Articles about Wireless Charging

There are many power banks on the market these days, and for the most part, they are all very similar. These devices are essentially big batteries with USB ports designed to charge up your smartphone multiple times when on the go. When you can't find an outlet, these power banks can be a godsend, but also, they can be a critical tool during a power outage. If you live in an area that gets hit by hurricanes and/or tropical storms, you should absolutely own at least one of them -- a few if you have a family.

Today, Satechi unveils a new such product that is very Apple-focused. Called "Quatro Wireless Power Bank," it has a dedicated Apple Watch charger, Qi wireless charging (perfect for compatible AirPods), and both a USB-A and USB-C port. Not only is it designed with Apple devices in mind, but its overall aesthetics seem inspired by the iPhone-maker too. It features a matte black design, but the outer rim is surrounded by a beautiful shiny metal. It weighs 0.58 lbs and its dimensions are 6.4 x 2.9 x 0.7 inches.

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When wireless charging went mainstream a few years back, it was expected to usher in a new era of convenience for consumers. It sounded irresistibly cool -- one of those things you just HAD to try. But when people finally did get their hands on a wireless charger, opened the box, and gave it a shot, the sparks just didn’t fly. This prophesied technology had finally arrived … and it was a letdown.

Before we go any further, let’s get one thing straight: wireless charging itself was not the problem. The concept wasn’t flawed, but the implementation was. We had been promised unparalleled convenience, but what we got was a solution with a fairly large margin of error.

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Qi wireless charging is one of the best inventions ever -- from a consumer electronics perspective, at least. True, it's no penicillin or automobile, but it has been a godsend for smartphone users. No longer do you have to fiddle about with cables like early man. Instead, you can live like you are in the year 3020 and charge up your devices by placing them atop a pad. Hell, it's not just smartphones using this technology, but things like headsets and keyboards too! Yes, it seems like Qi is being added to everything these days, and I couldn't be more pleased.

Today, Logitech is expanding it Qi wireless charging game with a trio of new "POWERED" chargers. Evolving from the original model, this line of chargers is designed to focus on simplicity and excellence. In other words, not only do they charge your devices, but they will look good while doing it. After all, this is Logitech we are talking about -- its accessories are always excellent. In fact, the company is calling these chargers "magical."

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Remember the Apple AirPower? If not, that is totally understandable. After all, the product never actually saw release. Please know, it was Apple's planned Qi wireless charging mat that could charge multiple devices at once. For whatever reason, the iPhone-maker canceled the product before it reached the public, saying it was not up to Apple's quality standards.

Impressively, popular accessory-maker Satechi has managed to do what Apple couldn't. You see, today, Satechi releases the Trio Wireless Charging Pad, which is capable of charging your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods at the same time. This is with a single USB-C cable. Wow. Of course, since it uses the Qi wireless charging standard, it can charge non-Apple devices too, such as an Android phone.

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X-Doria is most well known for its excellent phone cases, but in recent years, it has also been cranking out some premium mobile accessories too. For instance, late last year, the company released a really cool Qi phone charging mount for the car.

Today, the company launches two new mobile accessories -- the Defense Vertical Charger and the Defense Trek. The former is a premium USB-C Qi fast charger for iPhone and Android that props up your phone, while the latter is a durable case for your AirPods that comes with a handy carabiner (clip).

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As far as I'm concerned, wireless charging is one of the greatest inventions of the last decade. OK, true, there is still a wire involved since the charger plugs into the AC outlet, but it is just so elegant to not need to plug a cable into your phone. Convenience aside, this will also reduce wear and tear on the port, potentially causing your device to last longer.

Case-maker X-Doria has a new wireless charger, but it is not designed for your home -- unless you live in your car, that is. Yes, the "Defense Helix Car Mount," as it is called, is designed for your vehicle. Not only does it charge your phone (both 7.5W and 10W), but it props it up on your dashboard too.

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There are many Qi wireless chargers on the market these days. They have become very affordable, so if your phone supports the feature, you really should buy one. No longer will you need to fiddle with plugging a cable into your phone -- especially tedious when you are exhausted and just want to fall into bed.

Before you purchase a wireless charging pad, however, you should make sure you are getting one that is high-quality. I suggest looking for a reputable brand that does not have an integrated cable. Instead, you should target one with a removable cable -- preferably USB-C. The other thing to look at? Wattage. Not all pads are created equally, and depending on your phone, you may get faster charging speeds from a pad with higher watts. Today, Satechi launches a wireless charger that seemingly checks all the boxes.

