I love buying new gadgets, but the plastic clamshells they've all been coming in lately are a giant pain in the ass. It's holding a new set of earbuds for crying out loud, not government secrets.
Scissors? They weren't designed to cut through the industrial strength polymers they're using. And there's always that point where you get about halfway up and you can't go any farther because you've lost leverage and the plastic starts cutting into your hand.
They call it "wrap rage", the uncontrollable urge to start stabbing the package with a knife in a fit of homicidal mania. And it can also strike when you're trying to tear the wrapping off a new CD or DVD.
Over at Zibra, a product development company, they've come up with a better way to deal with clamshell lockout. It's called Open It, and its sole purpose is to get you using your newly purchased items faster and injury-free.
Up front is a pair of heavy-duty alloy steel cutting blades, made to
snip through hard plastic, vinyl straps and twist ties. And the blades are offset, so your hands don't get in the way as you cut towards the middle of the pack. The handle houses a pair of useful tools: a retractable utility knife for slicing through CD wrappers and sealed boxes (a safety lock keeps you from slitting your fingers), and an interchangeable Phillips and slotted mini screwdriver to get those battery compartments open on your new electronics. Best of all, it doesn't come packaged in a clamshell.
$10.99
Available at Home Depot and Walgreens
www.enjoyzibra.com
www.wrapragecure.com