Snuglet Kickstarter Project Aims to Secure Loose MagSafe 2 Cables

boshii said:

It's great that it works for you but there's 700 backers that say otherwise.

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I'm just talking simple physics and that's the same for everyone. I had no agenda, indeed I fully expect to discover exactly what people were saying. When I tried to tug it straight out and it wouldn't budge, I was confused, then I tried the other shearing angles as per my post and I was somewhat disappointed to find that it behaved impeccably.

Gravity is the same everywhere, f=ma is the same everywhere, what ever differences or problems people are having are nothing to do with a fault in the design.

I'm not saying that some people are having problems but it's not to do with the design of the magsafe other than it's built in design to detach instead of trashing the machine.

I just had a look at the video, I get it now, when you have the computer on your lap so that the side with the magsafe adapter is on the verge of falling off your lap because it's halfway done your thigh instead of on your lap, then the magsafe adapter will come out.

BUT with the new snuglet brought to you by UtterlyFrikkenUselessProducts inc. you can then have your laptop on your knee properly and even put your finger under the computer where the magsafe is to make absolutely certain that there is no shearing force at all on the connector, and as if by magic, the magsafe does not fall out. Astounding.

Bottom line is that, hey, if you want to buy a 'snuglet' fine, no problems, but if you want to justify your useless purchase by trying to convince others that there's a problem with the current design, why bother.

If there really was a problem with the design then they would not have to make such a blatantly ludicrous video would they? As the stills from the video prove. It's almost like a Monty Python sketch.

jabingla2810 said:

Also, when using your macbook on your lap, you don't rest the MagSafe on your leg, you rest the laptop on your leg, so that video is complete rubbish.

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My legs are big enough where both sit on my leg

So it does disconnect, but you don't hear me complaining.

hlfway2anywhere said:

anything over $9 just breaks a psychologic price barrier for me for a small ring of metal. *shrug*

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Don't ever plan to get married.

boshii said:

No reason to argue why this product is needed. The numbers speak for themselves. It's been funded in 2 days.

It's simple, if you don't have a need then don't buy it. I'm not sure why people in this thread feel the need to put down others who do have a need.

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Thanks for the sane voice of reason. You are absolutely right, and the way you phrased it really brings it back home, doesn't it? Those who want the product will buy it. Those who think it isn't worth the risk won't. People can self-select. That's one of the great advantages of the private marketplace: it expands the choice set beyond that of the original manufacturer.

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JAT said:

Don't ever plan to get married.

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Spiky? REALLY? Is it really you?

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inscrewtable said:

If there really was a problem with the design then they would not have to make such a blatantly ludicrous video would they? As the stills from the video prove. It's almost like a Monty Python sketch.

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I agree that it's a bit silly, but I suspect that it's more about what's kosher for marketing than anything. I don't think they wanted to show a dude in his tight whiteys in bed using his laptop. But trust me -- that use case is very compelling.

(In case you're wondering, I wear boxer briefs. )

If they made this available in the UK easily they would be able to make much more money that been limited to the US.

Although you can get them shipped from the UK it's an extra $20 so about £14 just shipping + product price which will be quite expensive for a something so little.
Maybe just have one person in the UK stocking them (personal house/warehouse) and when you get an order send it from the UK stocker so the price will be more reasonable.

john123 said:

Spiky? REALLY? Is it really you?

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I think so. But that depends on whom you think it is.

I cannot believe that this product actually exists.

Some people don't want a power plug that can be removed so easily, some are happy with the Magsafe 2. Everyone has their own preference, and that's okay.

Design-wise, I prefer the design of the L shaped connector as it has a smaller profile.

Overall though, I think Apple have turned out shoddy cables for the past few years. They make good connectors, but the cable itself gets worn out too easily and frays, especially where it inserts into the connector. This especially applies to the 30pin and the lightning power cable. When I had an iPhone4, I went through 3 in a year, when my old iPod cable and Black Belkin continues to last for over 6 years. Now the lightning cables I bought with my iPhone5 and iPad mini are starting to break down. I noticed this change when they switch the materials from ticker rubber to the soft velvety, leather like materials for their cables. I understand the though behind the skeuomorphic design, but function doesn't always follow design.

john123 said:

You claim that your MagSafe 1 "moves all the time when someone trips over it." That seems like a subjective claim, not a rigorously tested one. Per what I wrote the first time, what makes the MagSafe 2 a pain in the butt is the way it deals with VERTICAL pressure. Tripping over the cord tends to apply more HORIZONTAL pressure.

