Given the choice, we'd all prefer gadgets that work as part of a wire-free ecosystem. Wireless chargers are the best example of this technology, enabling modern smartphones to recharge without the hassle of cables and power bricks. The market is packed with Qi-certified chargers, but consumers need to be careful when they select a model, as low-quality products can damage phones.
One intrepid engineer revealed a hardware hack this week that allows the Nintendo Switch Lite to go wireless. The hack is surprisingly simple, if one considers the use of a soldering iron and a screwdriver easy. The creator, Robotanv, has a history of turning devices like this into wireless charging superstars - Qi-standard wireless charging in full effect!
The Pixel 6 is just a week or so away, but it might not be the only new Pixel-branded device that's coming on the 19th. It has been three years since Google added wireless charging to the Pixel phone line, and it has been just as long since it launched its first wireless charging stand. In the spirit of making everything new, Google is set to launch a new Pixel Stand, one that not only bumps up the charging speed but also throws in a few new features for owners of Pixel products.
Amazon made some interesting decisions when it came to the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and its wireless charger. There is a wireless charger for this device, and this device only. Amazon made a point to show a list of devices that do not work with this e-reader device, and suggested that the Amazon-made charger is the best item to buy to wirelessly charge this device. Why so specific?
IKEA is making it easy to hide wireless charging in your nightstand, desk, or coffee table, with the new Sjömäke wireless pad keeping its Qi out of sight. Unlike IKEA's earlier charging pads, which slot into circular cut-outs in the tabletop, this new high-power pad is intended to hide underneath yet still allow for wireless charging through the surface.
The next major leak of data for the upcoming Google Pixel 6 has to do with charging. The device is tipped to be very similar to its predecessor, appearing to connect to power with a simple cord-to-wall plug, but this time it's more powerful. Far more powerful than before. The Google Pixel Stand was released for Google Pixel devices in the past - but now it really means business.
Like it or not, Apple is really a trendsetter, even if it isn't the first to come out with a product or technology. When it repurposed its MagSafe branding to cover magnet-assisted wireless charging, it was expected that some manufacturers would follow suit sooner or later. It's no surprise, either, that one of those would be OPPO. The smartphone maker has admittedly been at the forefront of charging technologies for smartphones, and its new MagVOOC tech is its latest attempt to maintain that lead.
The stillborn AirPower wireless charging system hung over Apple's head for almost years, but the newer and arguably better MagSafe is slowly erasing it from people's consciousness. As if to remind people again that it was almost a thing, an engineering prototype of what would have been the AirPower charging mat suddenly appears on the Internet. And more than just an early version of the device, it is also a working one that shows how close Apple was to launching what could have been a flawed product.
Realme has revealed its first magnetic charger, promising the same convenience as Apple's MagSafe but with much more power for its Android devices. Realme MagDart may not be the first charging pad designed to cling to the back of a smartphone, but with up to 50W on tap it could be just as fast as a wired connection would be.
Some might not like to admit it, but Apple has always been a trendsetter, whether it actually creates new technologies or builds up existing ones. It was actually late to the wireless charging train, but its adoption provided a much-needed mark of confidence for the technology. Now it is pushing wireless charging further by utilizing its expertise in magnets to make a simple but important change, a change that has inspired Realme to push its own MagDart system to keep phones from slipping off chargers and vice versa.
Back in March, Master & Dynamic rolled out its MW08 true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation. Today, the company is back with a follow-up to those in the MW08 Sport. It seems that the MW08 Sport earbuds keep all the good things about the original MW08, but they pick up a new wireless charging pad and some new durability upgrades. However, most of the products Master & Dynamic puts out demand a premium price, and the MW08 Sport are no different.
Even haters probably won't deny that Apple comes up with technologies and features that would influence future technologies. The reversible Lightning connector undoubtedly inspired the equally reversible USB-C, and the new MagSafe could soon become a norm among smartphones. Of course, it often takes more time for others to catch up to Apple, but Realme may have gotten ahead of its rivals in having the first Android smartphone with a magnetic wireless charging system.