Cool Tools

Zebra Compact and Telescoping Pens

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:39:58 -0800

I've always wanted a small pen to keep with me at all times for quick notes and such. I've even considered taking a hacksaw to the venerable Bic ballpoint pen to keep in my wallet. One of the things that kept me from doing that was worrying about it exploding and flooding my pocket with ink.

Fortunately, Zebra has come up with a far more elegant and affordable solution with the Telescopic and F-301 Compact pens. Both feature a metal body made popular in their other pens. The telescopic pen body extends to a regular pen length when full telescoped, and exposes the tip, ready to write. Retracting the pen body for stowage fully retracts the tip safely into the body, like a frightened turtle. It fits neatly in the fold of my tri-fold wallet. I found them at my local OfficeMax for about $5. So far, it's survived some gnarly crashes during snowboarding trips, and being sat on daily with out a single dent.

--K. Rhainos

The Zebra Compact closes to a small size and has a clip for shirt pockets. I have used this pen for a couple of years. In the past I've used the previously reviewed Fisher Space Pen but they are expensive and easy to lose because they are so smooth. This pen is cheap and even cheaper when you can find them at Walmart. Not only that but the refills are cheap, too!

--Chris Acree

Zebra F-301 Compact Pen
$6 for two pack
Available from Amazon

Zebra Telescopic Ballpoint Pen
$5
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Zebra Pens

How to Find Free and Cheap Ebooks

Wed, 23 May 2012 07:10:58 -0800

Where I live, decent public libraries with connections to the software service Overdrive allow surprisingly easy checkout of "library books" wirelessly to your Kindle. The Overdrive system provides libraries with both audiobook downloads and eBooks. I find, like most, that reading or listening to these books on a computer is untenable, but transferring audiobooks to my Sansa Clip player is as easy as pie.

For the (increasingly) large selection of books with Kindle versions, it's very easy to get free content to show up via Amazon's Whispernet. Nothing fiddly about it, no cables either. And for the earlier cool tool of "User Manual First", Kindles are a pretty good place to keep these PDF files. Either transfer via cable (easy) or use your Kindle's email address which allow your docs to show up via Whispernet.

Finally, if you sign up for Amazon Prime service, you not only get free shipping on your purchases, you also get access to the "Kindle Owner's Library" - more books without fees. And if your Kindle is a Fire (or you don't mind watching on a PC), you also get access to lots of streaming video (my wife is re-enjoying Ally McBeal (and I'm enjoying not being exposed to it, too)).

Anyway, go to your library's website and look for Overdrive services. Another convergence of several cool tools that merge to form a new level of cool tool.

-- Wayne Ruffner

The ubiquity of ereaders like the Kindle, Nook and iPad has driven a surge in ebook availability. Retailers like Amazon and Barnes and Noble have the lock on bestsellers and the like, but a flourishing underground market for free and cheap ebooks has become a boon for readers.

The best established source for free ebooks is Project Gutenberg whose archives contain over 36,000 ebooks that represent nearly every out-of-copyright classic piece of literature along with a vast archive of obscure but pleasurable reads. The quality of digitization is excellent, and the site's vibrant community ensures that any errors are quickly fixed. They also offer the ebooks in a variety of formats (ePub, mobi, html), including some as downloadable audiobooks.

With more and more libraries getting into the game of lending ebooks, the software company Overdrive (that Wayne mentioned) has been leading the way. Libraries contract out their ebook libraries to OverDrive who make them available for a limited loan period (via a proprietary DRM from Adobe) through their software that is available on most operating systems including iOS and Android. Once you have the application, simply add your local or state library system (some are better stocked than others) and Overdrive allows you to browse the ebooks that they have available to check out. Everything's automated so there are no late fees, and often times you can get best sellers without waiting (or, if they're "checked out" you can reserve them and when they become available they are automatically downloaded).

ManyBooks.net is the friendliest index of free ebooks of the bunch. It will search Project Gutenberg's archives, as well as troll through numerous other archives. They also provide recommendations and reviews (which is incredibly useful given the sheer number of available titles).

Outside of strictly free sources, InkMesh is the best search engine I have found for identifying if an author or a book is available in ebook form, whether it is free, where I can download it, and in what format. They have also collated a comprehensive list of free ebooks available for a variety of platforms.

Two more sources for the ebook crazy are the blogs Pixel of Ink and Books on the Knob which highlight attractive deals for the Kindle.

