The quest for the perfect charging station, part 3

Well, this little device that we saw on Gizmodo may just take the cake. The WildCharge wireless charging station is simple and intriguing. The charger is nothing more than a mouse pad sized gadget that you lay your device on when it needs to be recharged. That’s right, you don’t even need to plug the device into anything, so goodbye to those cables!

You simply lay your iPod, cellphone, or PDA on the surface, and the charging begins. The WildCharge just might end the quest for the perfect charging station. They aren’t available until July 9, so mark it on your calendar and see how this thing performs.


Posted by Matt on Jun 15, 2007 | Comments

7 comments posted

  1. Posted by Tom Karches - 06/15/2007

    A nice idea, but the devices to be charged must be specially equipped to charge this way. It would be easier, cheaper and simpler to put all the charging bricks in a box with a plug strip. This is just inductive charging. SoniCare electric toothbrushes charge this way.

  2. Posted by adora - 06/15/2007

    Yeah, my toothbrush is charged with similar system. I’m concern about the power loss. Anyone know if there’s any?

    The Japanese scientists demonstrated a table with similar power panels. One can simply place a laptop on this table without a power cord! With blue tooth, wireless connections and all, one can truly be detangled at last!

  3. Posted by Cliff - 06/16/2007

    Tom, please research this device before commenting. Unlike a SonicCare toothbrush, the Wild Charge uses non-inductive technology.

  4. Posted by cbbrowne - 06/16/2007

    You cannot assume that this will work with *any* of your existing electronic devices; your devices are required to be “WildCharge Compatible” or you need to retrofit them with an adaptor.

    “Their system is claimed to be conductive, rather than inductive: devices will be powered by an attached or integrated adapter, which must itself touch the pad.”

    There won’t be *any* devices with integrated adaptors for a while, and it’s anybody’s guess how obtrusive the “attached adaptors” may be…

  5. Posted by Um Yeah - 06/20/2007

    The Gizmodo site clearly states
    “How the heck does this thing work?

    It uses non-inductive technology to pass the current from strip to device without all that falderal you usually have to go through to charge it. ”

    Ok it’s NON-INDUCTIVE…so what does that mean? I don’t care just as long as it works!

  6. Posted by Anonymous - 06/21/2007

    It’s basically a safe version of exposed wires charging your stuff. In order to charge them, though, you need an adapter that goes into your device that properly touches the exposed wires.

    If you have seen an iPod Nano very closely, you can recognize the foreign thing stick out of the bottom of the one in the picture.

  7. Posted by Lemonade Stand - 07/16/2007

    For your quest for the perfect charging station, check out the Pottery Barn charging station from the Bedford collection. It’s part of the new “smart” technology friendly furniture designs in the catalog. Cheers! And keep up all the fab uncluttery goodness.

    http://www.potterybarn.com/pro.....ey=gthmstt

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