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USB-C upgrade will more than double its power capacity to 240W
An update to USB-C standard could deliver 240W of power, more than double the connector's current capacity.
Saqib Shah05.26.2021
Anker charging accessories are at all-time lows on Amazon
A range of Anker's power banks and chargers are currently on sale at Amazon.
Saqib Shah05.12.2021
Dodge's 2FA security update for muscle cars will slow thieves to a crawl
A security PIN for Dodge's performance vehicles stops anyone else from speeding away -- even if they have a key.
Richard Lawler03.24.2021
Rivian plans a network of 10,000 EV chargers in North America by 2023
Rivian is countering Tesla by planning a network of 10,000 EV chargers across the US and Canada by 2023.
Jon Fingas03.20.2021
VW shows its mobile EV charging robot in action
VW has shown its prototype EV charging robot in action, hinting at a future where you don't have to park in a dedicated space to recharge.
Jon Fingas12.28.2020
Xiaomi's wireless charger can fill a 4,000mAh battery in under 20 minutes
Now that Apple finally introduced wireless charging with the iPhone 12, Xiaomi was showing off a solution that’s over five times faster. It demonstrated an 80 watt wireless charger that could bring a modified Mi 10 Pro with a 4,000 mAh battery from 0 to a 50 percent charge in 8 minutes, or up to 100 percent in just 19 minutes.
Steve Dent10.19.2020
Apple revives MagSafe with new wireless chargers and cases for iPhone
Apple has long retired its MagSafe power ports, but apparently it has yet to let go of the name. The company has just announced new wireless chargers that have inherited the MagSafe moniker: the MagSafe Charger and the MagSafe Duo Charger.
Nicole Lee10.13.2020
Will gallium nitride electronics change the world?
The semiconductor GaN has already changed the world once, it's at the heart of blue and white LEDs, but researchers are looking at how this materials could revolution power systems, space travel, telecommunications, and even processors.
Christopher Schodt07.02.2020
This year's iPhones might not include a charger in the box
Apple is reportedly leaving the charger out of the box for the next iPhone.
Jon Fingas06.28.2020
A $1 billion initiative aims to bring EV chargers to highways and rural areas
While Tesla, Electrify America and others technically have nationwide EV charging networks, they don't really provide full coverage -- many rural areas are far from any kind of charger infrastructure. ChargePoint believes it can help close that gap, though. It's teaming with NATSO on a $1 billion effort to bring EV chargers to over 4,000 travel centers and truck stops (which NATSO represents) by 2030, with a particular focus on highways and rural areas. This could both spur EV adoption in rural towns and help with long-distance travel for everyone, ChargePoint said.
Jon Fingas02.06.2020
Apple says EU push for universal phone charger would 'stifle innovation'
The European Parliament has renewed its push for a phone charger standard through an amended draft law, and it won't surprise you to hear that Apple has raised objections. The iPhone maker has issued a statement arguing that rules dictating a common connector in phones "stifles innovation" and would hurt the public more than it helped. To support its claims, the company commissioned a study from Copenhagen Economics claiming that a common charger move would cost €1.5 billion (about $1.7 billion), more than negating the €13 million ($14.4 million) in potential environmental benefits. It even suggested the EU might create an environmental problem by "disrupting" hundreds of millions of people who use Apple devices with Lightning ports.
Jon Fingas01.23.2020
This Apple Watch charger plugs directly into your iPad or MacBook
It's not very fun to lug the Apple Watch's included (and fairly lengthy) charger around with you, especially if you don't have any spare USB-A ports or wall outlets. From now on, though, all you'll need is a spare USB-C port. Satechi has released a USB-C Magnetic Charging Dock that will top up the Apple Watch using any powered (you guessed it) USB-C port. You could recharge from a battery bank on a camping trip, a 12V car adapter on the road or even an iPad Pro while you're sipping coffee.
Jon Fingas12.19.2019
Google Maps helps you find EV chargers that work with your car
Google Maps can help you find available EV charging stations, but that doesn't mean they're stations you can use -- and that might be a problem if you show up at the wrong station with a low battery. Thankfully, Google might help you avoid that slip-up in the future. It recently updated Maps on Android (it's not clear that iOS has this yet) to allow filtering stations by those that your car supports. If you need a CHAdeMO station and don't have an adapter, you'll know just where you can go to recharge.
Jon Fingas12.15.2019
Germany's leader wants 1 million EV charging points by 2030
Electric car charging stations are still relatively few and far between, but they might be ubiquitous within a decade -- in Germany, at least. Chancellor Angela Merkel has declared that the government wants a "million charging points" in the country by 2030. That would represent 50 times more than the roughly 20,000 points available now. Not surprisingly, Merkel didn't expect this to happen through sheer force of will. The industry will need to "participate in this effort" if it's going to come about, she said.
Jon Fingas11.03.2019
VW's Electrify America starts selling its first home EV charger
Electrify America isn't focused solely on public charging stations. The VW outfit is now offering its first home unit, the simply titled Electric Vehicle Home Charger, on Amazon. The $499 box provides Level 2 charging at up to 7.6kW for "all" EVs sold in North America, or about 25 miles per hour depending on the car. That's not going to make you skip Electrify's own 150kW or 350kW chargers. It should, however, ensure that your car is topped up before you leave for work in the morning.
Jon Fingas10.01.2019
Volta's EV network gives you 30 minutes of free fast charging
If you build a free high-speed charging network, will affluent EV owners come? Charging company Volta will soon find out, as it has unveiled plans to install 150 public-access DC fast-charging stations. EV owners heading to shopping centers, supermarkets, and sports stadiums will get a free half-hour of charging, equivalent to about 175 miles of range at 100kW stations. After that, they'll be able to pay to continue the charging session.
Steve Dent10.01.2019
Human Things' Switch charger is also a portable TV dock
If you're looking for a portable way to play Nintendo Switch games on a big screen, a new Kickstarter project from accessory maker Human Things, creators of a Switch Bluetooth audio dongle, might be just what you need.
Georgina Torbet08.08.2019
GM will help Chevy EV owners find certified home charger installers
General Motors wants to make it easier for Chevy EV-owners to charge their vehicles at home. Customers can now visit the Chevrolet.com Charging Page and search for certified charger installers. They'll be able to fill in details about their home, compare quotes and contact an installer from the page. Chevy hopes the new feature (the result of a partnership with Qmerit) will convince more people to buy EVs.
Christine Fisher07.18.2019
Raspberry Pi 4 doesn't work with some USB-C chargers
The Raspberry Pi 4 promises to be a boon for homebrew gadget makers, but it has flaw that could pose headaches for some users. Tyler Ward and others have discovered that the Pi 4 isn't using a properly designed USB-C port. Instead of giving two pins their own resistor, Raspberry Pi created a custom circuit that has them sharing a single resistor. As a result, some USB-C chargers (those with "e-marked" cables) will only recognize the Pi 4 as an audio accessory and won't charge it.
Jon Fingas07.09.2019
EVgo's 'roaming' deals give you access to 450 more fast chargers
It can be challenging enough to find electric car charging stations of any kind, let alone to look for one belonging to your charging network of choice. The hunt is about to get considerably easier, though. EVgo has forged agreements with ChargePoint and EV Connect that will let customers of one charging network 'roam' on the chargers of the other. You won't necessarily have to sign up for multiple accounts or face extra fees just to have enough electricity to get home.
Jon Fingas06.18.2019