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wouldn't that also means by strengthening the vertical pressure it will also do the same on horizontal pressure.
Its not possible to strengthen one direction without also affecting other direction.

this will cause the magsafe harder to break on the horizontal pressure, resulting in ...

john123 said:

Thanks for the sane voice of reason. You are absolutely right, and the way you phrased it really brings it back home, doesn't it? Those who want the product will buy it. Those who think it isn't worth the risk won't. People can self-select. That's one of the great advantages of the private marketplace: it expands the choice set beyond that of the original manufacturer.

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Spiky? REALLY? Is it really you?

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I agree that it's a bit silly, but I suspect that it's more about what's kosher for marketing than anything. I don't think they wanted to show a dude in his tight whiteys in bed using his laptop. But trust me -- that use case is very compelling.

(In case you're wondering, I wear boxer briefs. )

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Not sure we read the same thread or saw the same video. The point was ludicrous because in two scenes with magsafe, he was placing the computer between his legs and pushing the magsafe up. With the snuglet, they placed the computer on top of the legs and ensured there was no force whatsoever on the snuglet.

In any case, if you were to use your computer that way and it didn't break away, the connector would soon wear out on the cable or the computer. Not a good idea to hang your computer by the connector.

Nobody mentioned anything about him not being in his tighty whities. Just you. Your mind went there. Nobody else.

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wingsabre said:

Some people don't want a power plug that can be removed so easily, some are happy with the Magsafe 2. Everyone has their own preference, and that's okay.

Design-wise, I prefer the design of the L shaped connector as it has a smaller profile.

Overall though, I think Apple have turned out shoddy cables for the past few years. They make good connectors, but the cable itself gets worn out too easily and frays, especially where it inserts into the connector. This especially applies to the 30pin and the lightning power cable. When I had an iPhone4, I went through 3 in a year, when my old iPod cable and Black Belkin continues to last for over 6 years. Now the lightning cables I bought with my iPhone5 and iPad mini are starting to break down. I noticed this change when they switch the materials from ticker rubber to the soft velvety, leather like materials for their cables. I understand the though behind the skeuomorphic design, but function doesn't always follow design.

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I watch netflix on my iPhone 4 in bed every night. The cable gets bent, slept on, pulled on, etc. After over 2 years the cable is fine.

If only someone came up with a solution to fill the optical drive slot for those of us that have replaced the Superdrive with an Optibay. That would be something I'd contribute to in a heartbeat.

bretm said:

I watch netflix on my iPhone 4 in bed every night. The cable gets bent, slept on, pulled on, etc. After over 2 years the cable is fine.

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I had my Belkin and iPod Video (first gen) cables for over 6 years without issue. Used it daily, tugged it, accidentally rolled my chair over it. No problem whatsoever.

My less than 1 year lightning connectors (3 total) are showing significant wear and tear. One is fraying at the tip and the plastic already broke. Another turned yellow, and the third is doing ok. One of my iPhone 4 30pin connector from Apple had the shortest life span of 4 months. If you go to any stores out there other than an Apple Store, you'll see examples of the cable breaking down and fraying where it meets the connector. It's not the entire cable that's an issue, it's where it meets the connector. Maybe you're luck or are being more careful than others, but it doesn't change the fact that the quality of their cable sucks.

Just comparing past connectors and current ones, you could see the drop in quality. The current one uses a softer plastic that has a better feel in the hand. It's more velvety, and is similar to calf's leather. However it's more easily damaged because the plastic is so thin. It's texture picks up more pigment, and oil literally dissolves the plastic. Specifically if you handle the cord while your hands have remnants of Vaseline, lotion, or topical ointments. The older cables were made of thicker plastic. The junction between the cable and connector head had an extra layer of plastic covering to strengthen the cable, and the connector itself has a grasping attachment that locks the cable in while charging/syncing. The older cables were more affordable, and was build to last. Apple traditionally have produced great design that leads to great function, but their aesthetically pleasing power connectors are not very durable. The Anecdote of Steve Jobs and the Apple Store scuff marks applies here.

Prodo123 said:

Then you can use the Magsafe 2 adaptor with the L-shaped chargers!

Also, this product is dangerous. It has the possibility of getting stuck in the power port and causing havoc, not to mention a choking hazard. Also has the possibility of generating sparks upon disconnecting.

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You're not supposed to put it in your mouth, dude.

rGiskard said:

You're not supposed to put it in your mouth, dude.

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Try telling that to a 3 year old. I thought the age would be axiomatic.
And it wouldn't even be close to a choking hazard for adults anyway. There's pills bigger than this that adults take everyday.

devilcm3 said:

Its not possible to strengthen one direction without also affecting other direction.

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Changing the shape actually does this -- which is precisely what happened between the MagSafe 1 and MagSafe 2.