Finally, to manage this inundation of ebooks I heartily recommend the previously reviewed Calibre. If you have other recommended sources for eBooks and the like, feel free to leave a note in the comments and I'll make sure to update this page.

-- Oliver Hulland

Overdrive
Free

Amazon Prime
$79/year (or $39/year for students)

Project Gutenberg
Free

ManyBooks.net
Free

InkMesh
Free

Pixel of Ink
Free

Codecademy

Tue, 22 May 2012 06:51:00 -0800

Learning to program has been a goal of mine for years, but it's one that all too often gets set aside. This is fairly normal given the challenges that accompany trying to learn something as foreign as a new language (with the added complexity of logic problems thrown in). Introductory texts are often stultifying, and I found the dilemma of deciding exactly which language to dive into to be anxiety-inducing.

Luckily, Codecademy has simplified the task of learning to code into a friendly and easy-to-use web interface driven by bite-sized lessons that slowly add up to functional working knowledge. Primarily oriented in Javascript, HTML, and CSS, Codecademy uses discrete tasks and challenges that can be performed in browser to drive learning. They succeed, in part, because they have eliminated the need for books or additional software. All you need is a browser, and a few minutes to practice.

With that being said, Codecademy is definitely not intended as a replacement for most programming texts. Instead, I think of Codecademy lessons as responsible for building a set of skills and familiarity that you can use as a foundation or framework for other languages.

In the past few months, Codecademy has been leading something they call Code Year which introduces a new lesson every week over the course of a year with the end goal being the ability to program an interactive Javascript-driven website. While I haven't been as consistent in the weekly lessons as I'd like, I find that I'm still motivated to return to the site when I have the time.

Finally, this isn't the only resource of it's kind out there, and there are many others that deserve recognition (Udacity is another site that has garnered a lot of attention, but I haven't had the time to check it out). If you know of any other resources that have helped, feel free to list them in the comments and I'll add them to the review.

-- Oliver Hulland

Code Academy
http://www.codeacademy.com
Free

Sample Excerpts:

This lesson details how to think about and use a "function" in Javascript.

Earth Ponds

Mon, 21 May 2012 07:15:48 -0800

Ponds can be used for swimming, wildlife magnets, irrigation, iceskating, fire protection, water gardening, landscaping, and fishing. You can build your own pond in your backyard, farm, or wherever.

Tim Matson is the established guru of building ponds with an earth-seal, rather than with a plastic or concrete lining. For 30 years he's been creating, advising, and collecting knowledge about pond-making. His classic Earth Ponds (2nd ed.) is the basic how-to, and comes with a DVD. It supplies the needed lessons in siting a pond, building it, maintaining it, enjoying it, and also restoring old ponds. This is not your average how-to; it's beautifully written and a joy to read. If you find the basics to your liking and need more, Matson has an updated Sourcebook with plenty of resources, and an illustrated encyclopedia of pond variations and building techniques. Finally, Matson has a helpful website with more videos and sources.

-- KK

Earth Ponds: The Country Pond Maker's Guide to Building, Maintenance and Restoration
Tim Matson
1982, 152 pages
$18
Available from Amazon

Earth Pond website:http://www.earthponds.com/

Sample Excerpts:

Scraping bottom in the pond basin Ray searches for flaws in the earth seal--clusters of pervious stone or gravel that would be the source of potential leaks. He carves out these patches and substitutes watertight soil. A good seal is the best defense against seepage. Pond makers who claim they can waterproof impossible sites with chemical additives and underwater dynamite blasts should run out of town. Like a potter's bowl, the earth pond is molded with a blend of materials. In addition to drawing a sufficient supply of water, this site consists of good watertight soil: about 10 to 20 percent clay and an even mix of silt, sand, and gravel. Preliminary test holes in the pond basin are crucial in evaluating the worthiness of a site.

The sand drop is another well-esteemed pond keeper's trick that takes advantage of the ice deck. It's an upkeep technique well suited to older ponds in need of restoration, particularly where aquatic vegetation or mud get unruly. To set up a sand drop, the pond keeper spreads a two-to-four inch layer of sand--not salted road sand--over the ice. In spring when the ice thaws, poof! The sand falls in a uniform layer over the basin floor. Sand works like an inorganic mulch, shading out weeds and, like the finings in a beer crock, holding down sediment. In muddy ponds, it's a good carpet material for the basin floor. One of my neighbors was able to use a sand drop to eliminate the slimy bottom in her family's pond, along with snakes and leeches. True, the sand drop does fill in the pond to a minute degree, but it's not often done, and it sure beats herbicides.

