Powertap Grommets

During my years in university, absurd amounts of my late-night hours were spent in our campus library, sloughing through volumes of text and slowly tapping out paper after paper. I may admit to some mild procrastination in those days, but my point here is that I was far from alone. There must have been many empty dorm rooms, because I would be crammed into that library with what appeared to be a sizeable slice of the student body, all sleepily hoping to score a wall outlet let alone a seat. As not much of a fighter, I more often than not would have to seek elsewhere to plug in my laptop, which is why when I first got my hands on one of our Powertap Grommets, I felt like I’d been left with a pretty raw deal. Why on earth aren’t these things loaded into schools, libraries, hotels and conference halls everywhere? The Powertap is radically different from most grommets you may have seen, with the neat trick up its sleeve of being fully transformable; morphing from a discreet and unassuming flat black circle into a dynamic power data center at just the tap of your finger. When you apply pressure to the top of the unused grommet, you are actually turning it 180 degrees into itself, revealing three ground power outlets as well as 2 CAT 5 Ethernet connections per Powertap, ample set-up for one or two people to enjoy full access. Each grommet comes with an 8ft power cord, which will allow you to make full use of those outlets while more than maximizing their potential. The Powertap grommet is crafted from ABS plastic which is UL /CUL listed, and only stands 1.25” high. Of course, the piece itself will sit flush against your work surface, giving full desk space and not getting in the way when not in use. While some grommets look jarring or stand out on an attractive desk, the black outer ring and lid are distinguished and sleek. Installing these grommets won’t be tricky either, since despite the amount of desk power, the hole-cut-size will only be 4.21” in diameter. A template is actually provided with each grommet, so you won’t need to worry about cockeyed holes peppering your surfaces (this sounded like a good idea to me, though I have an uncommon flair for wonky craftsmanship). I have to admit to feeling fairly wronged on my library excursions, as if the powers-that-be at my school were denying me the sweet relief of AC access.

…..Perhaps I should send them this article.