Why You Can Trust CNET Wipe your filthy fingers on this 'desktop snack rag'
An unusual Kickstarter project offers a way to wipe the Cheetos stains off your fingertips before you touch your computer keyboard.
Protect your keyboard.
Confession time. I sometimes eat breakfast at my desk. And lunch. Food and keyboards don't mix. The Wype Kickstarter project knows you probably snack while typing, so it wants to offer you a quick way to clean your fingers before you engage with your keyboard.
The Wype is described as a "desktop snack rag." It's a round, shag-carpet-like hunk of microfiber cloth that sits on your desk, giving you a place to clean off your fingers before you get to typing.
Most of us probably use a kitchen towel or napkin for crumb control, but there are advantages to using the Wype, which looks like a cousin to other widely sold microfiber cloths with fingers. It has a non-skid back to help it stay in place. It doesn't take up much space. The microfiber top is removable for cleaning. It also has an antimicrobial coating in case you're both a Cheetos lover and a germaphobe.
Some people may balk at the idea of a crumb and grease-filled Wype sitting on the desk day in and day out, but it's easier to throw it into the washing machine than it is to vacuum or shake crumbs out of your poor food-infested keyboard.
The project's creators explain the origin of the Wype: "The Wype was inspired by one of our late-night gaming sessions, when the Costco-sized bags of chips transformed from a tasty blessing to a curse -- our keyboards and mice were covered in grease and crumbs."
The Wype goes for a $15 (£12, AU$20) pledge, with worldwide shipping available. Keep in mind that not all crowdfunding projects deliver on time and as expected.
It remains to be seen if the idea of a purpose-built desktop snack rag will catch on. The Wype campaign has 15 days left and is still far from its $15,000 funding goal. Maybe people just don't want to confess to their messy eating habits around their computers.
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