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Wireless charging comes to Apple's iPhone 3GS, thanks to WildCharge
Envious of your Pre toting pals and that Touchstone charging rig? Don't sweat it -- WildCharge is coming through in the clutch to bring similar wireless charging technology to Apple's own handset. Starting today, iPhone (3G and 3GS included) and iPod touch users can order up a WildCharge Skin along with a WildCharger Pad in order to bring wire-free charging to their smartphone. Just slap the skin on, plug the pad in and toss the handset down on said pad. Just like that, you've got fresh energy flowing without having to scour the house for that little AC adapter. The pain? $34.99 for the skin, or $79.99 for the skin and pad.
Mojo Mobility shows off wireless charging on Intel MIDs
Despite overwhelming evidence showing that MIDs just aren't the next big thing, Intel refuses to give up on the idea. To that end, Mojo Mobility has seemingly drank the Kool-Aid as well, showing off a new wireless charging system on those very devices at Computex. The Near Field Power solution can be integrated into mobile devices much like the Palm Pre, and the Mojo pad enables current to be transferred easily as soon as the device is laid to rest on said mat. Heck, it's even smart enough to turn itself off once the device reaches a full charge. Unfortunately, pricing for the Mojo system is still undisclosed, but we're told that several OEMs are already looking into baking it into their next-gen products.
Palm Pre Touchstone to be an entire product line, not just a charging dock
Although Palm's reps basically stick to the same script when giving out those lengthy Pre walkthrough demos, every now and again they'll let something interesting slip -- like the fact that the Touchstone inductive charging dock is just the first product in an entire line of Touchstone wireless products. It's not clear if that simply means that "Touchstone" will be Palm's wireless power branding, or if there will be Touchstone products that do more than simply charge devices, but we're certainly eager to find out more -- and hopefully soon. Video clip after the break.[Via PreThinking]
Video: Powermat's wireless charging lineup in action
We already ran through Powermat's new wireless charging lineup, but in case you wanted to see it in action -- you skeptic, you -- there's video after the break.
Palm Pre's wireless charger, the Touchstone
Palm just announced its wireless charger for the new Palm Pre, dubbed the Touchstone. No word on whether this is optional or standard, or if it's optional how much it'll go for, but it's certainly great to see a mainstream device get something like this first party. Update: Palm's website is saying this will be sold separately.
Intel demos a wireless power broadcasting system, villagers terrified
We've seen a number of wireless power systems come and go, but for all the hype-filled bombast and occasional working demo, the tech just hasn't gone anywhere -- but even with that background, Intel's demo of a wireless power system that can broadcast 60 watts of power up to three feet at IDF with 75 percent efficiency has us giddy with excitement. The system works using essentially the same magnetic induction principle as all the others, but Intel's seems the furthest along, and the company hopes to one day be able to charge laptops with it. Yeah, we'll take three.Read - NYT articleRead - Pictures from the presentation
Powermat promises wireless power for the masses, delivers nothing
We've seen quite a few induction-based "wireless power" systems make the scene, and while the idea is interesting both in theory and prototype, actually getting it to market has proven to be quite difficult, with some casualties along the way. That's why we're a little wary of new claims by Israel's Powermat, Ltd. that it's ready to go with tech that'll turn "any surface" into a power source. Well, that, and the PR image they sent us has the iPod charging screen Photoshopped onto every device pictured, including a first-gen RAZR and an N95. Oh, and they claim that embedding PowerMat in sheetrock eliminates the need for outlets entirely, but we're not at all sure how that's supposed to work -- do you have to hold your devices against the wall all night? Add to that the interesting claims that Powermat's tech delivers energy in "real time," and that it "completely eliminates the potential for electrical fires," and we're in full put-up-or-shut-up mode over here. Think you can top the wireless hamburger, Powermat?
Splashpower can't wirelessly recharge bank account, declares bankruptcy
We're never going to give up the dream of wireless charging, but it looks like the high costs of developing the technology plus the battle to build it into portable devices has claimed early wireless pioneer Splashpower. We've been following the company since 2004, but we never really saw any commercial-ready products emerge from its labs, while companies like WildCharge and eCoupled have managed to at least produce demo-quality gear. Here's hoping an interested investor picks up what's left of the R&D and runs with it.[Thanks, John]
MWg and Splashpower team up for wireless charging of smartphones
Mobile & Wireless Group (MWg) and Splashpower have joined hands in an effort to bring wireless charging to the mobile masses. Using electromagnetic induction instead of a traditional plug on the handset, by just dropping -- well, no need to actually drop it -- the handset on a Splashpower pad the built-in inductive charging components in the phone will begin to renew your battery without a need to actually plug it in. The first handsets are due out in the second half of the year and we're positively stoked to see one of these in action.[Via textually.org]
WildCharger wireless charger poised for pre-order
With MIT's recent breakthrough in wireless electricity, we've been pretty hyped up on cutting the final cord that keeps our gadgets tethered to the wall and one another, so our ears certainly perked up when we learned that WildCharge's WildCharger powerpad is set to go up for pre-order. First revealed late last year, the multi-device induction charging surface is finally poised to begin taking orders come July 7th -- or 07/07/07, if you're into the whole numerology thing. Curiously there's no word yet on how much these things will set you back, but as usual, we're willing to pay through the nose to be the hippest kids on the block.
WildCharger charges your gadgetry sans wires
While it's taken Wireless USB quite awhile to gain its footing, we're hoping wireless charging will follow suit – and soon. While we've seen snippets of charging solutions using wind, bicycles, sunlight, and other oddities, charge-by-contact pads have a real shot at practicality. Aside from Splashpower's often overlooked offerings, and DoCoMo's "contactless" recharger, we haven't seen too much action on the wire-free charging front in quite some time. Thankfully, WildCharge is apparently stepping to the plate, and hopes to show off its WildCharger pad at CES; the device requires a single AC power cord, and then can reportedly recharge any device you lay atop its surface, be it cellphones, PDAs, or awkwardly-shaped headphones. While we presume a special module will need to be installed on each battery that hopes to receive its share of electromagnetic induction, we're still down with the idea. With "initial reports" suggesting that pricing will be somewhere in the $40 to $100 range, this may not be too bad a deal if it'll rejuvinate our Dell M2010 as well.[Via Textually]
