Pikachu Cable Holder

In addition to the stickers that I got from the previous event and detailed the other day, I also obtained a distinctive and different kind of merchandise. It looks like a pair of Pikachu that would be commonly seen on a keychain, but connected by a band. It was explained that the item in question is a cable holder, designed to tie up loose cables and organize them. It essentially has the functions of zip ties, only this one is non-permanent and removable.

How it works is simple. Cables are put across the band, and then the two Pikachu ends are brought together and fastened; behind the Pikachu are button clips that hold the cables within the band. Undo the button clips, and the cables are loosened again - it's that simple. The concept is not novel by any means, but the appearance lends a unique quality to the execution; it's unlike any Pokémon merchandise I've seen or possessed so far, indie or official alike.

The central functional premise of the item is noble, but the premise of non-permanence is meaningful. It means that I can use the item for cables that I carry rather than the cables that don't move around. This includes cables for USB devices, chargers, and so on and so forth. In fact, I can immediately see where this would be helpful: when I carry my 3DS and I have to carry the charger along, for extremely long trips - I can use it to bind my 3DS charger cable, something that more often than not gets tangled up badly, by experience. Even so, I can still use it on cables that stay put, if only for the sake of demonstration:

Sometimes the most interesting merchandise are ones that do uniquely useful things, like this cable holder. Stickers and keychains may be pretty, but they're also somewhat typical. The cable holder is not only pretty but also works wonderfully. It may be regarded as a cue that can be considered for the creation of other merchandise, including Pokémon ones. If they're as uniquely interesting and functional as this one, I would be very, very happy to have them in my collection.

One year ago: Love My Life - Pokémon Too