what may well be its most useful product to date: the Pivot Power strip. That, as you can probably surmise, is a power strip that pivots, which lets you plug in up to six power adapters or chargers of any size (within reason). This being Quirky, however, things are done a bit differently that your usual retailer -- only 960 units are available for pre-sale right now, and you can "commit" to buying one for $23. If all those are sold, the Pivot Power will go into production, and its designers and top "influencers" will receive a small percentage of each sale. That goal should be easy enough to meet in this case, though -- more than half of the pre-sale slots have already been snapped up as of this writing. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look, and head on past the break for a video and the complete press release.

Gallery: Pivot Power strip

Continue reading Community-developed Pivot Power strip now available to order

Community-developed Pivot Power strip now available to order originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Belkin Conserve lineup will make you feel even worse about all the electricity you're wasting

Laura June — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:21:00 EST

Belkin's just made four new Conserve products available for pre-order. The Conserve Insight tracks your actual devices' electrical usage and tells you how much they cost you on a yearly basis. It also calculates CO2 emissions produced by usage of a given device on either a monthly or yearly basis. The Conserve Smart AV is a greener power strip with five regular outlets and one green outlet for your television, which can auto-detect the power state of your teevee and turn off your peripherals. The conserve Valet is a four device capacity charging station which turns off automatically once devices are finished juicing up. Finally, the Conserve Socket is plugged into your wall outlet and boasts a timer for automatic power offs. The Conserve products will all ship mid-July, and they range in price from $9.99 to $39.99. Gallery of all four devices below.

Continue reading Belkin Conserve lineup will make you feel even worse about all the electricity you're wasting

Belkin Conserve lineup will make you feel even worse about all the electricity you're wasting originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sanwa rolls out wattage-watching power strip

Donald Melanson — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:33:00 EST

Devices that keep watch on the amount of electricity you're using are hardly anything new, but Sanwa has managed to refine the idea somewhat with its new 700-TP1052DW power strip, which is considerably more compact and a tad less unsightly than some other similar options. Nothing too complicated here -- just plug in your devices, switch on each outlet as needed, and keep watch on the total wattage being used on the handy built-in LCD (it'll even alert you if you reach a critical level). No word on pricing or availability just yet, but you can check out an enthralling 21 second video of the power strip after the break.

Continue reading Sanwa rolls out wattage-watching power strip

Sanwa rolls out wattage-watching power strip originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Completely useless extension turns laptop adapter into power strip

Sean Hollister — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 02:43:00 EST

It's 2:30pm at your favorite cafe, and not a single power outlet's available to save your dying laptop from its fate. You're screwed, but a world away, your Japanese counterpart knows just what to do. They pull out this tiny little brick, stick it into the end of their laptop power supply, and deferentially ask another patron if they would kindly share. For the low, low price of ¥1,400 (about $15) for a two-prong version or ¥2,000 ($21) for three prongs, it's a fantastic idea... for mooching money off those who've never heard of a triple tap.

Completely useless extension turns laptop adapter into power strip originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 02:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Multi-Tab concept elevates power strips to an art form

Donald Melanson — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:57:00 EST

We've seen plenty products both real and imagined that promise to improve on the standard power strip, but few as elegantly designed as this so-called "Multi-Tab" concept from designer Soon Mo Kang. Not only is it modular to accommodate as many plugs as you need, but each module also has its own release mechanism to eject the plug without pulling on it, and it would come with a set of stickers to let you label each plug for minimal confusion. About the only drawback is that it might not be able to handle larger plugs, but that's nothing a little fine-tuning can't fix -- optional brick modules, perhaps? Either way, you likely haven't seen a better video of a power strip than the one after the break.

Continue reading Multi-Tab concept elevates power strips to an art form

Multi-Tab concept elevates power strips to an art form originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget: Best 'green' power strip out there?

Darren Murph — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:13:00 EST

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Randall, who isn't ashamed of his unbridled love for Ma Earth.

"I just moved into a new apartment and have been reading about all of the new power strips out there, especially the green ones. I was wondering if you had any suggestions about which "green "power strips are out there with decent joules ratings. And when I say green, I mean power strips that have the remotes or switches to turn off all electricity flowing to certain plugs and with at least 2 plugs that are always on. I was looking specifically at sub $50 because I will need two, but if that is not possible I could be convinced otherwise. Thanks!"

Don't be afraid to wave your green pride around here, folks. If you've got a power strip that nixes vampire drain and fits the bill, spill the details in comments below. It helps everyone to help the planet, ya heard?

