USB based chargers for our smartphones, tablets – and multiple other gadgets – have literally become the bog standard for our battery refueling requirements, but the power outlets in our homes have yet to keep up with that need. A new contraption has just been coined and it lets you quickly swap your existing power outlet cover plate with one housing a USB charging port. Head over the jump to read all about this nifty little invention and how it works.
Be it an iPhone, an Android device, or even your portable battery pack, they all require a USB adapter which converts the power to suit your device. Adapters are bound to be lost or left behind, and if not, they’re just an inconvenience that take up too much space, according to the team behind SnapPower – the smart power outlet cover plate. SnapPower replaces your power outlet’s cover plate and has a 1-amp USB charger built right into it, which is powered by pins that slip into place around the screws in the power outlet.
There have been alternative solutions to this, but those have always involved hardwiring the plate into place, which means you had to mess with the wires which is something that most people aren’t really comfortable with. SnapPower will snap into place and all you have to do is tighten one screw to make sure the plate stays in place.
SnapPower makes sure that your USB adapters do no hog your power outlets anymore, and the contraption itself is sleek enough to blend in with your surroundings. The port is cleverly placed on the side of the contraption making sure that SnapPower leaves room for your furniture to be positioned snug against the wall.
SnapPower is currently a public funded campaign on Kickstarter with $340,370 already collected – at the time of writing – exceeding the required $35,000, and it still has 44 days to go. This goes on to demonstrate just how appealing the idea of such a solution sounds given the convenience it has to offer. The 1-amp charger is a standard for iPhones, but iPads may take more time to charge. Androids well, they should charge as well, but at varied speeds depending on make and model and the adapter they’re shipped with.
SnapPower will be available in two styles and in colors of white, light almond, and ivory. Early pledges of $14 will get you one SnapPower charger in your choice of three colors. The charger should start shipping out this August, but only for a select few countries.
(Source: Kickstarter)
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