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B&O made a wireless charging case for its all-wireless earphones
More audio companies are trying to make their true wireless earphone charging cases fashionable as well as functional. Klipsch has revealed a Zippo-style case for its first true wireless set, while Bang & Olufsen has updated the stylish leather case for its Beoplay E8 2.0 earphones. What's more, unlike most other cases, you can charge this one wirelessly.
Apple's AirPower wireless charger could launch around September
Apple's iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are the company's first devices to include wireless charging support. Back when they announced last September, Apple also said it would be releasing its own wireless charging mat, called AirPower. This wasn't like every other mat out there, though, in that it could charge multiple devices at once -- an iPhone X, Apple Watch Series 3 and a set of AirPods, for example. The AirPower was given a vague 2018 release date, but according to sources speaking to Bloomberg, development of the mat has been marred with issues. Apparently it was expected to be on sale by this month, but is now likely to hit shelves around September, probably with the AirPods wireless charging case in tow.
Microsoft earns patent for claimed wireless charging improvement, pad with info screen
Device makers are bent on bringing us inductive charging, and Redmond has joined the fray with a recently allotted patent that describes all kinds of tech that could make it work better. For the charging itself, a trick is proposed that's similar to one we've seen before -- careful matching of the resonant frequency of charger and device. That would amplify efficiency and allow more than one device to be charged at a time. To make it easier to use, a pressure sensor could detect if a device was on the pad, with different parts of the pad allocated for smartphones or tablets, for instance. The patent also proposes a display placed opposite the charger to give it another use when it's not juicing, which would be determined by a gyro to sense which side was facing up. Of course, a lot of patents are whimsical things, which never amount to anything -- but judging by the detail in this one, Microsoft may have something more concrete in mind.
Qualcomm pairs up with Delta Motorsport, flirts with Renault for Halo wireless charging trials
Qualcomm will be trialling its wireless charging system in London later this year, adding two names to turn Qualcomm Halo from a New Zealand science project into reality. It's teaming up with Delta Motorsport, which will add the induction platform to some of its E-4 electric sports coupés in preparation for the city-wide trial. It's also signed a memorandum of understanding with Renault, paving the way for the French auto maker to investigate adding the tech to future EVs. As part of the deal, both companies will get a seat on the steering committee for the project -- maybe the company will let them sit in the passenger seat and change gears.
HTC Thunderbolt inductive charging back hits FCC, makes life with LTE a little easier
That inductive-charging backplate for the HTC Thunderbolt just hit the FCC, which means keeping the battery-devouring device juiced is about to get a little less inconvenient. Instead of having to plug in three times a day just to keep that LTE radio happy you'll simply be able to rest it on a charging mat... three times a day. The part made a brief appearance in the Verizon shop for $39, but the rumored April release date came and went without so much as a peep from Big Red. While we still can't say for sure when it will land, at least we know it's coming sooner rather than later -- and we've got one less reason to reconsider that pocket-busting extended battery.
Droid Charge to revive its battery via induction, completes Verizon's Qi-based trifecta
After many unexplained delays, Verizon's Droid Charge has coaxed many anxious consumers toward the edge of their seats, but we've now uncovered a tidbit that's sure to drive these folks up the wall -- an FCC document confirms this elusive Droid supports inductive charging. Just like the Thunderbolt and Revolution, the Charge uses Qi-based technology to accomplish this wizardry, which combines an optional back plate that pairs nicely with Big Red's forthcoming charging pad. As for the launch of the phone, we've stopped holding our breath. Many local Verizon resellers report the handset is in stock, however the carrier seems content in toying with the hearts of its devotees. Jump the break for a quick peek at the FCC label, which admittedly is rather bland... although it delivers the proof we all desire.
LG gets official with WCP-700 Wireless Charging Pad, fails to provide pricing
So, there's good news and bad. Naturally, we're going to start with the former. A month after we spotted this character sneaking around at Mobile World Congress, LG has finally taken the (official) wraps off of its incoming WCP-700 Wireless Charging Pad. It's a pretty familiar design -- a slim (6.29- x 3.54- x 0.39-inch) inductive charging pad with a battery of LEDs to let you know the current status of things. We're guessing this guy is designed to work initially with the Verizon-bound Revolution, but given that LG makes no mention of what phones / cases will eventually be compatible, it'll have to remain just that for now. As for the bad news? Well, aside from not knowing what exactly this unit is for (in terms of compatibility), we're also left in the dark when it comes to pricing and a ship date. But hey, at least we've got a trio of high resolution images to gawk at. Update: Fulton Innovation has just confirmed that LG is using its Qi-compliant eCoupled technology for the charging pad. %Gallery-119458%
Verizon and HTC offer Thunderbolt extended battery, give your phone dumps like a truck
Though never confirmed by Verizon, it seems likely that battery life (or more accurately, the lack thereof) played a part in the series of delays preceding the Thunderbolt's launch. To combat this problem, Big Red and HTC are offering a rather unsightly extended battery pack that nearly doubles the handset's capacity from 1400mAh to 2750mAh. All that extra juice will certainly come in handy for folks leaning heavily on the phone's LTE radio. However, the device costs $50 and adds an ounce of junk in the trunk -- on a device that isn't svelte to begin with -- so why not buy another standard battery for ten bucks less instead? Then you can use the Qi-compatible back and induction charging station Verizon's releasing in April -- both are pictured after the break. It's just under $100 ($29 for the back and $69 for the pad) for those who want to cut the cord and don't mind the expanded waistline we assume comes with the privilege.
LG Revolution gets Fulton inductive charging back, HTC and Samsung handsets joining the party soon
We've just swooped our way through the Fulton Innovation stand here at MWC and found, sat next to the familiar light-up cereal box, a peculiar version of the Verizon LTE network-riding LG Revolution. Thicker than its CES-announced counterpart (by only 1.5mm, if the Fulton reps are to be believed), this Revolution features a Qi wireless charging-compatible back, which happens to go very nicely with a Verizon-branded inductive charging station. You can scope those out in the gallery below. We're told the back cover that makes this possible will be available as an accessory in the next 30 to 60 days, but the excitement for us was in hearing that Samsung also has an unannounced handset that will feature a similar add-on, which will be landing in the same timespan. While at the stand, we were also shown the back cover of an HTC Thunderbolt -- we weren't told the Thunderbolt will be making like the Revolution and getting its own chunky wireless charging adapter, but don't be surprised if it does. %Gallery-116621%
GM invests $5 million in Powermat, says wireless charging headed to Volt in 2012
GM may have filed for bankruptcy back in 2009, but a lot has changed since then. GM's venture branch now apparently has enough cash in the bank to drop five million on a multi-year commercial deal for Powermat's wireless charging technology. The terms of the deal give GM the option to convert their investment into an equity stake within the first six months and provide GM exclusive use of Powermat's technology for one year in vehicles worldwide. Subsequently, the Volt is slotted to be one of the first vehicles receiving the new tech and a prototype version with charging mats in the front consoles and back seat will be shown this year at CES. However, the automaker is unsure as to what other models will receive Powermat upgrades. Micky Bly, leader of GM's electric car development efforts, stated though that initial tests did not reveal any significant issues with porting the technology into vehicles, leading GM to shoot for launching commercial integrations sometime in 2012. The automaker hasn't forgotten its an investor however and hopes other manufacturers will join the wireless charging bandwagon to help drive down costs after their exclusive buffer ends.