So, as you regular readers realize, in many areas of Geekdom, I am not the first in line for the newest and greatest tech. However, other things I jump on quickly. It all depends on how much sense it makes to me as to the worthiness and, of course, the cost. Also, I want to know it will hang around for a while. So today I talk about something that is about 13 years old.
Wireless charging, or “wireless power transfer using inductive charging over distances of up to 1.6 inches,” has been with the general market since 2008. If you are interested, it was originally called Qi (pronounced CHEE from Chinese).
It has now become common with the public…including me. The way it works is you have a device (phone, headset, tablet, etc.) which in older versions required a wire with a specific plug or USB port at the end. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus; however, the word universal in that initialism is way off since the wires are not at all universal. At last check, I believe there are about ten various shapes. Check this site for details and graphics of the various USBs and other very similar types of connectors, ghtech.site/usbtypes.
You know the different cables. You and I have tangles lying around in a drawer waiting for them to come back in style, they will not – so toss them out. That is, if you have nothing that fits them any longer.
To modernize, much of the industry has adopted wireless charging technology. I had a device, Google Pixel Buds, that could use wireless charging, but it came with a wired charging cable, so I never switched. Then late last year I had to get a new phone. As always, I bought an Android, not an iPhone, sorry but I prefer them. It also had wireless charging and again came with a wired charger…what is wrong with these people? I feel if they are giving you a wireless charging device, they could include a wireless charger.
Now, are they really wireless? Yes, and no. The chargers plug into the wall for power (so it wires them) but they have a pad on the end which radiates the inductive charging when you lay the phone, headsets, or whatever on the pad.
My buddy Steve and I were talking about this, and he wondered if his phone would support wireless charging. It is much easier to just lay your phone on a pad and walk away than to plug it in backward the first time and correct the second time. Then you find in the morning the plug fell out. The pads turn a color around the edges to let you know they are connected. So, no solid color on the charging pad equals no charge. Easy. Steve found out that his phone did support wireless charging, and he bought the inexpensive set of two that I did by YooTech, (ghtech.site/yootech-chrg). It comes with two chargers for less than $20. I thought they were well worth the price and they charge my two devices very well.
I have not talked to Steve since he ordered them, but I am pretty sure his phone is charging fine.
