October 9, 2009 1:37 PM PDT
Powermat wireless device chargers finally available
(Credit:
Powermat)
Powermat has been touting its wireless chargers for a while now--ever since CES 2009, quite frankly--but now they're finally available for you, the consumer, to purchase.
The Powermat is a one-pad, one-plug system (pictured above right) that charges all your gadgets in one place without wires. Your gadget gets a special "Powermat Receiver" sleeve so that it can use magnetic induction charging to power your devices. (Aren't familiar with magnetic induction? If you've got an Oral-B rechargeable toothbrush, or a Palm Touchstone charger for your Pre, it's the same thing.)
Read more of "Powermat wireless device chargers finally materialize" at ZDNet's The ToyBox.
here is a Definition of wireless:
Wireless is the transfer of information over a distance without the use of electrical conductors
Without technology like this how will the general public find demand for TRULY wireless technology like what you define wireless as. I whole heartedly agree that that would be amazing to walk around the house and charge your electronic devices. But without a large demand for the technology it's hard for companies to fund its research. The simplicity that's delivered by simply dropping an iphone, ipod or blackberry onto a mat to charge it is amazing and will strike interest in the public. The fact that they target the best technologies like the iphone, blackberry and widely used Nintendo DS, which are some of the biggest personal electronic devices, really shows how influential this technology will be in the future.
I mistakenly bought one of your products today. It would not work with my blackberry or my tmobile g-1. The I realized that I had to spend much more to make the thing actually work. So I found this to be very misleading. The advertisement is also very misleading. As a soldier I find this very disheartening. I sent an email to my entire network of soldiers to warn them about this product. At 99 dollars it is far too much money for someone to be caught off guard with an "ooohh you have to buy more" statement. I am glad Best Buy has a good return policy becuase this junk and is going back immediatly in the morning. I called the manager this evening to ask about their policy and they are gladly accepting 100% of the returns for this very misleading product. The manager even commented on how funny it was that just about every one that sells comes right back with he same complaint. I forwarded a copy of my complaint to cnet review so they could look in to this as well and give this product some exposure. I hope their review goes better then mine. Funny how your picture shows a blackberry charging wirelessly on the box buy no mention of the ooooooooohoh wires you have to use or the extra accessories you have to buy to use it.
Respectfully,
SGT D
What does "being a soldier" have to do with being disheartened? Is he somehow "more disheartened" than someone in a different profession? Perhaps "being a soldier", he isn't capable of understanding normal consumer electronics, maybe that's what he meant?
I have every respect for people in the armed forces. I would not want to be fighting the wars we're fighting now, and I would find THAT very disheartening. That said, they're people doing a job that they applied for. There are MANY MANY other people doing dangerous and thankless work (teachers, law-enforcement, hospital volunteers, etc.) that I'm sure you wouldn't lecture people about.
In short, a person's profession has no bearing on the validity of their comments... and blind chest-pounding is silly.
frist nothing wrong with him saying he is a soldier and it actually does make a difference if he tells us who he is and if he likes the product or not, it helps the company if someone like that adv the product, but anyway...........second just saw the TV add for it and it does NOT say you need anything else once i got on line and did research i found out i need additional parts so just like with any other crap out there they adv one thing and it ends up being more then just that one part........there are 2 3G in my house and no way would i ever get it. If they were to drop the price maybe maybe then but to spend so much money for both phones just so i can do the same as i do now with my Ihome and on top of it with the Ihome i can still use my phone for music, video etc.............Personally i agree with most of the ppl this is useless
I think you are all correct. Some of the TV ad's are a bit misleading. However, that's just advertising. If you look further into the ad's they do show t he powermat associated cases and dongle devices.
The product does make sense in some cases. It just depends on device you have. I do believe that a hundred bucks for the mat is a huge amount of money to spend for a charger base that does not include the case that will be necessary for you to actually use the thing. I feel they could appeal to a larger market if they would throw in the primary accessory you need, and then the others would be additional purchases.Then a "C-note" as they say , may be worth it. However, $150 just to get your unit to charge is a stupid amount of money to pay for this endeavor. That being said, i would be like to be able to drop my iphone on a mat at night for it to charge and randomly be able to pick it up, put it back down, yada yada without having to unplug and plug every time.
It is not a wireless device. Perhaps they should look into charging via bluetooth, that would be cool, and wireless.
Good luck Powermat, hope you guys make it more consumer friendly.
Happy Holiday's to all, and thank you SGT D, and the rest of the troop's that allow us to sleep every night safely.
In NONE of the videos that need is clearly stated. That's a serious failure in customer satisfaction.
Moreover about comments, I don't see the point of say something like "As a soldier I find this very disheartening." It would be disheartening for anybody!
Agree with Johnray there are MANY MANY other people doing dangerous and thankless work (teachers, law-enforcement, hospital volunteers, police, etc.) and they do it quietly with less or no recognition than a soldier.
Happy Holidays to all, and thanks to all the good citizens that by doing what they like to do in the right way help to build America as a great country.
- by chopper561 December 19, 2009 8:43 AM PST
- Hey Dankn,
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(12 Comments)Maybe the soldiers point is that he doesn't have a lot of money to throw away on products that don't do what they say. Maybe he doesn't make a ton of money protecting your yuppie, spoiled ass from the bad guys!