Trout have a reputation as fussy feeders, picky as spoiled Siamese cats; yet for three years I've watched my brook trout gain weight without an ounce of supplemental feed. I see them feast on the bottom as much as in the air: the water is as transparent as an aquarium. I recall my neighbor's drawdown and follow-up trout stocking: clearly, the fish were pitching in to keep it clean. And I recalled an old Vermont tradition: to keep the farmhouse water clean, a trout was dropped in the well.

Fixing low-tide ponds begins with a search for leakage. Ponds with piping often leak around the outside of the pipe or through seams, gaskets, and valves. In most cases, unless a fitting can be easily replaced, pipe repair involves digging up the line to repair joints or to implant anti-seep collars.

GGS Glass Screen Protector

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:51:58 -0800

When I buy a new camera one of the first things I do is affix a GGS glass screen protector over the LCD screen. I did this even on my prosumer digital SLR despite its scratch resistant glass screen. The reason why is that while they may be scratch resistant, they also feature anti-reflective coatings that simply do not last the life of the camera. And as that slowly wears away the screen begins to look like it's lost a battle with sand paper. Not to mention that scratch-resistance does not equate to scratch-proof.

I'm always amazed at how many people buy plastic-film screen protectors (commonly seen on touch sensitive smartphones) that do little if anything to protect the screen. More often than not they occlude the screen as they quickly become scratched. They offer little to no protection from hard objects, and they frequently need replacing (especially given how easy it is to trap air bubbles beneath them).

GGS screen protectors, on the other hand, are different as they are made out of optical quality glass. They are thin, sturdy, and affix tightly to the back of the camera. Once on, they almost appear built into the body (this is where careful application is key). They don't scratch easily as they are made of glass, and when they do you know you're investment has been justified.

I've personally scratched and shattered a GGS screen protector, and I know without it I would have been left with a potentially ruined screen instead of a cracked $8 investment. The only downside is that when the GGS screens shatter glass shards can fall off despite being laminated. Removal of the broken screen is simple: slide a credit card (or other rigid plastic object) under a side and slowly work your way around until it pops off (if it's really stuck, warm it with a hair dryer). Depending on how long it's been in place the adhesive may leave a sticky residue that is easily removed with nail polish remover or a Goo Gone equivalent.

Other brands of glass screen protectors exist, and some even feature anti-reflective coatings that cost 5-10 times more. But none that I have tried are as consistently well reviewed, as minimally invasive, or as affordable as the GGS models. It's the rare case where the best also happens to be the cheapest.

-- Oliver Hulland

[These glass protectors are NOT meant to be used with capacitative touch screens.--OH]

Available from Amazon
$4-$8

Manufactured by GGS (I can't seem to find a manufacturer's website, but if you have better luck let me know and I'll update this)

Camscanner

Thu, 17 May 2012 06:02:42 -0800

Camscanner allows your Android or iOS smartphone to function as a document scanner. And while there are other competing apps from the few I've tried it's clear that Camscanner is the pack leader.

This app is better than the rest because it is intuitive and produces great results. It includes a virtual bubble-level shown on the screen when you are taking the photo, so you get the picture straight on and undistorted. When you get it level, it disappears, which is excellent design (both giving feedback that you 'got it right' and uncluttering the view at the same time). [Note: Strangely, the bubble level seems to be an Android-only feature.--OH]

When you need to crop, the cropping screen shows a thumbnail 'peek' window at the opposite corner while you pull the crop line, showing crosshairs of where you are placing the corner on the photo. No need to try multiple times since you can't see what is happening under your thick finger! The layout is very intuitive, five unambiguous icon buttons, and a quickstart document with a guided tour included (no searching for the documentation)! Did I say great design?

After you've scanned something the cropping and enhancing happen before your eyes, recapturing some of the thrill of watching a Polaroid develop. The enhancement options work well, turning even faint pencil scratchings into well contrasted digital versions.

Once the document has been processed, Camscanner can either email or upload the document as a JPG or PDF to a number of hosting services including Google Docs, Dropbox, Box.net, Evernote, and iDisk.

