The Good: Simple to use, Appears to work
The Bad: Very much not my style, Expensive for what it is
The Basics: Overpriced and pointless for most consumers, the Cables Unlimited Kabling Pink PC Power Cord takes a basic functioning device and tries to make it stylish.
Sometimes, I find myself baffled by some of what exists in the world. In some ways, I am a very simple person: I look for what works and I go with it. I would never, for example, attempt to make a fashion statement out of a power cord. But, when I went out looking at electronics products for a breast cancer write-off and found the pink flash drive (click here for that review!), I also found the shocking Cables Unlimited KaBLING 6 Foot Pink PC Power Cord. I was stymied, until I noticed the price tag: $11.95. When I saw that, I was just cheesed off: who would pay $11.95 for a computer power cord which ought to, at best, cost $4.99?! Not I!
Power cords are pretty ubiquitous devices and it is hard to get one wrong. And to be fair to the Cables Unlimited Pink Power Cord, my main beefs against it are that it is pretty ugly and it is twice as expensive as it ought to be. The 6 Foot PC Power Cord is an essential device to operating a personal computer and a few other electronic devices. The KaBLING Pink PC Power Cord is nice in that the ¼” in diameter computer power cord is actually six feet long, so the cord is a little longer with the two ends which connect the cord to the wall and to one’s personal computer.
The Cables Unlimited KaBLING Pink PC Power Cord is a standard computer power cord, save that it is sheathed in a pink plastic casing. The plastic casing is flexible which allows one to coil up the cord’s excess length or stretch it as needed. The plastic casing also acts as an insulator protecting the user from the current carried by the conductive power wires insider. Like all Cables Unlimited PC power cords I’ve encountered, the pink one shows no predilection toward becoming brittle and exposing the wires inside. The power cord was appropriately supple for unwinding, but seemed stiff enough to be durable. The plastic casing is waterproof, though it is never recommended one submerge a power cable. If something like coffee spills on the KaBLING Pink PC Power Cord, it may be wiped off with a damp cloth.
The six foot PC power cord ends with two hard plastic ends, both of which are cast in hard pink plastic. The male end is a standard three-prong North American plug with two flat tines and one cylindrical one which grounds the electronic device. The KaBLING Pink PC Power Cord terminates in a silver-colored (presumably nickel plated plug) which plugs into any three-prong outlet, which is good because any device using the PC Power Cord ought to be grounded to protect the components.
The “female” end of the KaBLING Pink PC Power Cord is a standard PC jack. This end might be less familiar to consumers, but it is surprisingly universal. Virtually every power supply in a PC has a male end which includes two pointed tines 5/8” apart (not flat like those on an electrical plug, more blockish) and a third between and below the others. It looks similar to a three-pronged plug arrangement, but the spacing is a bit different. The round cord terminates in a female end which is 2 ½” long, 7/8” wide and 5/8” tall at the terminus. This is a hard plastic end which has over an inch of gripping surface which allows it to press easily into the recessed male end in a PC’s power supply. Rather interestingly, I noticed that my Playstation 3 (click here for that review!) has the same power supply arrangement, which means the KaBLING Pink PC Power Cord would allow a Playstation 3 to plug into the wall as well. Because the female end is a universally-molded product, much like the male end will fit into any electric socket, the female end will fit into any 3-prong North American power supply unit.
It is worth noting that this is simply a power cord, designed to connect a computer or Playstation to a power supply. It has no surge protection capabilities and it is not intended to. It adequately carries electricity.
Beyond that, I found it pointless and overpriced. The KaBLING 6” Pink PC Power Cord is something most consumers will stick behind furniture and most people I know do not try to draw attention to their cords and cables. This, however, is one which is designed to be seen and that makes it a weird fashion statement. As well, unless one has painted or purchased their PCs casing pink, this will clash with most electronic devices. As such, it was very easy for me to not recommend it. The only thing that saves it from an “avoid it” rating by my standards is that it actually works and Cables Unlimited makes quality products, even if this one is frivolous and overpriced.
For other electronics support product reviews, please check out my reviews of:
Kyocera Travel Charger IV
DLO Power Bug
OrionGadgets Synch and Charge USB Cable For iPad
3/10
For other electronics reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!
© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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