I have found UK suppliers of data cable management.
http://www.donworth.ie/Interiors/CableManagement/On%20Desk%20Power/Index.htm

I think there a few UK manufacturers. Not as appealing as the US designs for home use and not integrated with a desk.

I have already purchased multiplugs including one with surge protector and a phone socket, at Maplin I think. It now lies behind the sofa with tagliatelle all round. Now if I screwed it to the back of that two-shelf unit on castors - it's called a dumb waiter I believe -and if I velcro the wires....... Mmmm. Not a desk but it would take printer, landline, charger and other paraphenalia and as it's open at the back it would allow access. Mmmm..... still need a desk

I found the sketch I did a while back of a desk set-up, photographed it, imported it to the laptop, and tried to include it here, but lost the will to live on something called Windows Live Photo Gallery. Ah technology; so much promise, so much hassle, so little time....

Still, MNners will come up with something. Bound to. I'll sort out the dumb waiter first, if you will forgive the expression.

johnfás wrote:

I have bluetooth on my new laptop... any ideas what I can use it for? I feel I should be making use of it but I have no idea what to do...

I think this is how hardware drives the market on. I too changed my laptop recently, made sure it had bluetooth in the hope of reducing cable-induced stress and then bought a bluetooth printer for it which would also be up to the demands of my new digital camera. I didn't know about dongles then (see Kate P above). The solution to a technology problem is always buying another piece of technology it seems.

In the archaeological dig known as my home you will find: from the pleistocene era an external floppy disk drive; from the bronze age, a perfectly serviceable printer and non-digital camera; from the iron age, my PDA - now replaced by the Blackberry, and so on. For every problem there is a solution box waiting for you at the computer store with more wires....

Quote :

I found the sketch I did a while back of a desk set-up, photographed it, imported it to the laptop, and tried to include it here, but lost the will to live on something called Windows Live Photo Gallery. Ah technology; so much promise, so much hassle, so little time....

Drag it onto your desktop.
Then come back here, and click the icon above with the picture and disc on it. When it asks you to browse, attach it in the same way you'd load up a file to email and click host it.

Eventually you'll get some numbers and letters (url?) in a few boxes, copy the bottom one and stick it in between here on the post. And use the post-reply function rather than quick reply - there's more room.

That's how I do it and if I can, anyone can.

And someone smarter than me will show you a better way.

Blackberry, palm or iphone? Since we're on the topic of replacing redundant technology... any suggestions anyone?

My Dad has a blackberry... I've never really used it but it doesn't look like alot of fun - I know it is the bane of his existence though. A few friends have the iPhone and it is super duper cool in most regards. A palm... haven't seem them in years? Can you use them as a phone now too? If not I wouldn't have thought them that useful.

All in all I say iPhone. But alot seems to depend on the contract with the iPhone - pricey enough I think.

johnfás wrote:

I have bluetooth on my new laptop... any ideas what I can use it for? I feel I should be making use of it but I have no idea what to do...

I never use it but if you have a good phone you can do mad stuff. Not just uploading without docking in the usb cable either. You can switch your phone into a sort of remote control for the computer ! You can move the mouse around on screen from your phone and manipulate Windows Media Player and all. Weird stuff. I never use it though.

Bluetooth doesn't seem to have become as ubiquitous as the bluetooth people would have liked perhaps. Very handy in cars where cordlessness is useful I suppose.