Velcro Alternatives? 17
sniglet999 asks: "I've got a PDA and a Nokia cellphone that can connect to the net. However the IR port on the phone is on the side, and the port on the PDA is on the top. This means I've got to hold the two together, line of site for the connection to work (with increasingly cramping hands, I might add). The idea of mounting velcro to a notepad, so that you could stick the PDA and the phone in the proper position sounds good, but I don't want velcro and it's associated adhesive attached permanently to either expensive device. 3M has some cool hooks that adhere to the wall with a pull strip. Pull the strip and the hook is removed, leaving no residue on the wall. Is there something like this on a velcro backing? Is there another solution? (Short of making and attaching a light pipe. The whole objective behind all of this was to carry less)!" These aren't the "cool hooks" the submittor had in mind, but might these serve as a way of mitigating the problem (since they are self mating, they don't suffer the major problems of velcro). Does anyone else have alternatives to velcro which they use and prefer?
Hooks/holster and gravity... (Score:1)
Two words (Score:1)
F.O.Dobbs
Duct Tape. (Score:1)
When things stick that shouldn't, WD-40.
Anyone who tells you differently probably eats quiche.
IR redirector cable (Score:1)
icanneverbereached@sogoaway.com aint my address.
"Command Adhesive" (Score:1)
Attach your velcro to the adhesive strips, then pull the tab for a clean get away.
It should be in the same cardboard display-thingie as the hooks themselves.
Good luck.
-Peter
"There is no number '1.'"
Wonderbra (Score:1)
Dotting i's and crossing t's (Score:2)
Do you want to pull both out of your coat and use them together in places where you don't have a table or even a clipboard to support them? I assume that you hold the PDA in one hand and push the buttons on it with the other when using it alone. Try holding the phone in your hand and laying the PDA on your wrist and forearm, securing it with one of those musician's cable straps that have velcro on each end. Or put a flat hook on the back of the PDA and slip it under your watch band.
If you have to have the PDA in your hand and the phone hanging out in space, Velcro wouldn't support the phone's weight anyway. For that scheme you need to disassemble a coat hanger and construct a cradle for both devices that holds them in that "T" relationship. You'll need to hold the bottom of the cradle to the PDA the whole time to cause it to support the phone hanging out there in thin air, but eventually you'll be able to figure out stuff like hinges that let you fold the cradle up for storage but only let it open flat instead of folding the other way. Then you can start a company to manufacture them and get filthy rich :-)
If you need a drawing of what I'm talking about, e-mail me your meatspace postal address.
Goobegone (Score:2)
I feel your pain. (Score:2)
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Just ... (Score:2)
Velcro.... (Score:2)
Wire... (Score:2)
It's easiest to think of it as ethernet but much slower.
I've heard that you can still get some vintage PDAs and cell phones that accept the technology. The downside is that these 'cables' are one more thing to carry. The upside is the always on characteristic that they have.
Tried Goo Gone? (Score:2)
Re:Velcro.... (Score:2)
Re:Duct Tape. (Score:3)
You might be able to remove the Velcro adhesive residue with those alcohol impregnated pop-up wipes that computer stores sell at ridiculously high prices. If not, wet the wipe with de-natured alcohol or WD-40.
Rubber Bands? (Score:3)
Reflector? (Score:3)
This configuration can be more portable by fastening it on a board, such as Velcro loops to hold the two devices -- and the Velcro fastened to the board (or passed through slots on the board). There are small clipboards which may be useful.
Also note that by using a reflector, the phone can be mounted in a vertical position and held in place with a belt clip or cradle.
For the reflector, I suggest polished copper. Copper is a very good IR reflector. You can get copper sheets at hobby and craft shops -- although it's easy to test with a shiny copper coin just to see if it works. Copper should be coated with a sealer to protect it from oxidation, unless you find that an old penny works for you.