Filed under: Ask Engadget

Ask Engadget: Best 'green' power strip out there? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Power Bridge flips the strip upside-down, instantly kills ugly

Darren Murph — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:58:00 EST

Oftentimes it's the most complex of designs that leads into the next level of a technology. Other times, it's the simplest of tweaks that completely revolutionize things. Take the Power Bridge concept, for instance, which simply takes the conventional power strip, turns it upside down and calls it a day. Designed by Hyukjae Chang, the immensely simplistic device keeps those gaudy plugs underneath the top bridge, and it also makes routing the connecting AC cables all sorts of simple. There's no telling when this thing will finally leave the drawing board and enter the production line, but you can rest assured Monster Cable will figure out a way to throw a "power conditioner" in there and charge two or three C-notes for it.

[Via Unplggd]

Filed under: Peripherals

Power Bridge flips the strip upside-down, instantly kills ugly originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Ear power strip lets you listen from the floor

Nilay Patel — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:39:00 EST

Yeah, it's not the wildest power strip design we've ever seen, but the Spy Ear has a secret: a hidden SIM card slot and cell radio that allows you to monitor what's happening in your absence. Just dial in and listen away -- we're not sure how much you'll hear from the usual places a power strip is hidden, but it'll be better than nothing, nosy.

[Via Red Ferret]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

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Movable Power, like Paris, is a conceptual feast

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 05:58:00 EST

We're suckers for power-strip designs. As gadget nerds, we're constantly faced with overloaded circuits and blocked ports. For the latter, there's this design by Jeff Carter that neatly overcomes the limitations presented by the ubiquitous (and ridiculous) side-by-side strip design. Regarding our excessive power issues, that's easy: more interns to shovel the coal and kittens.

Continue reading Movable Power, like Paris, is a conceptual feast

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Movable Power, like Paris, is a conceptual feast originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 05:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Furutech intros $700 F-TP615 power filter / AC distributor

Darren Murph — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:07:00 EST

Ah, there's the Furutech we know and love! The company made famous for charging obscene amounts of cash for AV items that cannot possibly be worth their weight in gold is back in full force, pumping out a power filter / AC distributor for $700. For those untrained in mathematics, that's around $116.66 per outlet. Of course, these aren't just any outlets, as each one is tested with its own α (Alpha) cryogenic and demagnetizing process and is plated in 24k gold. You'll also notice a proprietary Axial Locking System which purportedly lowers receptacle resonance by a factor of ten, and the high-grade aluminum chassis effectively shields against RFI and alien radiation. If you believe all of that, you can gleefully give your cash away right now in exchange for one.

Filed under: Cables, Other hardware, Ports, Others

Furutech intros $700 F-TP615 power filter / AC distributor originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Power strip monitors your usage, makes you feel bad

Joshua Fruhlinger — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:02:00 EST

Energy conservation and gadgetphilia are tough to combine, but this Power Cost Controller power strip might be just the ticket for those looking to monitor -- and potentially cut back on -- their power usage. The strip's display counts kilowatt-hour power usage and tracks by hour, week, month, and year. It also monitors line quality with voltage, line frequency, and power factor readings. We're just not sure if we really want to know how much power we're using, but if you're ready for the bad news, the strip is $99 and available now.

Filed under: Household

Power strip monitors your usage, makes you feel bad originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eject Powerstrip concept gives your foot a workout

Darren Murph — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:04:00 EST

Apparently, traditional powerstrips are in dire need of an overhaul, as the Eject Powerstrip is just one of many replacement concepts we've seen float by in the past several months. Nevertheless, this brilliantly engineered design essentially allows users to eject plugs leading to devices not currently in use in order to keep consumption of "vampire power" to a minimum. Additionally, any ejected socket is automatically turned off in order to keep your meddling youngsters safe from electrocution. Now, if only we weren't so ashamed about leaving our current strips out in the open, we'd really be infatuated with this idea.

[Via GizmoWatch]

Filed under: Household

Eject Powerstrip concept gives your foot a workout originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tributaries T12 power strip features rotating outlets

Darren Murph — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:52:00 EST

Mind you, we've seen some pretty wacky power strips in our day, but the subtle Tributaries T12 is likely one of our favorites. This recently released unit provides eight rotating outlets in order to keep your mess of wires a bit more tidy, and furthermore, it also provides signal-line protection for phone lines, Ethernet, coax cable and antennas. Besides being thoughtfully designed, it also offers up 4,320 joules of surge suppression and noise filtering for AC power, and considering that it can handle up to 1,875-watts of load, all but the zaniest of setups should be manageable. Already feeling the urge? You can check it out right now for $120.

