Building A Low Budget, Heat and Sip USB Dock

Special report by Ian Fawling

PULLMAN, WA - The do-it-yourself website Instructables, featured a nifty post entitled "The Ridiculously Clever Dock" which demonstrates in photos (step-by-step) how to use a simple binder clip and rubber band to make a low budget USB dock. Genius! Right?

It worked brilliantly for Washington State University student Mike Foley as the website promised (see Nano photo on left). "I tested the binder clip with my iPod Nano and it worked to perfection" said Foley, "Then it got me thinking. Could I make an even cooler dock for my Nano-Pod out of recycled junk I throw away?" Foley liked the idea that he could be environmentally conscious by recycling, but still have a custom, kick-ass docking station for his Nano. The unthinkable series of events that followed next would be known only as the discovery of "The Ridiculously Dumb-Ass Dock", in obvious contrast to the binder clip dock the Instructables website featured.   

Foley tested his theory on two items, a typical to-go cardboard Latte cup (with sleeve) and what he called his "crowning achievement", a 10 oz. heat & sip, Campbell's Creamy Tomato Soup container. He used a utility knife to cut a small square block out of the back of each item for the iPod cord to fit through and rinsed the containers out well before use. The soup container had a pre-cut hole in the lid ideal for the iPod cable, but the coffee cup needed a custom cut hole for use. Foley instructed that the containers are also handy for storing the excess cord not in use and may require a few small stones or marbles added inside for weight and proper balance. Clearly pure genius at work here with every step.

   

"I can envision the soup container being perfect for the new iPod Nano which is shorter in stature." Foley said, "I could have hours of fun making sweet docking stations out of all kinds of junk laying around my house." Foley pointed to a Quaker Oats container with a cheesy grin on his face. "I'll probably stick with my soup container and binder clip for now." Laughed Foley. "The binder clip should come in totally handy when I travel."     (see failed demitasse cup dock concept photo above)

It appears that there is unfortunately no sensible end to the kind of gadget dock that can be created on the cheap by domestic geniuses everywhere. I prefer to leave the heavy brain lifting to guys like Mike Foley.

It appears that the slogan on the front of the Campbell's soup container may have summed it up best for me, "M'm! M'm! Good! To Go!

Quality Binder Clip Dock photos (top) courtesy of Instructables 

View Quality Heat & Sip Photos (here)     Crunchgear Review     

Comments

[Troy Maine]

The binder clip dock was also covered by LifeHacker. I want a soup container dock. Not!
nice!

[Nick]

total genius! Andy Warhol would be proud.