Tech Review – Bobine
Une Bobine. I feel like I’ve gone to France. Petite Bobine. It’s a small country, what can I say? And there’s a chicken with a fuse? What?
When I saw this product (Une Bobine), I thought it was downright clever. Take a gooseneck microphone stand, make it small, and toss your iPhone, iPod Touch, or Micro USB phone on the end of it, and make it into a stand. No… better yet, a charging stand. Coil it wherever you like, and plug it into your computer for a piece of art on your desk.
The guys at Fuse Chicken (yep, that’s the name) came up with this idea as a Kickstarter project, and ran with it. I’m highly impressed with the entire concept, as it’s sheer simplicity just rocks. I’ve already thrashed a few of the “official Apple” power cords, and they have a tendency to corrode if they get even the slightest cut in their outer plastic. The Bobine cord isn’t going to have that kind of problem as the metal gooseneck protects the inner workings quite well.
Further, I’ve placed my iPhone in a number of positions that I wouldn’t be able to do with a regular stand. As I wrote this review, I had my iPhone hovering a foot off the desk, almost tall enough for the top to be higher than my monitor. If I want, I can turn the display sideways, and even watch a YouTube video on the small screen while working away on the big one… not a usual thing when you have a desktop with a couple of monitors, but it would be very handy with a laptop.
Frankly, it’s hard to believe that I would be reviewing a power cord for an iPhone (or Android)… just the cord, not even the charger. But it works, and it really is fun. I think the price is slightly high, but the two pack places it within a price range that’s a no brainer.
I have some concerns about the longer term stress on various USB ports on cheaper computers, but that’s overcome by simply ensuring that the Bobine relies on something else other than the USB port for standing up your phone.
4.5 glasses out of 5…