Filed under: Ports

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Free Lines make extension cables fun again

Darren Murph — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:15:00 EST

From what we can glean, Sung-hun Choi's Free Lines are merely a concept at this point, but any DIY'er trying to run power from the garage (or your neighbor's crib) to the home could appreciate the vision. Essentially, the design consists of a series of snappable cables and modular outlet blocks which can be strung along to just the right length, and better still, the artsy type could even use it to dress up a bare wall. Thinking there's just too much promise in this for it to stay stuck at the drawing board? Yeah, us too.

Filed under: Household

Free Lines make extension cables fun again originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Powramid E-900H from Kreative Power: why didn't you think of this?

Paul Miller — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 13:26:00 EST

We've seen plenty of concepts aimed at squeezing all those pesky power bricks into the same "power strip" -- and redefined the term in the process -- but the Powramid E-900H might be the closest approximation of practical among the group. There's really not much to this thing you can't deduce from this image. A 8-foot cord provides power, there's a transparent safety switch cover, and a surge protection LED indicator. The Powramid will come in multiple colors and retail for around $17-25.

[Via Blast]

Filed under: Peripherals

Powramid E-900H from Kreative Power: why didn't you think of this? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Energy saving power-strip cuts the waste

Joshua Topolsky — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 01:29:00 EST

French designer Gilles Belley has come up with an ingenious concept for power distribution and conservation, simply called the "Energy Saving Adaptor". The system uses modular plugs which link together to form a power-strip of connectors, these hang from the side of a desk (where they can be added or taken away as necessary), and each module monitors the energy status of a single device and displays that information via blue LED lights on the surface. When a connected device goes into "standby" mode, the lights alert the user, and within three minutes the module automatically shuts down, thus conserving otherwise wasted energy. Additionally, these modules look roughly a thousand times better than the power-strips we've all been buying at the dollar store, which never hurts. No word yet on when or if these will be made commercially available.

[Via Akihabaranews]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Energy saving power-strip cuts the waste originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2007 01:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eubiq's power track system trumps extension cord

Darren Murph — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:32:00 EST

Eubiq's power track system is far from the first unique take on providing power elegantly to an array of devices, but we've got to give props to the unobtrusiveness this installation provides. The system can be mounted along essentially any wall in your domicile, garage, or office, and since juice is constantly flowing through the track, you simply plug in a proprietary adapter, twist, and enjoy your newfound current. Of course, if you're looking to use generally accepted plugs in your country, you'll have to pony up for adapters in order to make it worthwhile. Currently, Eubiq's not handing over any pricing details for you to inspect, but we can imagine that this here system will likely be reserved for the power-hungry and / or affluent sects whenever it lands.

[Via Wired]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household

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Rozetkus power strip just made yours look lame

Paul Miller — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 20:42:00 EST

Heck. Yes. Sure, we might have absolutely zero use for a powerstrip chock full of CEE 7/16 europlugs, but we just chucked all our current powerstrips out of our 4th story windows anyways -- even those cute little PowerSquid units can't compete. The new Rozetkus strip comes to us courtesy of those Art Lebedev design crazies responsible for the Optimus line, which has had us drooling for years. Of course, there's no word on any production plans for this unit, and a US version seems quite out of the question given the basic design idea of 12 low-power plugs pluggable in any configuration you see fitting. Oh, Art Lebedev, you taunt us so! One quick note before we split to remedy our newfound powerstrip situation: Lebedev would like all of you geometrically disinclined folks out there to know that these plugs don't work diagonally. You never can be too careful.

Filed under: Peripherals

Rozetkus power strip just made yours look lame originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Oct 2006 20:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E-rope: saving the planet one socket at a time

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 08:04:00 EST

As we all know, the biggest problem with conventional power strips are the unconventional plugs with whom the ol' girl mates. These boys come in all sizes and shapes resulting in at least one or two unusable sockets due to overlap. Well no more dear reader, at least not if the 2006 IDEA award winning design concept from the kids over at Brooklyn's Pratt Institute is taken from art to part anytime soon. The E-rope, designed by Chul Min Kang and Sung Hun Lim, is a modular power strip which can be twisted about to better accommodate cable gore with large, bulky plugs. Worried about vampire devices quietly leaching power off the mains? No problem, just give the socket section a 90-degree twist to strangle-off the current. Of course, while you're down there you could just unplug the damn thing but that's just an inconvenient truth, eh?

[Via inhabitat]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

E-rope: saving the planet one socket at a time originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jul 2006 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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