Fuse's 'Side Kick' Helps You Manage Your MacBook Pro USB-C Cable

[MacRumors]

Fuse, the company that came up with the Side Winder cable organizer for wrangling the extension cord of a MacBook, is today out with its newest product, the Side Kick, which can be pre-ordered via Kickstarter.

The Side Kick is designed for the MacBook Pro's USB-C power adapter and is for those users who don't need or want the extension cable. It's able to wind up the USB-C cable in a useful way that's perfect for when you need to travel with your MacBook Pro.

We normally shy away from promoting crowdfunded products on MacRumors, but Fuse has a track record of creating Mac products and was able to send me a prototype to test out ahead of time.

The prototype version of the Side Kick is similar to the Pop Sockets designed for the iPhone. It has a collapsible base that sticks onto the side of the MacBook Pro charger, which, when you pull it out, extends so that you can wrap up your entire USB-C cable neatly.

Both the adhesive that sticks to the Side Kick and the popping mechanism work well even on this early version that I have, so Fuse seems well on the way to a completed product.

Size wise, the Side Kick does take up most of the space on the MacBook Pro power adapter, so it may interfere with some other products that use the extension portion of the charger. It's also designed solely for the USB-C cable -- if you use an extended cable (which no longer ships with the MacBook Pro) you'll need the Side Winder instead.

The cable wraps around neatly with the Side Kick extended, and it adds about an inch of additional real estate to the power adapter on the right side. When popped in without the cable wrapped, it's not too bulky, but it would be nice to see it slimmed down a bit more. There are two cable catches at the end so you can keep the USB-C connector in place once it's wound up.

I was still able to use my power adapter as normal with the Side Kick attached, and it fit well both in a standard outlet and a power strip with no serious hindrance.

The Side Kick will work well for people who use just the plain USB-C cable with their standard MacBook Pro power adapters. It is limited to the USB-C 61 and 85/87W power adapters for the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models right now because of size constraints. Fuse says that it's working on a version for the MacBook and MacBook Air, which will come out in the future.

My prototype version of the Side Kick is unfinished and isn't the best looking accessory at this point in time, but Fuse tells me that the final product will include sturdier cable notches, a whiter finish for the rim and socket, and an embossed logo for an all-around nicer design.

Fuse is using Kickstarter to fund the Side Kick, and the first few hundred backers will be able to order it at a 40 percent discount. A single Side Kick is available for $12, while two are available for $20. After the early bird pricing is gone, the Side Kick will be priced at $15 for one or $26 for two.

Article Link: Fuse's 'Side Kick' Helps You Manage Your MacBook Pro USB-C Cable

 

[HacKage]

PopSocket is a registered trademark, and unless they are in somehow in partnership with them, then it is not a PopSocket.

 

[Unity451]

I adamantly can't stand pop sockets... but this is cool.

 

[gigapocket1]

Great idea.

 

[vicviper789]

Did apple remove the two flaps that used to be on the charger for this...?

 

[macaddiict]

Did apple remove the two flaps that used to be on the charger for this...?

Yes, Apple removed the cable wrap "pop outs" along with about every other feature that made owning a Mac laptop worth the cost (MagSafe, USB A ports, HDMI ports, SD card slots...)

 

[Dave-Z]

Yes, Apple removed the cable wrap "pop outs" along with about every other feature that made owning a Mac laptop worth the cost (MagSafe, USB A ports, HDMI ports, SD card slots...)

Agreed. Apple used to have all those "little details" that were nice touches. Instead we have emoji touchbar, keyboards with no key travel, and a singular type of port that requires dongles.

 

[ThatGuyInLa]

Remember Magsafe? Remember the little fold out tabs on the power block to wrap your cables? Remember the clever battery light indicators blended in to the unibody? No? Neither does Apple, but hey, Touch Bar!

#goingbackwards

 

[code-m]

Remember Magsafe? Remember the little fold out tabs on the power block to wrap your cables? Remember the clever battery light indicators blended in to the unibody? No? Neither does Apple, but hey, Touch Bar!

#goingbackwards

All those years of “refining” a product to its last detail.