There are no ads in the free version, though it is limited to generating 10-page scan-pdf's with a 'watermark' line at the bottom of each page and also doesn't feature the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for text searches or AirPrint (which is iOS only). But other than that no annoying (and bandwidth guzzling, cpu-battery hogging) ads! The full version costs $5 and removes all limitations.

-- Aryeh Abramovitz

[I gave the free version of Camscanner a run through on my iPhone 4 and it really is far better than any other scanning apps I've tried. Its flexible processing engine turns out very readable PDFs (here is a link to a sample PDF I made) even in crappy light. It should be noted, though, that this application is limited by the quality of the phone's camera.--OH]

Camscanner
Free (with limitations) or $5
Available from iTunes Store and Android Store

Produced by Intsig

Gantto

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:43:38 -0800

I am a self-employed writer who publishes a new book every 9 months and primarily works from home. For my first several books I struggled with time management and found I was constantly playing catch-up for the two months before my books were due. Then my engineer husband introduced me to the application he uses at work to organize his projects: Gantto.

For my last book I used Gantto to plan out my book publishing process, goals, and the milestones I needed to hit. Early schedule items consisted of writing so many words a week (with milestone markers for finishing a quarter of the book, half, etc.), middle items included submitting drafts and doing revisions, and latter marks included publishing house schedules and promotional items -- all ultimately leading to the release date of the book. The great thing about Gantto is that I can visually see how all of those little steps lead to the final goal on one page, and if life events (illness, family trouble, etc.) crop up during the project, the whole timeline shifts to where end-goal estimation becomes far more accurate. Vacations can be added at any time for scheduling purposes.

For me, seeing the gantt chart really helped put my daily work in perspective, and I found I was much less likely to procrastinate.

There was still a bit of a crunch getting my last book out the door (unfortunately, the tool couldn't write the book for me), but my process was tighter and the last week was far less painful than submissions for previous books. I am definitely using Gantto for my next book.

The real time collaboration aspect is likely not as key for the self-employed business owner as it would be for a larger team/business, but I actually found it a fantastic feature. If you are collaborating between two writers or a writer and an assistant, both of you can go into the schedule (simultaneously) and make changes.

As someone who has used spreadsheets in the past to track projects, the ability to shift an entire schedule of events with one click is mind-blowingly great. Add that to the price (free for one month, with subscriptions starting at $5 a month) and I am delighted with this tool.

-- Anne Mallory

Gantto
http://gantto.com/
$5/month

Rules for Radicals

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:35:43 -0800

Herein are pragmatic tactics for radicals and wannabe radicals of all stripes. Originally written for hippie revolutionaries in the 1970s, today both Tea Party and Occupy folks are quoting and studying it. The "rules" really work, but they are pretty ruthless. Think of this advice as anti-state Machiavelli.

-- KK

Rules for Radicals
Saul D. Alinsky
1971, 224 pages
$11

Available from Amazon

Sample Excerpts:

I present here a series of rules pertaining to the ethics of means and ends: first, that one's concern with the ethics of means and ends varies inversely with one's personal interest in the issue. When we are not directly concerned our morality overflows; as La Rochefoucauld put it, "We all have strength enough to endure the misfortunes of others." Accompanying this rule is the parallel one that one's concern with the ethics of means and ends varies inversely with one's distance from the scene of the conflict.

Those who opposed the Nazi conquerors regarded the Resistance as a secret army of selfless, patriotic idealists, courageous beyond expectation and willing to sacrifice their lives to their moral convictions. To the occupation authorities, however, these people were lawless terrorists, murderers, saboteurs, assassins, who believed that the end justified the means, and were utterly unethical according to the mystical rules of war. Any foreign occupation would so ethically judge its opposition. However, in such conflict, neither protagonist is concerned with any value except victory. It is life or death.

For an elementary illustration of tactics, take parts of your face as the point of reference; your eyes, your ears, and your nose. First the eyes: if you have organized a vast, mass-based people's organization, you can parade it visibly before the enemy and openly show your power. Second the ears; if your organization is small in numbers, then do what Gideon did: conceal the members in the dark but raise a din and clamor that will make the listener believe that your organization numbers many more than it does. Third, the nose; if your organization is too tiny even for noise, stink up the place.

Always remember the first rule of power tactics: Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.

