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Enjoy convenient with wireless charging with the FurniQi – Bamboo Qi Wireless Charging Side Table


Some days when I wake up in the morning, I often wonder to myself: “where will technology take us next?” From smart locks, to smart cars, to entire smart homes, innovative designs and gear are continuously stretching the boundaries of what we can do, when we can do it, and how we can do what we do.

A few days ago, I was in my usual browsing mode when I came across the FurniQi – Bamboo Qi Wireless Charging Side Table. Now I am used to the small Qi wireless charging devices that I use to charge my phones, but I never even thought that a table existed somewhere out there that incorporated the wireless charging feature into the tabletop.
This table is a very nice and simple looking side table and it has a built-in USB port that is colored to blend into the table. You can use any USB cable and wall adapter to provide power to the table. The electronics are well hidden so that it looks like a normal table, with the charging spot discreetly marked on the surface, and an optional audible indicator to notify you when you have made the appropriate contact. The charging spot is also visible in the dark.

If you would like to purchase the FurniQi – Bamboo Qi Wireless Charging Side Table, you can head over to the Fone Salesman website and pick one up for $199.

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Enjoy convenient with wireless charging with the FurniQi – Bamboo Qi Wireless Charging Side Table originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 2, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger review

Wireless charging isn’t a new technology, but it’s rapidly becoming an industry standard in mobile devices because of its ease of use. Despite this fact, I haven’t seen very many chargers that are visually impressive. Most of the time, they’re just black, plastic pucks relegated to the corners of a desk or nightstand. AUKEY’s Graphite Wireless Charger adds a touch of class to that boring appliance.

What is it?

The AUKEY Wireless Charger is small pad, about 3.5” squared, that wirelessly charges devices compatible with Qi technology. This includes a variety of Samsung Galaxy phones and newer iPhone models.

Hardware specs

The Graphite Wireless Charger features broad compatibility, working with all Qi-enabled devices such as iPhone X / 8 / 8 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note8 / S8 / S8+, even through most cases (thickness less than 3mm/0.12”). Non-wireless-charging devices require a wireless charging adapter (not included). The charger supports standard wireless charging speed (5W output). Product dimensions are 3.4 x 3.4 x 0.5” and it weighs in at 7.2oz.

AUKEY. Gold. Key. Get it? I like the sticker that it came with.

What’s in the box?

  • Graphite Wireless Charger
  • 1m/3.3ft USB 2.0 A to C Cable
  • User manual

Design and Features

After browsing Amazon’s selection of wireless chargers, I found that the AUKEY’s Graphite Charger stands out as one of the classier offerings. In fact, this compact charging pad won a couple of  awards for its design. It’s quite a handsome piece of kit. The charger has a good amount of weight to it, nearly half a pound, and the grips on the underside keep it from sliding around on most surfaces.

Place phone. Start charge. That’s all there is to it.

The port on the charger is USB C. I haven’t seen very many examples of this. Although your mileage may vary when it comes to interface preferences. I just happen to have a bunch of USB C cables laying around from owning a Nintendo Switch, so for me, it was a pleasant surprise.

In terms of function, the Graphite Charger works how you would expect. Place the phone on the surface and it starts charging at a standard speed (5W output.) It’s not a fast-charge device, more suited for a work desk or nightstand for long trickle charging.

A nice weight and grippy pads keep the charger in place.

There is one LED light on the top of the charger that is very dim, which I can appreciate. So often, I come across USB chargers or adapters that have an insanely bright LED indicator that must have never gotten properly tested in a dark room. The light on this charger is barely noticeable, and is covered completely when a phone is placed on top of it. That sounds like such a minor thing until you’ve seen your bedroom bathed in the blue glow of some unnecessary light.

One last feature worth mentioning is the fact that you can charge your phone with the case on, which I must plead ignorance on if this is or isn’t a normal function. I just know that I did keep the case on the phone while charging and it didn’t impede the functionality.

Final thoughts

AUKEY’s Graphite charger design looks like it would be right at home alongside an iMac or sleek, aluminum laptop. I appreciated the future-proofing of the USB C port, the non-overwhelming lighting, and the weight and grip of the charger itself. It brings form as well as function.

Price: $31.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by AUKEY.

