Get More Out of Your PC

With these tips and techniques, you can teach any machine new tricks, from recording radio to saving you money on phone bills.

Unclutter Your Cables

Illustration by Harry Campbell. Illustration: Harry CampbellYou have power cables, network cables, speaker cables, keyboard and mouse cables.... Is it any wonder that the back of your PC looks like you've dropped a bowl of overcooked spaghetti down there? The good news is, it doesn't have to be that way. These products will restore order to that scary space behind your system.

Snap-to Cables

Cable Turtle Photograph: Rick RiznerThe handy Cable Turtles are great for anyone whose speaker cables are too long but who doesn't want to trim them. Open the little devices up, wrap the cables inside, snap the pieces closed, and the extra cable length stays tidily in place.

Cables Under Wraps

Cable Tamer Photograph: Rick RiznerChances are a number of cables run from your PC to the top of your desk--the mouse cable, the monitor cable, and the keyboard cable, at least. The Cable Tamer is an easy way to route these: The plastic tube holds the cables together and attaches to the back of your desk with a cable tie. Adding or removing cables is also easy, as a split in the side of the tube provides quick access.

Going Under Cover

Cord Cover Photograph: Rick RiznerYour computer needs juice, but that's no reason to leave the power cables lying around where you can trip over them. A cord cover holds several cables and runs across the floor or along the baseboard without endangering life and limb. If you're looking for a more permanent solution, consider surface raceways, which mount on walls easily to keep your cables out of the way.

Hidden-Cord Trick

Cord Organizer Photograph: Rick RiznerOne of the surest ways to keep the rat's nest of cables running to your computer nice and neat is by using a product like the WireMate Cord Organizer. This box offers a convenient way to wrap up excess lengths of cable. The unit mounts behind or underneath your desk and has a removable cover, so adding or removing cables is a breeze.

Flex Your Power Cords

PowerSquid Photograph: Rick RiznerBig, boxy power adapters are a real pain: Stick one on a normal power strip, and it blocks the sockets next to it. The PowerSquid can accommodate adapters the size of cinder blocks. The device's sockets are placed on the end of short cables, so up to five devices can run off of a single unit, no matter how large their power bricks are.