Many companies have shown wireless, inductive chargers before. Most of them were either prototypes or experiments, though. The Powermat, on the other hand, is now in store shelves and it works like a charm.
Consisting of a thin platform where you can place up to three gadgets at a time, it wirelessly charges everything you throw over the mat. Yes, just like magic. Each device you want to power up will need to wear a receiver sleeve, which locks it onto the mat as it siphons electricity without any plugs.
The Powermat can charge any type of handheld gadget that normally draws power from a mains outlet, including cell phones, cameras and iPods. It’s not entirely wireless (since you’ll need to plug the actual mat onto an outlet), but everything else will work without a mess of cords. More importantly, it replenishes your batteries right around the same pace as a traditional charger, so there’s no trade-in for the convenience.
Remember when you’d go on a trip and have to carry a small bag of tangled chargers for a variety of gadgets? Say goodbye to that. Just pack a mat and a jacket to be able to charge all the small electronics you’ve brought along. It’s simply the most convenient (not to mention well-kempt) charging option around.
Priced at $100 for the Powermat charger and $40 for each receiver sleeve, it ain’t cheap. The benefits, however, are quite amazing. You can now grab them right off the shelves from Best Buy and Target (not before you watch the fun commercial, though).
[Powermat]