Velcro
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Dollar Store Accessories: Velcro cable zips
My Dollar Store regularly sells Velcro cable zips, offering between five and 10 for a dollar. Sometimes they're black (as shown here); other times they're rainbow-colored. The Dollar Store version was my gateway drug. When I discovered I could buy the same zips in bulk over at Amazon (100 ties for US$9.83), I immediately pulled out my credit card and bought a bag. It's not that I saved all that much compared to the Dollar Store price; it's just that these ties are insanely useful. The hole at the top of each tie is critical. It allows you to thread the tie onto a cable, where it stays until you're ready to wind it up. I now have these attached to my millions of Apple USB cables that, during a regular day, get attached, unattached and re-attached to a variety of iOS devices. These cable zips have decluttered my desktop and parts boxes, especially since I have so many review items passing through my life at any one time as well as development devices that need plugging and unplugging. You may not need to be ordering them by the 100s, as I ended up doing, which is why the Dollar Store versions play such a nice role for most people. You can pick up a card of five or 10 at a time and use them to improve your life and your organization.
Dollar Store Accessories: Tablet sleeves
Continuing with our series exploring dollar store accessories, I recently picked up a pair of sleeves compatible with original and bite sized mini iPads. Widely available at most dollar stores, low-cost sleeves provide utilitarian tablet protection. The ones I bought and tested consisted of a spongy exterior fabric, with a sturdy Velcro closing. Both were sized appropriately for Apple products. There's really not much you can say about a tablet sleeve beyond: "it fits" and "it worked." The ones I purchased met both criteria. They offered satisfactory tablet protection and seemed well-enough made for extensive use, which mostly consists of being placed into backpacks, luggage or briefcases. There were no sharp edges inside or any other concerns of that nature. Compared to home-brew solutions like padded mailing envelopes, these sleeves are lightweight and unobtrusive. They will not, however, win fashion awards or make anyone stop you to say, "Where did you get that fashionable tablet sleeve?" They're just, well, there. There, however, is not a bad thing -- especially when you're only looking for a bit of protection from sharp edges as you get around your day. At US$1, TUAW finds these sleeves to be a good, but unexciting value.
Researchers create super-strong metallic velcro
Alright, so it's not technically Velcro (that's a brand name), but a team of researchers from Germany's Institute of Metal Forming and Casting have created what might be the biggest advance in hook and loop fasteners in some time. As you can see, they've turned to metal, and say their new fasteners are both resistant to extreme heat and able to support loads of up to 35 tonnes per square meter. Like regular Velcro, however, you'd still be able to easily peel the tape apart and reuse it again and again. Of course, it is still just in the prototype stage -- and actually consists of a number of different variations on the idea, including a hybrid version with a synthetic strap -- but the researchers say it could eventually be used in everything from ventilation systems to automotive construction.
iPhone 4 and TomTom Car Kit brought together with velcro
Disappointed to find out that your brand new iPhone 4 won't work with the TomTom Car Kit for iPhone you paid $100 for? Well, it looks like there's a surprisingly simple fix: velcro. As tipster Ben Peacock has informed us, all you have to do is cut a small strip of velcro (the soft side) and apply it to the bottom part of the kit behind the dock (it's not necessary to apply it to the phone itself). Once that's done, the iPhone 4 will dock properly, and function just as before complete with charging and Bluetooth support. Head on past the break to check out the fix on video. [Thanks, Ben]
Found Footage: The great taste of iPad with the delicious crunch of Velcro
Jesse notes that this is an exploration of what's possible, not a recommendation for every iPad owner. I'm not sure I would trust Velcro to hold my iPad solidly in a moving vehicle, but certainly the window or photoframe applications would work pretty well. Thanks Flint!