If this is the case I prefer the previous Apple that just released things without the refinements.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Remember Magsafe? Remember the little fold out tabs on the power block to wrap your cables? Remember the clever battery light indicators blended in to the unibody? No? Neither does Apple, but hey, Touch Bar!

#goingbackwards

Pepperidge Farm remembers...

 

[Kabeyun]

We normally shy away from promoting crowdfunded products on MacRumors

Totally understandable. *cough* TextBlade *cough*

 

[roland.g]

I have the Fuse Sidewinder which came with its own USB C cable (bonus!!) and it works pretty well.

 

[Westside guy]

Yes, Apple removed the cable wrap "pop outs" along with about every other feature that made owning a Mac laptop worth the cost (MagSafe, USB A ports, HDMI ports, SD card slots...)

Ive seems to only care about the visual aesthetic. There doesn’t seem to be anyone with authority to say “Hey Jony, yes it looks very sleek... but it takes a serious hit in terms of actual utility.”

 

[SBlue1]

Remember Magsafe? Remember the little fold out tabs on the power block to wrap your cables? Remember the clever battery light indicators blended in to the unibody? No? Neither does Apple, but hey, Touch Bar!

#goingbackwards

What? Thats all gone? Man, I hope my 2012 MacBook Pro can do it a few more years...

 

[BGarza]

I think a velcro fastener cable tie is the way to go.

 

[ignatius345]

What? Thats all gone? Man, I hope my 2012 MacBook Pro can do it a few more years...

Yep. And wait till you get a load of the new "keyboard".

 

[abhibeckert]

They removed the tabs to reduce warranty claims. If you modify your charger with this unit, don’t expect Apple to replace the cable free when it fails 3 months later.

I learned long ago if your wrap your cable with apple’s charge brick tabs every day to go to work/school/etc repeatedly it will fail within the normal lifespan of a laptop.

I usually leave the cable as a loose mess in a backpack pocket if I’m in a hurry but for a neat wrap I coil the cable with the over under technique and a Velcro cable tie to hold it in place.

I suspect the new USB cables are more prone to failure since they have much smaller wires - the old cables probably lasted a year or three with daily wrapping and Apple was happy to occasionally replace them. These new cables probably won’t last that long.

You could over-under wrap onto the “side kick” -
That will help avoid tangles - but it’s still much too small of a circle.

 

[JTBing]

Yes, Apple removed the cable wrap "pop outs" along with about every other feature that made owning a Mac laptop worth the cost (MagSafe, USB A ports, HDMI ports, SD card slots...)

It never ceases to amaze me how many people prowl Mac forums for the sole purpose of bashing those who somehow still find value in their products.

 

[Confuzzeled23]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people prowl Mac forums for the sole purpose of bashing those who somehow still find value in their products.

It’s not bashing Apple or those that still enjoy their products. They are legitimate points and facts that Apple has removed many useful features with no real thought to how it impacts the end user. It’s the old “our way or no way” Apple attitude. Which used to work because of the extra nuance and features that Apple had that weren’t found in other brands (looking at you Mag Safe). I am hoping my 2013 MB Pro lasts forever. No dongles and all the features I appreciate.

 

[Westside guy]

I am hoping with 2013 MB Pro lasts forever. No dongles and all the features I appreciate.

That's me as well - except in my case it's a 2015 MacBook Pro. I'm hoping this laptop lasts either forever or until common sense once again finds a home at Apple.

 

[JTBing]

It’s not bashing Apple or those that still enjoy their products. They are legitimate points and facts that Apple has removed many useful features with no real thought to how it impacts the end user. It’s the old “our way or no way” Apple attitude. Which used to work because of the extra nuance and features that Apple had that weren’t found in other brands (looking at you Mag Safe). I am hoping with 2013 MB Pro lasts forever. No dongles and all the features I appreciate.

Maybe your posts aren't mere bashing. However, "Apple removed... every other feature that made owning a Mac laptop worth the cost" definitely is.

 

[Dave-Z]

Maybe your posts aren't mere bashing. However, "Apple removed... every other feature that made owning a Mac laptop worth the cost" definitely is.