The second rule is: Never go outside the experience of your people. When an action or tactic is outside the experience of the people, the result is confusion, fear, and retreat. It also means a collapse of communication, as we have notes.

The third rule is: Wherever possible go outside the experience of the enemy. Here you want to cause confusion, fear, and retreat.

The fourth rule is: Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules. You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity.

The fourth rule carries within in the fifth rule: Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.

The sixth rule is: A good tactic is one that your people enjoy. If your people are not having a ball doing it, there is something very wrong with the tactic.

The seventh rule: A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.

The twelfth rule: The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative. You cannot risk being trapped by the enemy in his sudden agreement with your demand and saying "You're right--we don't know what to do about this issue. Now you tell us."

The thirteenth rule: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.

Cambridge Quad Notebook

Mon, 14 May 2012 06:16:52 -0800

Having just finished a year of math and science heavy coursework, I am confident in stating that the Cambrdige Quad Wirebound Notebook is one of the best tools I've used all year. Notebooks may seem like a silly thing to get worked up about, but having used this day-in and day-out for a year, I can attest that it makes a difference.

When I first started looking for a notebook I was astonished by how much variety existed (especially in the world of graph paper), and consequently how much vitriol is generated by crappy notebooks. Everything from paper thickness to perforation was a potential sore spot. After field testing several varieties it was immediately clear that the Cambridge Quad was the winner.

Why this particular notebook? It has the perfect weight paper that doesn't bleed when using a variety of pens (I'm partial to the previously reviewed Lamy Safari with Noodler's Bulletproof Black Ink, and the Pentel Sharp Kerry mechanical pencil). It's perforations make for clean tearing, but are strong enough that they never unwittingly lose sheets. At 70-sheets per notebook, it's not too big, and the spiral binding holds up throughout its life (which hasn't been the case for other notebooks I've tried). Finally, the the paper in the Cambridge notebook has a warmer tone which provides for a nice contrast while also making it simple to distinguish any of my assignments in a pile.

At the end of the day these notebooks are nice enough that I've stocked up on them in case they decide to stop production.

-- Oliver Hulland

Cambridge Quad Notebook
$5

Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Mead

Sample Excerpts:

Don't mind the illegible scrawlings, and instead take note of the warmer tone.

Freesound

Fri, 11 May 2012 09:10:25 -0800

There are sound effects libraries that cost more than a small car, and they're probably worth it to certain kinds of users — like movie studios or audio production houses — but not to me. In search of interesting, appropriately licensed sounds for personal amusement, some google searching led me to Freesound.org, which has many thousands of freely usable, user-contributed sound recordings, all Creative Commons licensed. Some of them are tiny snippets, the audio equivalent of the icons on a computer screen, and some are lengthy field recordings. (Many of the sounds here are purely synthetic, too, or remixes that the CC licensing facilitates.) Last Halloween, I set up a playlist for my family's "haunted condo," consisting of screams, clanks, and creepy laughter (but also repurposed sounds like foghorns and musical instruments I thought sounded ominious), with sounds drawn entirely from this site.

It's also a good place to find ring-tone and computer alert sources, if you're just looking for audio clip art, or (with headphones, especially) fascinating "you are there" audio experiences; being transported to an audio landscape inhabited by gentle waves, ships' horns, and thunderstorms is a legal way to escape ordinary consciousness.

Freesound really is free, too, though donations are accepted; it started as a project of the Music Technology Group of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. One (very small) catch: you can listen all you want just by visiting the site; downloading the files requires free registration.

-- Timothy Lord

Freesound
http://www.freesound.org/
Free

Big Foot Cargo Bags

Thu, 10 May 2012 06:33:26 -0800

Some weekend sports outings - climbing, skiing, camping, shooting, etc. often require many, many trips back and forth to the car to load and unload all of the things necessary for the weekend. I counted once and found that I made 8 round trips to the car for all of my backcountry ski gear to bring it back into the house at the end of a weekend.

The Big Foot Bag allows me to move everything in one single herculean trip. The "big" in "Big Foot Bag" is not an understatement. I have the *smallest* bag made by this company at 114L and 1.5m long. The *largest* bag they make is 1050L and 3 meters long. (It should probably come with a trailer hitch and wheels.)The innovative part of the design is that it lays out completely flat when unzipped, allowing you to pile everything in the center, fold it over like a taco, sit on it, and zip it up quickly. The 600 denier Cordura is coated on the inside and there is a storm flap, allowing it to function as a water resistant rooftop carrier if desired.

