Cable Caddy
Traveling with technology can be challenging. There are too many cables and—most problematic—transformer bricks that create overflowing, bulky laptop cases.
If you're lucky, you can find the cable or brick that you want, but it's more likely that you'll pull out an octopus of tangled cables and then spend the rest of the evening looking for the right transformer brick, which you probably forgot at the last hotel you visited.
My travel caddy was created to put all my Apple cables and bricks in one place, supporting enough charger space for my MacBook Pro, my iPad, my iPhone, and my AppleWatch.
What's the opportunity?
46MM items are left behind in US hotels each year, with charging cables the top item left behind.
Apple laptop owners also tend to be owners of iPhones, AppleWatches, and iPads.
By creating universal cable holders, designers guaranteed that actually nothing fit perfectly.
User Persona Research
To better understand the user personas and their specific travel-related challenges, I interviewed a mix of individual travelers, hotel front desk clerks, and executives.
"Our hotel guests are constantly leaving behind chargers they forgot. We have a massive basket of mismatched items."
"My laptop case is a nightmare. I've got cables and chargers jammed into the front pouch. It's a mess and I can't find anything."
"I had an elastic charger holder which worked at first, but then the elastic stretched out and my stuff just fell out into my bag."
Project Goal
Create a simple and space-effective way to travel with all your Apple chargers, e.g. laptop, watch, tablet, phone.
Current Solutions
Multi-fold option is way too thick for standard laptop case
Small items constantly slip out from straps
Elastic stretches out with age and items don't stay in place
Ideation
Initial Explorations
Prototyping
Attributes
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Flip cover keeps everything safely contained
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Transformers fit snugly into socket slots
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Magnets in base keep the cover tightly shut
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Rugged, easy to use velcro ties keep cables secure
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Insert tabs allow for smaller Apple laptop bricks
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Multicolor faux leather mimics new iPad covers
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