Replug Adds "MagSafe" to Any Audio MiniJack

Here's a shrewd bit of engineering: the "Replug" is a two-part device that adds an easy, tension- and magnetic-based release to any standard 3.5mm miniJack plug. Once the Replug is in place, any dangerous level of tension will cause the Replug to pop off of the jack stud, saving stress on the jack itself.

Price isn't announced yet—they aren't going on sale until "Fall," but I dig the idea.

Product Page [Replug.com via Oh Gizmo! via Crunchgear]

[#1 posted by dculberson , October 3, 2007 8:11 AM]

My jaw is dropped.

I want one today! I would like to [modify one into]/[make using this tech] a "dock" for my iPod so I can just drop the iPod into a fitted pocket in my car and have it mag-safe up.

[#2 posted by Anonymous , October 3, 2007 9:19 AM]

Sign me up too. I keep ripping my headphone jack out from the front of the computer when I roll over the cable in my chair.

[#3 posted by scaught , October 3, 2007 9:25 AM]

Please make an iphone compatible one. It would solve 2 issues for a lot of peoples.

[#4 posted by Mark H , October 3, 2007 9:30 AM]

I don't know if it's the same company, but someone has recently started making electric guitar cables using this technology, another situation where it is extremely handy!

[#5 posted by Anonymous , October 3, 2007 9:48 AM]

This is only a good idea if your headphones cost more than your iPod (or whatever device). I can't count the number of times that my headphone jack *not* coming out has saved my various nanos from smashing on the pavement. I use relatively cheap headphones, though, so the wear and tear on their cables is worth it.

[#6 posted by Skep , October 3, 2007 12:24 PM]

"This is only a good idea if your headphones cost more than your iPod (or whatever device). I can't count the number of times that my headphone jack *not* coming out has saved my various nanos from smashing on the pavement. I use relatively cheap headphones, though, so the wear and tear on their cables is worth it"

This thing won't just save your headphone wires when you walk by a doorknob, it saves the jack on your ipod. And my iPod is too heavy to be saved by the cord.

If you kill the jack on you player it may not even be economically worth fixing. I killed a couple of Walkman's that way and I've nearly killed some expensive earmolds that way (as well as nearly yanking my head off).

Want...

[#7 posted by edgore , October 3, 2007 1:23 PM]

Good to see that more companies are taking advantage of technology that has been in use on home deep fryers for 15 years. Yea technology.

[#8 posted by Skep , October 3, 2007 1:45 PM]

"Good to see that more companies are taking advantage of technology that has been in use on home deep fryers for 15 years. Yea technology."

They probably only did that because of lawsuits...

Technology companies benefit if you break your computer by some method where you know your actions contributed to the problem--like tripping over a cord. But deep fryers will dump boiling oil if yanked over by a cord, so the fryer makers had a little more self-interest in preventing that issue--though probably only because of legal liability not any largess on their part.

But, that is just me speculating...

[#9 posted by Anonymous , October 3, 2007 11:54 PM]

Hmm, any risk of corrupting your disks in a device with an internal hard disk?? How about those Ipod 60GB??? I imagine in some cases you might need to be careful about that.

[#10 posted by Anonymous , October 4, 2007 2:12 AM]

Note to the comment about prior use with deep fry gear; this technology is older than that, since it was the basis of the WWII Norden bomb sight, a super secret apparatus of its time. Still a good idea with useful application.