RIM joins queue for Qi
Research in Motion and Energizer are the latest to sign up to the Wireless Power Consortium and endorsed its Qi standard. That puts membership of the Consortium up to 21, including Nokia and Duracell. Handset manufacturers tend to be full members; able to influence the standard, while Duracell and Energizer just stumped up €10, …
I don't care about wireless power, just make everything use the same charger/power supply. Is it really that difficult?
I am not sure that I agree with the kneejerk editorialising here. Jo average will easily understand the use case for this stuff, and would probably prefer wireless charging, and not having to search for wall warts any more.
It would seem like a pretty bald and silly assertion, just like describing wireless data transmission as pointless.
At least not this really close range stuff.
If it worked over several feet then that could be quite cool, but these inductive chargers just seem pointless.
If I plug in a device, at least I can move it around within the range of the cable while it's charging. With an inductive system it has to sit on the pad all the time.
And is it really that much of a hassle to take a matter of seconds to plug a device in?
The only advantage to this seems to be that it is a going to be a single standard, so at least you can use one pad for everything. But switching all devices to micro-usb would solve the same problem.
I'm still curious what the effect of wireless transmission of power will do to the thought processes of people in the vicinity. The brain's a complex thing and doesn't take kindly to excess electrical charges. I need to learn more... First thing to find out, is electricity being transmitted directly or is the technology reliant on an oscillation power source and therefore the transmitted power is in fact a harmless radio wave? Ah well, time to find out!
As has been said before, wireless charging is not what is needed, just a standard connector. I thought we were at last getting that way with most modern phones using the USB connection for charging.
Please don't go changing it just 'cos it looks funky!
They claim it saves money, less cables.
Nonsense. The charger STILL needs a cable and this is less efficient, slower charging, more cost, less reliable and creates interference.
It's a gimmick.
Nor (unlike a cable) does the device charge when in your hand in use.
We have triple-A's and double-A's and horrid 9V's. But look at modern mobile gear - laptops, cell phones, video cameras, etc. - and you'll find a dog's breakfast of batteries. If just about anything electronic could be powered by one of a half dozen standard rechargeable battery configurations...that's wireless power.
And yes, make all the damn battery chargers use international standard connectors.
So then we end up with a battery charging station fed by AC and capable of recharging all of the standard battery types.
Virtually wireless.
- G
It's the Duracell bunny not Energiser can't you lot get anything right
Oh and if it has to sit on the pad, what's the point, might as well be plugged in ... FAIL
Believe it or not, you're both right:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energizer_Bunny
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duracell_Bunny
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