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AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 1, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Baseus Wireless Charging Gravity Car Mount review

Mounting your phone where you can see it while driving has become the norm. Whether you’re using it for a GPS system or entertainment, everyone wants their phone easy to get to, or at least within their visual field. I was recently sent a one-hand air vent clip from Baseus in black to test.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

The Baseus wireless charger incorporates a clip-on air vent holder with a one-hand operation gravity holder, and then adds the secret sauce of wireless charging to the mix. The charger itself has a cable that runs to a power source, and the arms are activated by the downward pressure from the weight of the phone in the holder.

Hardware specs

  • Wireless charger
  • Gravity car mount
  • Safe and quick charging
  • One-hand operation

What’s in the box?

  • Clip-on charger
  • USB-A to microUSB cable
  • Instruction sheet

Design and features

The Baseus Wireless charger at first glance is a bit confusing. The two side arms and the bottom cradle are geared together inside somehow and don’t lock into place. While unboxing it, I moved them around, trying to find the “lock point,” but never got it to work. I plugged it into a spare microUSB cable at my desk and then placed my iPhone 8 Plus into the cradle, just to see if maybe having power would make it lock. When the phone got close to the clip, I felt and heard the familiar “ding” indicating charging. I was a bit surprised that it contacted so easily since I had read and heard on podcasts about how finicky many chargers are.


I was still a little confused on how it would lock into place until I put it in the proper orientation. The slight weight of the phone pulled the side arms around the device just enough to hold it firmly. When you grasp the top of the phone and lift it up, the base’s spring-loaded action draws it up slightly, and the arms are pushed outward, releasing the phone. I drove over some pretty bad road construction while testing, and never got large enough bumps to where the phone bounced out of the holder.


The spring on the air vent clip is quite tight. I could barely get it to open enough to get the prongs onto the vent slat. There is a slight “tooth” sticking up on the lower prong that prevents the clip from vibrating off over time, and foam glued to the inside of the jaws cushions them from scratching your dash. When it’s removed, there is no evidence it was ever there.

Setup

I recommend deciding where you’re going to place the holder first, then deciding on wiring routes. Also, connecting the wire before clipping the holder in place will make your install less stressful. It’s quite difficult to get the angle right on the wire once the clip is installed.

Performance

I cannot overstate how well this unit performed. It started charging every time my phone got within range, and never gave me a moment’s trouble when adjusting it. Once set into place, it is rock-solid, and just became part of my instrument panel, which is exactly what I want from a unit like this.

What I Like

  • One hand operation
  • Charging starts immediately and never stutters
  • Very adjustable, yet sturdy, with no vibration

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

As mentioned, I have several iPhone holders for in-car use. None were active when I was sent this unit. I’ve not taken it out since getting it, except to get a few photos of the back that I forgot to get before installing it. I use it almost every day and would buy another one if this one got broken or stolen. Much of that is because it’s so easy to put the phone into and take out. Even though I have to plug in a cable since I don’t have Bluetooth, it’s still far less hassle than any other car mount I have ever used, bar none.

Price: $27.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Baseus.

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Baseus Wireless Charging Gravity Car Mount review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 26, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Case-Mate’s Power Pad wireless charger doesn’t care about your phone’s orientation

If you have a newer iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S9, or another phone that supports Qi wireless charging and you haven’t bought yourself a wireless charger, what are you waiting for? Wireless chargers are so easy to use because you don’t have to plug in a cable. Just set the phone on the charger and you’re done. The only downside to a Qi charger is that most chargers require you to place your phone on the charger in portrait orientation, making it the wrong angle if you want to watch a video while topping off the battery.

The new Case-Mate Power Pad works in portrait or landscape, to let you choose which orientation to place your phone. The charging pad can even be removed from the stand to place it flat if you like. The Power Pad is available in black or white and features fast charging for Qi-enabled devices like the Apple iPhone (7.5W) and Samsung Galaxy (9W) and comes with an 18W quick charger USB wall adapter. You can buy the Power Pad for $60 from Case-Mate or $46.51 from Amazon.

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Case-Mate’s Power Pad wireless charger doesn’t care about your phone’s orientation originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 14, 2018 at 4:20 pm.

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Nomad Wireless Travel Stand review

More and more phones support wireless charging resulting in a plethora of wireless chargers available on the market. Most are circular in design and have a somewhat generic aesthetic. Nomad has taken a different approach with their wireless charger and it stands out as a result. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

A unique wireless charger for devices that use the Qi standard.

