Powering up your latest gadget often involves an adventure into a hard to reach crevice, maneuvering through tangles of cords and awkwardly shaped plastic squares to cram a couple of metal prongs into plastic slots.
under my desk and by my bed
Since all the free slots are probably covered up by bulky AC adapters, you also have to engage in a game of musical chairs with the adapters in order to free up a slot in which the new adapter can fit. In some cases (this has happened to me), things get mixed up during the switcheroo, resulting in a fried network router…
Troubleshooting that same gadget a few months later means returning to the dreaded crevice, deciphering the correct unmarked AC adapter and yanking the metal prongs out of the slots without disturbing the delicate balance that keeps the rest of your gadgets alive.
It’s fair to say that dealing with outlets is nothing less than an ergonomic nightmare. Fortunately designers recognize it as a problem and have addressed it in a variety of ways. Obviously the best solution would be to do away with outlets and plugs altogether but running all our gadgets on wireless power is still a ways off.
In the mean time, there are outlet stips like this one:
Placing additional outlets on the side of the strip allows extra room for bulky adapters. This strip attempts to solve one problem, but it still looks like quite a mess.
Here’s another example of an alternative outlet featured on Design Matters designed by student designer Julia Burke: 
I like the concept behind this design; the outlets are better positioned for easier reach and if properly spaced could also help to solve the AC adapter problem.
This particular design seems especially suited to outlets hiding behind furniture, eliminating the problem of having to blindly reach into the dark to scrape the prongs along the wall in order to feel the slots.
Any other solutions to this problem?
[tags]electrical outlets, plugs, outlet strips, ergonomic nightmare[/tags]
I like that new outlet design… but I have to give a big “Bravo!” to some of the newer adapters. They have the bulky part in the middle of the cable, using just the regular-sized outlet cable at the wall. (My Dell laptop uses this type of power cord, for example.)
Also, if we’re increasingly gadget-dependent and using them throughout our house, why aren’t any outlets at/near desk level (thus avoiding the whole dark crevice issue)?
I have taken to leaving a power strip (or two) on my desk so that I have easy access to a power plug. Permanent items (CPU, Monitor) go in a power outlet that I have less access to. Other items (Laptop, external hard drives, cell phone charger) plug in to the one on the desk.
I’ve been thinking about getting those 6″ octopus legs that plug into a standard outlet and have a female plug for the bulky converters so that you can actually get all of your power strip plugs filled.
Mostly, I’m just worried about blowing a fuse in my house!
Matt, I agree…why are outlets on the ground instead of desk level? I guess it’s the whole “eyesore” thing. At the same time, a tangle of cords is an eyesore anyway.
I have not yet seen any of those new adapters, it sounds like a good concept.
Ben, dividing your plugs by frequency of use is a good idea. Too bad that involves such a messy sitation like strips on your desk (or the side of my bed).
maybe a simple suggestion would be to turn the lights off? obviously this isn’t a practical solution–or is it? i mean, we’re sooooooo overly dependent on power, it’s a little rediculous.
i hate to go 2 hours without access to a computer so it’s hrd for me to really posit this as viable; however, i have to say we’re addicted to a lot more than just oil…
These guys in Santa Cruz have evolved the powerstrip:
http://www.powersquid.net
It looks like a really cool idea…
the powersquid is awesome!
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