People often refer to the "Apple tax" and there's definitely a higher cost versus competitors when purchasing an equivalent Apple product. The point some here are making is that these little niceties made the "tax" worth it. Now we pay the tax but don't get that.

<rant>
I recently switched my primary device back to Windows and in shopping around realized that many of Apple's competitors are actually offering these niceties now and for a lower cost. I have a computer that is more powerful than the new MacBook Air, offers more methods of connection (SD card, USB-C and USB-A, HDMI, touch screen, etc.) and it cost me hundreds less than the new Air. So what is that tax getting me? macOS. Sorry, but the operating system is not that great. It's nice, but it's not enough.
</rant>

 

[ignatius345]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people prowl Mac forums for the sole purpose of bashing those who somehow still find value in their products.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people prowl Mac forums to defend every ****** design decision Apple makes.

It's not a question of "still finding value" in Apple products. I'm typing on a Mac laptop right now -- one in a series of Mac laptops I've owned dating back nearly 20 years. And I'd love to replace with another Mac laptop, if one existed that didn't feel like an expensive and poorly designed regression from the ones that preceded it.

Many of us complaining the loudest about some of the hardware Apple has been putting out lately are people who value Macs very highly. After all, I know if I didn't, I'd just buy a Dell or something and never look back.
[doublepost=1549421323][/doublepost]

Maybe your posts aren't mere bashing. However, "Apple removed... every other feature that made owning a Mac laptop worth the cost" definitely is.

Maybe they haven't yet, but the trend sure isn't looking good. As Apple has made compromise after compromise (butterfly keyboard), other manufacturers are catching up. And calling out those shortcomings isn't "bashing" when it comes out of a desire for better Macs.

 

[jimthing]

Technique I use:
Put 2 connectors together in you hand, then fold cable lightly in half, and repeat half, half, half, until you get it into a decent size, wrap velcro tie in middle. Done.

Benefits:
Uncoils easily. For short runs or quick cable testing, can uncoil each end of the cable where the connectors are for as much as you need of each end, while keeping the middle length coiled as much as possible.

 

[CarlJ]

I think a velcro fastener cable tie is the way to go.

For a long time now, I've simply been gently curving the cable 180 degrees to lay back across the power supply, then (gently) curve it 90 degrees and wind it in a coil around the power supply back towards where the cable exits the power supply, so that it wraps numerous times over the first bit of the cable, securing it in place. Then, use the little clip to clip it to itself (don't know if the USB-C power supplies still have these, the MagSafe ones do). It's quick, easily repeatable, secure, minimal bulk, and no parts to lose. Works a treat.
[doublepost=1549437968][/doublepost]

Agreed. Apple used to have all those "little details" that were nice touches. Instead we have emoji touchbar, keyboards with no key travel, and a singular type of port that requires dongles.

It pains me that they got rid of MagSafe, the extra ports, and a physical Escape key (they can make the rest of the top strip touchy if they want, but dammit, have a real Escape key I can feel under my finger without looking, and with a difference between touching it and pressing it - I don't care if it messes with Jony's aesthetic).

And we got a keyboard that's THINNER!!1! Great, nobody wanted that. It's also less reliable and less nice to type on. I remember a story someone at Apple would tell, about how some (I think) Japanese company took apart a MacBook Pro (one of the good ones) and said, "you've got 37 screws securing the keyboard - if you sent this to us to manufacture, we would redesign it so it only took 4 screws", and the response from Apple was, "and that is why you will never build Apple products". Apple cared about making it work really great, even if it took what others might think was an outlandish design. I love those keyboards to pieces. The new keyboard is... THINNER!

And MagSafe - I would have no problem if they engineered the MBP so it had a MagSafe connector _and_ USB-C ports, and could be powered via either one. That would be old Apple. MagSafe is so much better of a connector for power - deliriously easy to connect and remove, protects the machine if the cable gets pulled, and has a tiny light so you can see that it's working/charging.

I'd also like to be able to flip the machine over, undo a collection of screws, and swap out the socketed RAM and SSD. A Pro machine ought to be cable of that.