Dell's 2-in-1 Latitude 7285 ditches the charging cable
But you'll have to invest in a desktop charging mat.
After packing 10 speakers into a desktop all-in-one, Dell has another cord-cutting trick up its sleeve. The Latitude 7285 2-in-1 is a hybrid laptop and detachable tablet that also happens to be the first such device to offer a wireless-charging keyboard base. Of course, you'll need to buy Dell's new desktop wireless charging pad to actually make use of the feature, but that peripheral is also compatible with the latest Airfuel Alliance standard, which should broaden its usefulness a bit.
The wireless charging keyboard is actually one of three keyboard options for the Latitude 7285; the other two are slim travel keyboard and a productivity keyboard that adds four hours of battery life plus keys with more desktop-like key travel. Although the productivity base doesn't offer wireless charging, that extra battery life might come in handy, since Dell estimates the tablet alone only gets about 6 hours of juice. According to WiTricity, Dell's partner for the wireless charging tech, the charging pad will work with other Airfuel-certified products and the Latitude 7285 can also charge on other Airfuel-certified pads -- assuming the power delivery specs match up.
There's no pricing for the 7285 or any of the peripherals just yet, but Dell expects the device to go on sale in late May.
Update: An earlier version of this story misreported that the Latitude 7285 was compatible with the Qi wireless charging spec, the device actually works on the Airfuel Alliance standard.
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