This is actually a great "bridging" device. It let's people move into this segment of the market before all of their gadgets support this method. How else can they encourage manufacturers to include this charging technology in their gadgets without an install base that has an incentive to buy those gadgets? This helps circumvent the catch-22 of introducing a new technology to the market that depends upon adoption on both the producer's and user's end.
A LOT of people had to approve this. Then a lot of people had to design it. Then a lot of people had to manufacture it.
Are you telling me that along the way nobody said "Gee, this doesn't seem like such a great idea?"
I'm not up on the whole induction thing, and I will never own the cooktop for that matter. But doesn't induction also create a magnetic field? Just curious. Not good for all that pirated material you spent countless evenings downloading to be scattered into random 1's and 0's.
First of all, this isn't inductive charging a la pre. This is orientation-irrelevant-contact charging.
Inside the pre is a little tiny coil that is tuned to capture RF at very close proximity (which it would have to be, since RF energy dissipates with the inverse cube of the distance transmitted) That's why there's no metal nubs on the back of the pre.
The iPhone does not have such a coil built in, and thus requires an external coil add on, or in this case, an orientation-irrelevant-contact pattern of pins, which is then placed on a mat with alternating hot and ground connections.
@AllToAll,ByMyMustard!_GitEmSteveDave:Seems like overkill but I suppose they could come out with a 12' charger pad so your car battery stays fully charges in your driveway.
@Kaiser-Homerhead: You joke, but I was stuck on the side of the road b/c I was having battery problems today. Had to take the Dualie-Diesel into work today.
Of course, getting a iPhone is the first step. I'm currently tracking down one right now from a loving home.
Is it really such a misery to have to stick a cable into a port? You still have to go over to the charging place. I would say this definitely doesn't justify any price.
This sort of thing will only be cool when you charge because you are in a particular room or when you enter your house.
Chen, it's Thanksgiving. Have some hot cider, help Momzers in the kitchen, make a festive centerpiece a la Martha Stewart. Just don't blog.
Unless you set this post to publish now and are, in fact, doing a Turkey Day-like activity. In which case, I present you with the "Scroogie", awarded to whomever best embodies Scrooge McDuck's philosophy of working smarter, not working harder.
@I work as a meth lab technician: Of course, we are encouraging this naughty behavior by visiting Giz on Thanksgiving day, so it is hard to know who is the naughtiest. We should have a poll and decide which of our buddies at Giz should get the day off today. Everyone else needs to work those fingers to the bone.
this post makes me love the ps3 'charge on any usb' feature that much more.... when my controllers start flashing... i just hook them up to the laptop sitting near me... no need to sit within 5' of the console...
08/06/09
08/06/09
Are you telling me that along the way nobody said "Gee, this doesn't seem like such a great idea?"
08/06/09
08/06/09
06/23/09
The revolution has begun.
Flame on.
06/23/09
this style of charger has been around for various blackberry models for well over a year now.
06/23/09
06/23/09
flash memory isn't magnetic in nature, and furthermore, this isn't induction charging.
06/23/09
What is with the cases and the dock nub?
06/23/09
RTFA.
06/23/09
I read it bastard, does the pre need that? Why should the iphone?
06/23/09
First of all, this isn't inductive charging a la pre. This is orientation-irrelevant-contact charging.
Inside the pre is a little tiny coil that is tuned to capture RF at very close proximity (which it would have to be, since RF energy dissipates with the inverse cube of the distance transmitted) That's why there's no metal nubs on the back of the pre.
The iPhone does not have such a coil built in, and thus requires an external coil add on, or in this case, an orientation-irrelevant-contact pattern of pins, which is then placed on a mat with alternating hot and ground connections.
06/23/09
oh, and the docknub is there to route the power into the dock, while providing a pass-through for a normal 30 pin connection.
06/23/09
06/23/09
agreed - it's not inductive charging, it's orientation-irrelevant-contact charging.
06/23/09
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06/23/09
06/23/09
06/23/09
[www.nytimes.com] [www.bizjournals.com]
06/23/09
06/23/09
06/23/09
06/23/09
06/23/09
Of course, getting a iPhone is the first step. I'm currently tracking down one right now from a loving home.
06/23/09
This sort of thing will only be cool when you charge because you are in a particular room or when you enter your house.
06/23/09
not to mention that this forces you to use the included case, precluding the use of any other protection.
11/27/08
Unless you set this post to publish now and are, in fact, doing a Turkey Day-like activity. In which case, I present you with the "Scroogie", awarded to whomever best embodies Scrooge McDuck's philosophy of working smarter, not working harder.
Happy Thanksgiving from Mom's House
11/27/08
11/27/08
Pns....
11/27/08
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11/01/08