Yes, it's only got a 6 month warranty, but I think this is more reflective of how hard people use them (the website illustrates them carrying mulch, firewood, and rocks) rather than their construction quality. We've had ours for four years and it still looks like new. Sure, there are big cargo bags of more durable construction out there (YKK zippers and 1000D Cordura would be improvements), but none of them approach the sheer size and ease of use of the Bigfoot.

-- Jon Braun

Big Foot Bags
Small (5.8 cu ft), Medium (14.8 cu ft), Large (37.3 cu ft)
$60-$150

Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Bigfoot Bags

Manual of Field Geology

Wed, 09 May 2012 08:38:41 -0800

This book is an essential guide to how field geology should be practiced. It is simple, clear, and written in a style which is accessible to students and amateurs. Jargon is limited to the irreducible and there is no effort to obfuscate. I have been using this all my professional life of more than 30+ years.

Using this manual and a fairly rudimentary set of basic geologic skills, outcrop and contact geologic maps can be produced, complete with cross-sections. There is no better resource for those interested in learning more about field geology.

-- Edward Bryant

[For those interested in a narrative take on American geology, look no further than John McPhee's epic and accessible Annals of the Former World. A worthy read!--OH ]

Geology In The Field
Robert R. Compton
1985, 416 pages
$60

Available from Amazon

Older editions available used for $1 from Alibris

Sample Excerpts:

Appendix 8. Lithologic Patterns for Stratigraphic Columns and Cross Sections

*

Appendix 3. Percentage Diagrams For Estimating Composition By Volume (p. 366)

Low-tech Magazine

Mon, 07 May 2012 09:30:40 -0800

I immediately thought of Low-Tech Magazine when I saw the previously reviewed Millers Falls Boring Machine. The web based magazine publishes a lushly illustrated and researched article every few months highlighting a technology from the past that is no longer used, but could still be very useful. The articles, in describing the history of tools, is a valuable tool in itself.

Some recent examples include Gas Bag Vehicles, Human Powered Cranes, and Hoffman Kilns.

-- Stephen Balbach

Low-tech Magazine
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/
Free

Gloves Off Stain and Paint Remover

Sun, 06 May 2012 20:57:12 -0800

I carefully laid plastic on my bedroom carpet before painting my closet. But somehow my painting tool began to fall, and as I grabbed for it I dumped the latex paint on the carpet beyond the plastic-protected area. I used wet rags to soak up what I could, but this left a 12" sticky latex stain on the rug plus numerous spatters. I put an old wet towel on it overnight. The next day I used successive applications of Gloves Off Stain and Paint Remover following each with a rag. By repeated applications, I was able to remove all visible paint.

Gloves Off is a newish brand of stain remover that uses plant-based ethoxylated alcohol as a surfactant to loosen stains and make them easier to clean. It's marketed as being a greener alternative to bleach and ammonia based cleaning agents.

Today, I spied a dried exterior latex stain on metal so I sprayed it with Gloves Off, and in a minute, literally peeled off the paint. So far I've been delighted with this product!

-- PJ Cote

[As with any chemical product it's best to have the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) just in case.--OH]

Gloves Off Stain and Paint Remover
$6

Available from Home Depot

Manufactured by Planet People Co

HandStands Sticky Pad

Fri, 04 May 2012 05:58:07 -0800

Several years ago, I bought one of these for its ostensible purpose: keeping my items from sliding around in my car. While it does that well, I've since found these stickypads to be incredibly useful for a number of household jobs.

Unlike some no-slip pads, these are extremely thin, allowing them to be unobtrusively placed under any object you don't want sliding around. My keyboard no longer slides around my desk, my speakers are now much more securely perched atop their speaker stands, and various items on shelves are much less likely to be dislodged by clumsy humans or cats.

The pads are easily trimmed and are very sticky, so a single pad is enough for quite a few jobs. If a pad accumulates dust or dirt, it can be instantly restored to "full stickiness" with a squirt of window cleaner and a quick wipe.

A strength and weakness of these pads is that they don't permanently attach to objects, like rubber "bumpons." Unlike bumpons, these pads are re-usable and won't leave a sticky residue, but they don't semi-permanently attach to an object either.

-- John Booty

Handstands Original Sticky Pad
$5

Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Handstands