Wireless Power Is Still Pretty Useless

by dabent on 10/23/2009, 6:47 PM with 7 comments
  • by callmeed on 10/23/2009, 9:09 PM

    I noticed this the other day while cruising Target. They had a big PowerMat endcap display in the electronics dept.

    $99 for the powermat base, then $39.99 for the iPhone module.

    So, we're talking about a $140 charger for a device that starts at $99.

    The article mentions convenience, but I don't even see that. There is no distinguishable time savings and the only other convenience I can think of it using less outlets. Not to mention the additional bulk that is added to your iPhone.

    Sorry, but even with a price drop, I see this thing being relegated to the Sharper Image & Sky Mall catalogs.

  • by devicenull on 10/23/2009, 7:26 PM

    I'd definitely have to agree with the article, it must be cheap and standardized before it's useful to me. Once that happens though, this can be amazingly handy.

    I don't really understand why it's not cheap, the basic concept is just two coils of wire as far as I know. There has to be something I'm missing that makes it expensive, though I have no idea what.

  • by beambot on 10/23/2009, 9:50 PM

    I understand that _consumer_ wireless power has not yet achieved its full potential. But those systems do not represent the entirety of wireless power...

    For example, RFID access cards (like those found in student IDs) use wireless power to transmit their ID. Quite ubiquitous, and definitely not "useless".

    There are also examples of robots using wireless power to great utility -- again, not "useless"

    http://www.hizook.com/blog/2008/10/07/wirelessly-powering-sw...

  • by on 10/23/2009, 7:27 PM

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  • by lurkinggrue on 10/23/2009, 10:29 PM

    I do love my touchstone charger for my Palm Pre.

    Still sticking a thing on an iphone and buying a $99 matt is way too much of a kludge.

    Best if it is built into the design.