What’s in the box

  • Wireless Travel Stand
  • AC adapter with tethered cable
  • Kickstand instructions

Hardware specs

Materials

  • Horween leather top surface
  • Aluminium kickstand
  • Enhanced polycarbonate frame
  • Molded anti-skid TPE footing

Technical

  • Max output of 7.5W
  • 1.5 meter cable from wall power source
  • USA plug style: 110-240V
  • Wireless

Design and features

Nomad made the decision to wrap the surface of their charger in genuine leather (Horween to be specific). It’s a great touch and it gives the charger a wonderful look and feel. Leather does tend show scuffs and scrapes over time, but overall that adds character and improves the look in my opinion. Nomad points this out clearly in the product information on their website.

The charger is designed to be used flat like most Qi chargers as well as in an easel orientation by using the removable, aluminum kickstand that stores on the underside of the charger. Again, a nice touch.

As for power, Nomad has chosen to include a 7.5w wall adapter which provides a faster wireless charge than average Qi charging products. This is a welcome benefit as we’re all very good at draining our phones quickly. It plugs into the top of the cavity on the back and there’s a small LED to let you know power is connected and working.

Setup

There’s not much involved in setting it up. Just connect the power cord and lay the charger flat, or slide the kickstand into place and use it vertically. To charge your phone, just lay or rest it on the stand.

Performance

In short, the stand does what it’s supposed to do. It charges a phone quickly compared to average wireless chargers due to the 7.5w power supply that’s included. While charging, you’ll use the charging indication on the phone itself for status as there’s no LED on the front face or sides of the charger. Keep in mind that if you happen to have any power hungry apps open or running in the background they can potentially demand almost as much power as the charger is putting in.

From a size and weight perspective, it’s pretty light (137g/220g with charger) which helps the travel aspects. Not having a heavy ballast does mean it can move around a bit in the easel orientation as you’re placing your phone even with the anti-skid feet on the kickstand.

What I like

  • Wireless charging. It’s great to have your phone charging simply because you set it down in the right place.
  • The absence of an LED on the surface. My phone tells me it’s charging. I don’t need the charger to tell me as well.
  • Two charging orientations. This is a cool feature. I tend to favor the easel mode as it lets me interact with my phone more naturally if I’m seated, or have it at my bedside, but it’s awesome to have the option.
  • The attention to fit and finish of the leather. If you look closely at where the leather and polycarbonate materials meet, the leather is either wrapped or cut cleanly providing smooth finishes. The stand pass through is especially clean.

What needs to be improved

There are a few things that would benefit from some additional refinement although none of them detract from the core function of charging your device.

  • The fit of the kickstand into it’s stowed position in the charger. It tucks into the charger pretty well, but on this sample, it sits a touch proud resulting in a slight wobble end to end when placed on a table. I’d be concerned that over time the two small elastomer nubs that hold it in place would slack in their performance. A drop from table height knocks the kickstand out of its stowed position. This could mean losing it while packing up at a hotel if you didn’t realize it had bounced out.

  • Sliding the foot into its functional position is a little too easy. Both faces have a non-slip pad on an end. One to stabilize the charger against a table and one for your phone to rest on. The bend in the foot is non-symmetrical so it’s possible to put it in upside down. Additionally, there is not a physical stop for the foot position, so occasionally it slides backward where the ledge for the phone is too small.

  • While I appreciate the power of the included 7.5w wall adapter, it’s configuration baffles me a bit. Its dimensions are so close to snapping into the back of the charger that it feels like that was the original intent, but no. I also wish the adapter had folding prongs and a removable cable which would aid in packing for travel.

  • A USB-A or USB-C connector instead of the barrel jack on the charger would also have been nice. I understand a barrel jack takes up less physical room and how a common USB connector potentially creates a scenario of someone using a non-included power supply that might under or overpower the product creating frustration and missed expectations.
  • Lastly, in the flat position, I continually wanted to square my phone up with the shape of the charger. As you can see it’s almost exactly the same size as an iPhone X. In that aligned position, the embedded coil ends up in the wrong place for my phone so it doesn’t charge. Placement will vary depending on your phone so this should be a quick learning curve.

Final thoughts

Overall Nomad has a great product on their hands. The large list of improvement suggestions above are just that. None of them are showstoppers. I do take a bit of issue with it being called a travel product as it’s larger than a lot of Qi chargers and the wall adapter is bulky. I typically travel with compact or multi-purpose versions of products to lighten what I carry. Interestingly, the packaging just says Nomad Wireless Stand even though their website mentions travel specifically. The Wireless Travel Stand is a beautiful product that I’m more likely to use around my home than on my travels and I expect it will look even better with time.

Price: $59.95
Where to buy: Nomad
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Nomad.

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Nomad Wireless Travel Stand review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 10, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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