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Native Union made a USB hub that blends into your home
If you're reading this, chances are you're a gadget freak and may need to recharge multiple devices on a daily basis. That's when you're greeted by a pile of messy cables plugged into a dull-looking and maybe under-powered USB hub. Cable boxes may hide the ugliness, but they're bulky and don't actually solve the issue. Not one to admit defeat, Native Union -- the mad folks behind the marble iPhone case -- came up with the ultimate solution: a stylish, cylindrical USB hub dubbed Eclipse. On the outside, it looks like a piece of home decor thanks to its wooden top, but it's really the inside that got our attention: as you touch the top gently, the main body slowly rises up to let you uncoil the cables tucked inside, while the base emits a subtle halo for night-time usage. It's rather mesmerizing to watch.
Quirky Contort contorts around your excess cabling, doubles as 4-port USB hub
Quirky's community has just outed another nifty peripheral that might just come in handy when looking for a few stocking stuffers later this year. Or, you know, right now if you can't make heads or tails of your USB peripheral collection. The Contort is a plug-in 4-port USB hub, and the cord management roll enables users to keep an iPod Dock Connector cable, micro-USB cable and mini-USB cable neatly spooled for charging just about anything. It's up for pre-sale as we speak at $29.99, and we can only offer you the best of luck in resisting. %Gallery-106188%
Blue Lounge Cable Box Mini doesn't manage your cables as much as obscure them
As you well know, the gang at Blue Lounge will not stop until every man, woman, and child clears up that spider's web of cables that lay under, behind, or next to their desk. In order to further this mad mission the company's introduced something called the Cable Box Mini. It's a cable box, and presumably it's smaller than some other cable box. To be quite honest, we prefer this idea to more complex cable management systems: rather than run your cables through trays, or organize them with velcro wraps, you still make the same mess -- except this time the mess ends up in a box. Hit the source link to "Buy Now!" for $30, or head down to Target and pick up a plastic basket and an X-ACTO knife. PR after the break.
Ask Engadget: Best accessories management solution for cluttered desks?
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 Steven, who needs to hit a Spring Cleaning streak in the worst possible way. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I am overwhelmed by power cords and travel chargers and am looking for a good way to organize them until I need them. The top drawer of my desk is no longer cutting it. I've got too many power cables and AC adapters to count. I can't be the only one with this problem. Is there a solution? Thanks in advance!" Anyone got a great mechanism for keeping these adapters and cables in some sort of order? We're certain the neat-freaks in attendance would love to hear your input in comments below.
CableDrop: the aspirational cable clip
There's nothing really new here 'cept maybe a design inspired by the union of two fleshy buns. Nevertheless, cable clips are one of those great ideas we just never get around to purchasing. So here's your chance. CableDrop adheres to your desk surface or wall to keep cables from dropping to the floor after you grab your laptop to go. Convenient as hell and just $10 for a pack of 6.
Adtec reveals TELEHOOK cable management system
We know, there are probably more cable management options out there than anyone cares to tally, but Adtec is hoping to grab the attention of those who admire style and simplicity with its latest alternative. The TELEHOOK Cable Manager and Shelf System consists of a four-foot long aluminum bar that is capable of handling ten or so power / AV cables (detailed after the jump) while also holding a couple of adjustable shelves for components of your choosing. Reportedly, these units can be mounted directly on dry walls, but we wouldn't recommend tossing any extraordinarily hefty receivers (or similar) on this thing without a stud in the background. Nevertheless, Adtec claims these can also be painted to match your interior, cut depending on size requirements and used to hold as many AV devices as you can find room for. Only problem? The $120 price tag affixed to each four-foot channel and the $170 required for a two-pack of shelves.[Via Widescreen Review]
