Since it seems we always need more USB ports: Kickstarter

[Greg]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sn ... ry_popular

Cool stuff.

[dragoncar]

I'm really surprised they can get the ul listed. It's a pretty dangerous design

[Tyler]

I'm of two minds on this. 

As an engineer, I find the electrical connection method novel and interesting.  That said, I think this pretty much encapsulates one of the things I hate about Kickstarter.  It's a clever solution to a non-problem.

USB chargers built into a wall socket are already extremely common.  My local Home Depot carries at least eight varieties in-store.  The only difference between this one and the sea of other options (other than the unnecessary size and inferior port count) is that it infantilizes DIY to the point where you no longer have to unscrew scary wires with the same screwdriver required to remove the wall plate.  Something a 2-minute youtube video could teach even the most rookie installer. 

It saddens me sometimes that so much time and energy is wasted creating and marketing products that solely exist to eliminate thinking and learning.  But maybe I'm just wired differently.

[Mountaineer]

But maybe I'm just wired differently.

Good one for the topic!!  Just punderful. 

... Mountaineer

[Tyler]

Ha!  Is there a good term for an accidental pun?  Like a Freudian Pun? 

BTW, now that I've had a Snickers I'm feeling less grumpy and really do find the original charger concept kinda cool.  Not necessarily cool enough to buy one over other options, but definitely enough to not be such a killjoy. 

[dualstow]

Ha!  Is there a good term for an accidental pun?  Like a Freudian Pun? 

BTW, now that I've had a Snickers I'm feeling less grumpy ...

I've learned that Snickers solves most of my emotional issues.

I don't know if there's a word for these accidental puns, but my mother creates them so often that we should publish a book. My favorite one is about a cousin's go-kart business that "went downhill." She insists it was completely accidental, but it's brilliant.

[gizmo_rat]

Captain DIY in the video seemed a little over equipped to be changing a wall socket, my better half's mother used to perform the same operation with just a pair of scissors (shudder).