Everybody has them. Lots of them. Cellphones. Digital cameras. iPods. PDAs. Laptops. MP3 players. Video cameras. Portable DVD players. And each one comes with headphones, manuals, batteries, memory cards, dongles, cables, docks, and power supplies. And they all need to be recharged. But where?
Idea: a small chest of drawers, fabricated in some nice wood. At the back of each drawer is an outlet. (Flexible cables are routed behind the drawers so they don't get caught in them.) Each drawer is dedicated to a single gadget -- its power supply plugs into the outlet, and you put the gadget in the drawer while it recharges. Along with all the accessories and other stuff. Vents in the drawer fronts allow you to hear a ringing cellphone inside, and ensure a cooling airflow. Some drawers have a frosted glass front if you need to see LEDs. Drawers can have compartments for the other accessories, and perhaps be padded or velvet-lined for the gadgets themselves.
-- rmutt, Feb 22 2005

My husband built a charging center for our home. It's not drawers but a single shelf, or compartment, with multiple outlets inside and built into the garage entry foyer's cabinetry. The shelf has a bottom-hinged louvered door that swings open flush with the shelf surface and swings up to close. Ringing cellphones are clearly heard due to the louvres as intended but one can't see the LEDs. It has a net tap inside as well. Just above it are shelves for storing the manuals and other stuff that come with Axims and digital cameras and cell phones.

All said, I think I'd prefer the drawers approach outlined here and, especially, the frosted glass inserts.
-- bristolz, Feb 22 2005


Keep your gadgets out of my drawers, thank you.
-- Detly, Feb 23 2005


+ Specialized containers are quintessentially cool!

My mom used to collect early southwest (US) Native American Indian pottery and baskets.

So my Dad built her a corner mounted shelfset with mirrored / lit interior called the "Potholder" and a similar one called the "Basket Case."

Thanks for the reminder!
-- csea, Feb 23 2005


[bris] - a "garage entry foyer"? - I'm impressed.
-- hippo, Feb 23 2005


Great idea - I'm thinking of building one into a suitcase for when the family goes on holiday (MP3s, phones, cameras, dive lights, VHF radios ...) [+]
-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Feb 23 2005


My computer's CPU has lotsa room inside.. And power cables from the atx is in abundance.. My idea is to utilise this space and poewer cables to charge my gadgets.. As for the shelf, i was thinking if i can place my Whole CPU in the shelf to make room on my desk for speakers ;-)
-- kamathln, Feb 23 2005


This is one of the reasons I attempt to keep my gadget aquisition levels to an absolute minimum. Sadly I still need one of these, which ironically enough is really a gadget in itself.
-- wagster, Feb 23 2005


[hippo], don't be, it's just a slightly arrogant mudroom.
-- bristolz, Feb 23 2005


I thought this was going to be some sort of Batman utility underwear.
-- moomintroll, Feb 23 2005


If it was made in New Zealand and you put a bee hive wig on it you could market it as 'Gidget Drawers'
-- ConsulFlaminicus, Feb 24 2005


"I'd like to get into your drawers", he said.
"No, thanks. I've already got one bum inside them", she answered.
-- Ling, Feb 24 2005


This is great. As a custom furniture maker, I might just have to incorporate this into an upcoming project...

One jumbo pastry for you!
-- ayt, Feb 24 2005


Great great great. When can I have one. You could have the whole thing optionally double up as a faraday cage, so that your phone just doesn't ring and bother you.
-- dbmag9, Jul 06 2006



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