Don't get your wires (and cables) in a twist
Connecting state and local government leaders
PigTails offers a unique, clear way to label cords and cables.
If your back office looks anything like the GCN Lab, then you probably have miles of spaghetti cabling running in all directions. Once carefully placed, phone lines, network cables, power cords, printer lines, USB extenders and serial cables have long since been buried by other lines to the point that just getting from point A to point B to troubleshoot problems becomes a day-long exercise.
In the past we’ve attempted to resolve these issues by various means, including wrapping tape around the lines and marking them with a Sharpie. Unfortunately, all these solutions eventually failed. But that was before we got a hold of a pig’s tail, or actually, a PigTail.
The PigTail is essentially a tag with a label on the front and curly cues on the back. A lot of them are pink, though there are plenty of non-pink colors too. The key to the PigTail’s patented design is a flexible plastic coil that clips onto the cable or cord, hugging it tightly to prevent sliding. It’s an easy, clear way to identify which device a cord or cable connects to.
Measuring almost two inches wide and a half-inch high, the PigTail is both compact and highly visible. It features an adhesive label for writing the name of the device and its display area is Avery-label compatible. The PigTail is 100 percent made in the USA, so government agencies should have no trouble buying them. Its packaging is made from recycled materials and printed with vegetable-based ink.
“Cable confusion is not only a hassle but it can seriously damage your device if you have mismatched amperage or ports,” says company founder and CEO Diana Thomas, who conceived the PigTail to quell her own frustrations then developed it through five prototypes over a two-year period. “We believe our little system is the most clever and effective answer to hit the market. It works with all types of cords and cables but is particularly suitable for small-diameter ones. It comes in several different eye-catching colors and, as an added bonus, it’s cute.”
A four-pack can be purchased for $4.29 and bigger boxes with 100 PigTails can be found for $55 at www.SimpleSolutionCo.com.