PhoneCharger
Latest
Pebble founder's comeback is a battery case for iPhone and AirPods
After ushering in the smartwatch movement in 2012, Eric Migicovsky's Pebble brand fell by the wayside. The company was saved from bankruptcy by Fitbit, which acquired its talent and software last year, but ditched its beloved devices. Now, the man behind the e-watch timepiece is returning to the site of his greatest success: Kickstarter. And, this time, he's packing an iPhone case.
Swich proves a wireless phone charger doesn't have to be an eyesore
Wireless smartphone chargers have been around for quite sometime, but they usually forgo attractive aesthetics and any added functionality. Those who prefer a much more attractive option now have one with Swich: an accessory that lifts that handset off of your desk without a tether, keeping all of its buttons accessible while lending a better viewing angle. The units are constructed with sustainable American walnut and ceramics, adding a mirco-suction grip to keep gadgets from slipping while they recharge. The panel on which that daily driver rests also rotates to accommodate both landscape and portrait orientations. Of course, you'll need a Qi-compatible device or a case that adds the functionality, but those unable to pass up dapper design can snag a unit for $170 via Kickstarter.
Duracell Powermat announces 24-Hour Power System, we go hands-on (video)
Since Duracell and Powermat formed their wireless charging alliance late last year, we've seen the Powermat debut at CES and heard quite a bit about the company's vision for future battery tech. Today the company is unveiling a new charging system which, while not drastically different from the Powermat we've seen before, bundles a few useful products together. In addition to a Powermat for charging the iPhone or iPhone 4, the 24-Hour Power System includes a phone case (necessary for juicing a phone on the Powermat) and a portable backup battery with both microUSB and Apple connectors. The whole package will set you back $100, and it's available online and in NYC stores starting today. Though the system currently only supports the iPhone, the company says it will add compatibility with "an array of other leading smartphones" by this fall. Check out our hands-on demo with Duracell Powermat CEO Ron Rabinowitz below. %Gallery-157374%
Insert Coin: Ray solar charger adheres to your window, basks in the sunlight
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. The most frustrating products are the ones that have such simple ideas, you're upset that it hasn't been done before -- or that you weren't the one that came up with it. No idea is so simple as the brilliant Ray solar charger. A mobile phone juicer that comes with a kickstand and built-in suction cup so that it's nearly always pointed right at the sun. If you think that sounds like simple madness or genius, click past the break to find out why it could be worth your investment.
European Union's 'One charger for all' starts sampling, coming this year
It was way back in summer of 2009 that Nokia, Apple, RIM, and the rest of the mobile world agreed to make micro-USB the connector around which all future European chargers would be built. Since then, most of those companies have transitioned their hardware to micro-USB without further prompting, but the European Union is still pushing ahead with a universally compatible charger standard to make sure everything is nice and harmonized. The details of what's expected of these chargers were published in December and now the first samples of the new hardware have been produced. The EU expects all manufacturers to have chargers adhering to the new guidelines by the end of 2011 -- and if you're wondering about how Apple, one of the signatories to this agreement, will handle it, there's a note to say that adapters will be allowed on phones without a micro-USB port. Full press release after the break.