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While the iPhone XS and XS Max look to be great smartphones, they are hardly revolutionary. In fact, as is customary with Apple's "S" models, they are simply evolutionary. This isn't a bad thing. Hell, for owners of prior iPhone devices, it is sort of a good thing -- there should be less of a desire to spend money on an upgrade. For instance, earlier this year, I chose the 8 Plus over the X, and none of the newest models (including the budget-friendly XR) have me chomping at the bit to spend my hard earned money on an upgrade.

One feature that got me to upgrade from the 6S Plus to the 8 Plus is wireless charging. I didn't have it before, and after buying the new iPhone, I did. Sadly, Apple still hasn't released its own such charging pad, so as more and more folks get iPhone devices with the capability, they must rely on third-party offerings. One such company that consistently releases quality accessories is Belkin, and to coincide with the release of the XS, XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4, it announces the BOOST↑UP Wireless Charging Dock for iPhone + Apple Watch. Yes, as the name implies, it can wirelessly charge both an iPhone and Apple Watch.

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Apple didn't invent wireless smartphone charging. Actually, the iPhone-maker was far behind in this regard -- there were already many Android and Windows Phones with the capability. Hell, the Palm Pre had that feature all the way back in 2009! The iPhone didn't get it until 2017. Isn't Apple supposed to be a trendsetter?

And yet, despite being a laggard, as is typical with Apple, its use of Qi charging accelerated the standard's popularity. Shockingly, the comapny still doesn't sell its own such charging dock -- its own product has been delayed. Thankfully, there are plenty of third party wireless chargers that are iPhone compatible. Today, Logitech unveils a Qi wireless charger that is designed for the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus. Called "POWERED," it cradles the phone and props it up vertically. This eliminates the possibility of misalignment, which can cause a failure to charge. And yes, POWERED supports Apple's 7.5watt fast-charging.

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Wireless charging is nothing new -- I first used it many years ago with a lowly Nokia Lumia running Windows Phone. For years, many Android phones have had this feature too. Apple's iPhone was very late to the Qi charging party, only launching in 2017, but I suppose late is better than never, right?

Today, Case-Mate launches a new wireless charger that is compatible with all Qi smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the latest iPhone devices -- 8, 8 Plus, and X. In fact, it supports fast wireless charging, so you can juice up your device more quickly (not as fast as using a wire, though). Best of all, it has a very unique design, where the charging pad itself can be inserted into a base. This allows the device to charge while laying flat or propped up in either portrait or landscape modes. In other words, you can decide how the phone is positioned, and you can change it whenever you want -- a very clever design.

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It is hard to get excited about a desk lamp. I mean, let's be honest -- they supply light and that's the end of the story, right? Well, no. Not necessarily. Actually, thanks to LED technology, there have been big advancements in both design and lighting capability.

Believe it or not, I am excited about a desk lamp, and there are many reasons why. It is from a company called TaoTronics and the product name is "LED Desk Lamp with Wireless Charger" (model number TT-DL036). As the name implies, it can wirelessly charge your compatible smartphones, such as the Galaxy S8 or iPhone 8. Actually, any device with Qi charging capabilities can be charged just by being placed on the lamp's base.

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With a predicted 200 billion connected devices in use by 2020, the Internet of Things is leading to a massive growth in the number of powered devices.

While this is a massive opportunity for manufacturers it's also a problem as all of those devices have to be kept powered up. Batteries are the current solution, but they're expensive, limit the design and life of a device, and contain nasty substances that are difficult to dispose of when they reach the end of their life.

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Xiaomi has joined a long list of companies as a member of the Wireless Power Consortium, the group that is behind the popular Qi wireless charging standard -- which may very well be a standard feature on its next Mi flagship.

Xiaomi has not made an announcement, but the fact that it is now listed on WPC's website as one of its members is enough to make it official. It joins the likes of Apple and Samsung as a backer of Qi wireless charging.

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When Apple joined the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) early this year, it became clear that we would see an iPhone with wireless charging. What we did not know for sure is whether this feature would be available in this year's generation.

Today we have our answer: the new iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus all come with wireless charging support out of the box. And, for users to take advantage of this functionality, Apple also announced a wireless charging pad, called AirPower.

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One of the things that the iPhone is missing compared to some of its main Android rivals is wireless charging support. While this may not sound like a major omission, many consumers nowadays -- especially buyers in this segment -- expect a modern smartphone to have this technology. And it looks like Apple might finally offer it.

In what can only be considered as a big first step towards an iPhone with wireless charging support, Apple has joined the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), the group responsible for promoting the Qi standard that is prevalent in devices that offer wireless charging -- like the Samsung Galaxy S7.

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