MWg and Splashpower team up for wireless charging of smartphones
By Sean Cooper 
posted Jan 30th 2008 2:41PM
posted Jan 30th 2008 2:41PM
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]
I don't know that I understand that point of this technology. If I have to set the phone on top of this pad, which by the way is much bigger than the plug going into my Touch, then what it makes it SO MUCH MORE CONVENIENT than just plugging it in?
you can set more than one handset on it at a time.
haven't these been out for a while though?
Well, for one thing, it means your phone can be truly waterproof with no exposed data ports/charge ports/copper leads. All data transmission can be done via Bluetooth.
The future of charging is here and it is a frikin table
I only have one phone. Don't most people only have one phone?
phone, iPod, whatever can all just be put down on it to charge (if they have the internal magic)
Ah, if only Tesla's original idea of free wireless power for everyone came true
They're working on a variation of it currently. The problem has been bad efficiency due to the power loss on the other end.
I'm excited to just see the technology in action; battery life has arguably been the single greatest handicap to any and all portable devices.
Think about when wireless internet first came out: why, when your entire house was already conveniently wired with plugs and computers in several rooms, would you ever need a wireless connection?
I could see this spreading the same way WiFi has. Imagine a short-range model installed in coffee shops, where people could surf the web AND recharge their whatever while getting their morning joe. Tres cool.
The short range model I could see being very useful. Especially in coffee shops and airports. But this idea that I'm going to set my phone on a device, when I could just as easily plug it in seems a little ridiculous.
Amusing. Those two companies had booths next to each other at CES this year, so I'm sure it gave them plenty of time to talk.