European standardization bodies formalize micro-USB cellphone charger standard
It's been more than a year since Nokia, Apple, RIM, Motorola and just about every other major cellphone manufacturer agreed on a micro-USB cellphone charger standard for Europe, but the two key European standards bodies have just now finally followed up on their end of the bargain. CEN-CENELEC and ETSI have today published harmonized standards for a universal cellphone charger based on micro-USB, which has now put the ball back in the manufacturers' court to actually produce phones that rely on the newly standardized chargers. According to the European Commission, the first of those are expect to arrive sometime "in the first months of 2011," and it expects the chargers to be "predominant" within two years. Head on past the break for the official announcement. [Thanks, Pavel]
Eton Raptor emergency radio trades the crank for solar power, rakish good looks
If "danger" is your middle name and yet "caution" a favorite word, you've probably already got an ugly old emergency radio buried somewhere in your car. Today, Eton's unveiling a model that you might actually feel comfortable using in public without disaster having to strike first. The solar-powered Eton Raptor boasts a slender, 11-ounce carabiner-like design that seems positively packed with tools, including the typical (AM / FM / WB radio, compass, LED flashlight), the adventurous (altimeter, barometer) and the plain ol' useful (audio line-in, bottle opener). It's also got a USB port for charging gadgets from the internal 1800mAh battery and takes splash-proof cues from the Eton Soulra. No word on price, but we know a few road warriors who might be interested when it hits shelves in the first quarter of next year. PR after the break, images immediately below. %Gallery-111814%
Orange Power Wellies convert all that dancin' to juice for your mobile
We're coming upon festival season again, and you know what that means -- Orange is dragging their solar energy tent to Glastonbury. This year, prepare to charge your mobile phone while checking out the acts at the John Peel Stage, courtesy of your new Power Wellies. Developed in partnership with GotWind, the soles of the boots collect heat all day and, using something called the Seebeck effect, this heat is converted into electricity -- electricity that can be used to recharge your phone later that night. As if you needed an excuse to dance in the first place! PR after the break. %Gallery-94553%
Apple supporting universal European handset chargers
Last week I ordered my iPhone 3GS from the AT&T Store (no Apple Stores out here in the boonies). Five days later it was ready to be picked up and I drove out to the mall to get it.While the AT&T employee activated it and performed the soul-stealing voodoo that accompanies a new sale, a woman at the next counter was exchanging her own AT&T phone (not an iPhone). I only heard a part of her conversation, but it went something like this:"Can I use my old adapter with this one?""No, m'am. You'll have to buy a new one.""What about my car charger?""No, that will need to be replaced, too.""Ugh. OK. I'll just throw them away."What a nuisance. She's got to spend extra money and those plastic and electronic doodads will occupy the bottom of a landfill until The End Of Days. The problem is even worse in the Europen Union. Fortunately, a group of manufacturers, including Apple, is working to change that. Apple, Nokia and Research in Motion have agreed to support a European Union-backed initiative to standardize these devices across the EU. It's a good idea that would benefit consumers and the environment. The agreement is limited to smartphones for now, but if all goes well, will be expanded in 2012. Good luck to everyone involved.
Cellphone charger blamed for blaze in Delaware
Details on this one are remarkably skimpy, but here are the facts as we know them. A fire caused around $30,000 worth of damage to a mobile home in Delaware this past week, but thankfully, the Millsboro and Indian River firefighters found no one home at the time of the incident. The culprit? A "malfunctioning cellphone charger that ignited the wall covering in a bedroom." That's it, folks -- no manufacturer, no brand name, nothing. In other words, unplug your chargers when you leave the house... or store your home in a fireproof safe, either one.[Thanks, Carl]
Sony's Energy LINK USB power supply / recharger
Not everyone is equipped with the skills (and time) necessary to craft their own flashlight-based cellphone charger, so Sony's looking out for those who'd rather throw down a few bills than handle a soldering iron. Looking to grab business from individuals packing a gazillion or so gadgets that receive energy via USB, the Energy LINK USB adapter provides a no frills alternative to charging and powering your device on-the-go. Aside from doubling as a recharging middleman, it comes with two rechargeable Cycle Energy batteries -- which purportedly "bridge the gap" between alkaline and NiMH cells -- to provide portable charging and power. The included batteries can be fully recharged in around three hours, but there's no word on just how much charging / powering abilities it possesses once powered up. Still, for those needing a simple charging option or a makeshift USB power supply in times of emergency, Sony's $35 Energy LINK should do the trick when it lands this summer.
Exploding SE phone charger hits three year-old
Far be it from us to revel misfortunes of others, but is it really heartless of us to have a chuckle at the thought of a little kid getting nailed in the chest by phone charger shrapnel? Yeah, we suppose it is, but at least we're on the up about it, which is more than we can say about Sony Ericsson and their CST-20 charger. Turns out a UK man recently had a run-in with a rogue CST-20 unit, which after being plugged in for 45 seconds blew up in his kitchen. The room was sprayed with shrapnel, and the man's three year-old son was nailed in the chest with the lid of the unit. Along with tripping the circuit breaker and filling the house with fumes, the explosion managed to get a vulgar yell out of the man's wife upstairs, which really seems to make it all worthwhile. The man doesn't think so, and is of course looking into the matter legally. Sony Ericsson says the CST-20 is built by a different manufacturer than the one responsible for the infamous CST-13 of 2003.[Via textually.org]