Peerless Slimline HDTV mount is just 0.4-inches thin
Peerless has been known to crank out some fairly svelte wall mounts for flat-panels, but it really outdid itself with this one. Christened the "world's thinnest mounts," the Slimline universal mounting solution comes in at just 0.4-inches thick, which would unquestionably bring your LCD / plasma ridiculously close to the wall. Though even Peerless mentions that Hitachi's 1.5-inch units work marvelously with this, it is designed to handle practically any flat-panel weighing less than 150-pounds and measuring less than 60-inches. Users can even pick up an in-wall AV accessory box to neatly tuck away those cables and connectors, but considering that pricing information is glaringly absent, we're a tad scared to imagine what this thing actually costs.[Via DailyGame]
Tender hugs from a customized case
Inspired by Red Maloo's laptop sleeves, Alfine set out to create her own folding case for her Onyx DS Lite. The padded pouch's flaps lovingly embrace the portable, locking together with velcro and protecting its contents from the random items she keeps in her bag. Taking the DS out is as easy as pulling back the case's arms. Its plus-sign shape also gets bonus points for resembling a plump D-pad.We seem to find new ways to house our favorite handheld almost everyday; it's really amazing how creative people have been with their designs. What crazy idea will the craftsters out there come up with next? You can check out more photos of Alfine's case past the post break.
Inventor takes aim at velcro with his "Slidingly Engaging Fastener"
While it may not be as quick to roll off your tongue, 66-year old inventor Leonard Duffy thinks that his "Slidingly Engaging Fastener" has what it takes to replace the tried and true velcro for most binding needs, and he's now taken home a Popular Science invention award for it. According to PopSci, the mouthful of an invention uses a series of interlocking grids consisting of tiny hexagonal or triangular "islands," which apparently form an uncommonly strong bond when they're joined together (able to support eight times the weight of velcro). The invention also bests velcro in one other key area: it's completely silent. While it doesn't look like it'll be commercially available anytime soon, the invention has apparently drawn the interest of some 150 product designers, as well as a company interested in using it to attach artificial limbs. And while others would likely suggest otherwise, Duffy doesn't seem willing to budge on the name, insisting that "it's slidingly engaging... it's the slidingly engaging fastener."[Via Gadget Lab]
Remote Wrangler straps remotes, gizmos to your noggin
Let's face it, not everyone can afford to go out and blow hundreds of dollars on a swank universal touchscreen remote or home automation system in order to simplify their life, and for those who are forced to juggle the half-dozen or so remotes required to bring their AV system to life, this here invention is for you. The clever, albeit ungainly Remote Wrangler is a unique (and admittedly unsightly) piece of headgear that turns your average couch potato into a professional wrestler wannabe, and also creates a remote control magnet all around one's face. By utilizing the oh-so-versatile Velcro, this device enables remotes, iPods, junk food, Wiimotes, caffeine pills, and an essentially limitless amount of other objects to flank your dome, theoretically saving you hours on end hunting under murky couch cushions for long lost controllers. As if this weren't enough to warrant an immediate purchase, it also doubles as a battery-powered temporal massager, and while we can't confirm, it looks to come in several editions including one with a built-in afro for the disco set. So if you're single (or would like to be), have no friends whatsoever, and don't even mind personal humiliation, keep an eye out for the Remote Wrangler to hit electronics prank departments sometime in the distant future.
Marware announces universal Nike + iPod sensor pouch
Aside from all the pioneering DIYers out there, we've already found one retail accessory from Nike themselves that lets you use the Nike + iPod kit with any shoe, but now Marware has joined the race with their Sportsuit Sensor+ (looks like the '+' is becoming a hot new accessory to accessory names). This tiny pouch is form-fitted for the sensor and can attach to any shoe's laces via velcro. As icing on the cake, the pouch also has room to store the wireless receiver when not in use, and it protects the sensor "from all the elements that serious runners encounter." I guess they could've said 'it's weatherproof,' but that doesn't have the same flair.The Sportsuit Sensor+ is a mere $10 and is available for pre-order now.[via iLounge]
Logitec intros USB touchscreen "faceplates"
As you've probably noticed, the Photoshopping skills around here aren't what you'd call top-notch, so we're thinking that maybe attaching Logitec's upcoming USB touchscreen to our monitor might help us give you the realistic product mock-ups and goofy photo-illustrations that you deserve. Coming in 15-inch or 17-inch varieties, respectively, the LTP-15UBK and LTP-17UBK (or LTP-17U, in white) simply attach to your existing LCD with velcro strips, and let you manipulate your pointer with either a finger, a la an ATM machine, or the included pen, as with a graphics tablet. Both models will go on sale in late June for an undisclosed sum of money, but we're not sure if these will even be available outside of Japan, so you may have to put up with our crappy Photoshops for just a little while longer.[Via Everything USB]