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bretm said:

Not sure we read the same thread or saw the same video. The point was ludicrous because in two scenes with magsafe, he was placing the computer between his legs and pushing the magsafe up. With the snuglet, they placed the computer on top of the legs and ensured there was no force whatsoever on the snuglet.

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Um, did you even read what I wrote? I acknowledge that particular use case was silly? Apparently not. Review my comment about "marketing."

bretm said:

Nobody mentioned anything about him not being in his tighty whities. Just you. Your mind went there. Nobody else.

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Humor seems lost on you.

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wingsabre said:

Specifically if you handle the cord while your hands have remnants of Vaseline, lotion, or topical ointments.

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Oh my. What exactly are you doing with your devices in bed?

NStocks said:

What would be great, would be for Apple take onboard this annoying aspect of the new connector, work with what Snuglet is, and release a new magsafe 2. Same connector, stronger magnet.

Or just fix it, piss everyone off and make Magsafe 3

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Gee, strange how some have problems other don't. The fit on my Mid 2012 15" rMBP is perfect. It takes a little effort for me to disconnect it. May be I am not moving mine around enough.

john123 said:

Changing the shape actually does this -- which is precisely what happened between the MagSafe 1 and MagSafe 2.

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Yeah, but the snuglet does not alter the magsafe port but rather strengthen the pulling force of the magnet.

Shrink said:

Since I define the word "klutz", I have kicked the MagSafe connector out on 3 or 4 occasions, and was very happy that it just broke away as it should. I could easily have damaged the cable connector or worse, damaged the power connector in the computer.

...built for the clumsy ....

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I don't know how many times I've watched out teenage boys take off at light-speed with their MBP's still attached to their chargers. They all still connect and are not sloppy fits at all. How the cables haven't been ripped from the MasSafe yet is beyond me.

Well, my MagSafe 2 (11" MBA) disconnects at least 2 times a day. What an annoyance. So I think there's some room for such products until Apple manages to come up with better solution (MagSafe 1 was definitely better for me).

Prodo123 said:

Try telling that to a 3 year old. I thought the age would be axiomatic.
And it wouldn't even be close to a choking hazard for adults anyway. There's pills bigger than this that adults take everyday.

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Laptop cords are not in the under-3 group, and should not be. You still have to be a parent.

paulrbeers said:

You're already late in this thread declaring first world problems. Seriously. People need to stop with this. Yes this is a "first world problem". Point was already made. If you are going to make this comment, at least have the decency to look to see if someone has already covered it in the previous three pages (and by the way all you had to do was read to comment 10 to see it was already made).

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Thank you internet supervisor. What other internet rules do you have?

inlinevolvo said:

Thank you internet supervisor. What other internet rules do you have?

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Well since you asked, here's a good list:

http://forum-services-review.toptenreviews.com/25-forum-posting-etiquette-tips.html

Frankly I don't understand the hostility in your post. You are the one that tried to make a point, but failed to even bother reading through even the first 10 or so comments to verify if it had already been made. Take your beating and move on. That's usually the smart thing to do.

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JAT said:

Laptop cords are not in the under-3 group, and should not be. You still have to be a parent.

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You apparently do not have children do you?

If you did, you certainly wouldn't tell that to a parent. There are 1000's of things in one's house that aren't in the under 3 category. Children get into all of them no matter how much you childproof/watch/etc. You can't watch them every second of every day.

paulrbeers said:

You apparently do not have children do you?

If you did, you certainly wouldn't tell that to a parent. There are 1000's of things in one's house that aren't in the under 3 category. Children get into all of them no matter how much you childproof/watch/etc. You can't watch them every second of every day.

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Uh, no...your conclusions are completely backwards. I have 3 of them, all are now over 10yo. And yes, you watch them every second until they are old enough to not accidentally kill themselves on common household items. That's the job, it's why parents are so frickin tired. I will absolutely tell parents it is THEIR RESPONSIBILITY to watch their own children, anytime. Line 'em up. I just had nearly this same discussion with my friend who is a first-time parent with a ~20 month old. And he agreed with me after being a parent for over a year, they watch their kid constantly.

Deriding a tiny product that MUST be a tiny product because it is not baby-proof is a joke. I guess anyone that thinks that way doesn't need a laptop when they have a baby. People need to make intelligent choices, not blame the mfgr since they didn't print "Don't Feed To Your Baby" on the box of part of an electrical cord.

Does my Magsafe pop out now and again by accident? Yes.

To I give a toss? No.

Do I like the fact I can accidentally catch the cable and not have my laptop fly off the desk. Yes.

Pointless product of the year.