Hi All,

I apologize for the long hiatus since my first post; the most annoying thing I could think of happened: the flu. All the gadgets in the world couldn’t cure it – all they did is tell me just how hot my temperature could go. Gee ~ thanks.

But now I’m back to scrutinize the little things that annoy me (and any of you!) and come up with things that should be invented to make it better.

A while back N.P. left a comment complaining about all the different types of power plugs that come along with each new gadget. This has always been something that bothered me for two reasons: I can’t stand the clutter that builds up with all the different cords, and I am an incredibly forgetful person when it comes to travel. I can’t tell you how many weekends I’ve gone without a phone because I left my charger and absolutely no one had the same one as me. They’re all phones; why on earth are there an infinite number of tiny little ports that charge them??

So this is my quest for my first in-depth post, and I will start by talking about some of the current limitations that have made this such an annoyance.

For a long time manufacturers of electronics didn’t have to think about what went on the other side of a power cord because it was always part of whatever it was powering. This of course had to change since people began wanting to move their electronics away from the outlet with out a long cord trailing them wherever they went. Now designers were given the task of building in a re-chargeable battery into each gadget and figuring out the best way to get the power there. For every different designer there came a different port, and so were born the numerous port designs you see today.

Although it would be great if there was a proverbial “war of the ports” and the smallest, sleekest port would win and every gadget builder would adapt to one port; this will simply not happen in this world. Companies make a nice profit on all the specialized cables they get to sell you for each gadget and will not spend the money to redesign their products so that we can have less clutter. No, we will have to by-pass this method of weeding out bad design and head straight to the next generation:

Charging gadgets with no cords required.

With gadgets getting smaller and thinner, this was bound to be a necessity for designers anyways, and it solves the sea of cords problem for the rest of us.

I’ve seen them talked about for a while now, but for proof that it will actually work for all your gadgets (not just Razers like some that I first saw), just watch the video below:

http://news.ufl.edu/2007/12/12/cordless-charger/

It’s definitely promising technology – but I wouldn’t say that a charging mat is even the furthest we should take wireless charging. I’m not sure I’d really want to carry around my charging mat while I’m traveling either…

The following article about using the kinetic energy generated from simply moving around throughout the day to charge your gadgets seems like the perfect solution to me. Although you don’t have to move much to build up the energy, I am in favor of anything that gives me an excuse to dance around for no reason at all. = )

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1334900820080213?sp=true

As for some solutions that could be around a bit sooner, I suggest the following invention:

A power strip with several attachment ‘heads’ for each of your gadgets. There are currently a few similar products out there, most for charging laptops in the car. To the left is a picture of the available ports for one of the current products, but I suggest that the idea simply be taken further and similar heads be manufactured for many products. This way a person could go to the store, pick the heads they need, buy the base strip with a voltage switch built in, and voila – your own personal charging station with only one cord in sight.

It doesn’t seem too far off, some one just has to get out there and put all the pieces together.

I’ll leave you with a fun website with some charging solutions around a port that is quickly replacing the wall socket: USB.

http://www.usbgeek.com/prod_list.php?cat_id=008&cat=USB+Gadgets

My personal favorite so far on the site is the USB Missile Launcher; it’s basically the nerdy version of those Nerf guns I was so obsessed with as a child.

So until next time – stay classy and thanks for stopping by.

Is anybody listening to me?

Hi All,

My name is Michelle, and I am a first time blogger. I've never been one too keen on technology or very interested in computers, but it seems like I can't escape my fate. Born in Silicon Valley and raised by a Software Engineer mother and a Dot com CEO/Home Theater Specialist father; I have finally accepted the inevitable truth: I too am a tech geek. This blog is my "coming out" party which combines my love for creative design, technology, and desire to fix absolutely everything around me.

Welcome to Totally Buggin' where I sound off on things that bug me and suggest tech solutions to make it all better.

"All of the biggest technological inventions created by man - the airplane, the automobile, the computer - says little about his intelligence, but speaks volumes about his laziness."
~Mark Kennedy

Although I believe all inventors have enough intelligence to question the world around them and decide to do something about it, I also find Mr. Kennedy's statement to be amazingly insightful. Most of my ideas come from my own laziness and desire to get chores done faster so I can relax for the rest of the day.

Isn't that what we all want? And is it really so bad?

I am currently a full time student at the University of Southern California majoring in Business Administration and also work part time at Toyota Financial Services in the Business Technology Solutions department. Both are extremely satisfying and I feel very fortunate to have learned so much from each. That being said, I also relish any time I get to myself.

Most of the time I can be found at the Coffee Bean downstairs from my apartment, at any mall in the LA area, or in front of the TV catching up on any shows or games I have missed (thank God for Tivo!).

I have an interest in pretty much anything you can name: sports, fashion, entertainment, architecture, animals, and technology; but the one thing I know I love is laughing. It could be the reason my favorite movie is Billy Madison, despite all the action packed or sweep-me-off-my-feet movies I've seen. The title of this post is actually a Billy Madison quote, and I apologize for any more that will inevitably slip out in the posts to follow.

Now that you know what this blog is about and a little more about who I am, I'll leave you with a taste of things to come...

I will do my best to keep up with the onslaught of innovations coming out and let you know if any are especially intriguing. But mostly I will finally write down all the ideas that tend to invade my mind when something in my everyday life seems to be a little too hard.

I would really appreciate hearing anything that irks you as well; I'll look at any comments left and find a solution on the market or dream up one of my own.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope the next post sparks an interest, or at the least, entertains.

Have a wonderful day!

~Michelle