The iClever BoostCube Wireless Charger can charge a Qi enabled device simply by placing the device on top of it. The adapter supports 5W and 10W charging modes and the power supply is from a USB cable. Read on to see what I think!

What is it?

The iClever BoostCube Wireless Charging station is an adapter that charges Qi enabled devices using USB power. Qi devices are capable of being charged at a distance and the main benefit of this capability is the convenience of charging devices without connecting power cables. The technology relies on inductive coupling between two coils and it works because at least one coil is in the charging base, another is in the target device and there isn’t a large amount of metal between the coils. The speed at which the charging takes place depends upon the power available to the adapter, circuitry in the adapter, circuitry in the receiving device, and the condition of the battery in the receiving device.

What’s in the box?

iClever Wireless Charger
USB Charging Cable
User Manual
Warranty Card

Design and features

Specifications

Input: 9V/1.67A or 5V/2A
Output: 9V/1A or 5V/1A
Power: 10W/5W
Charging distance: 2~8mm
Product Dimensions 2.9 x 0.5 x 2.9 inches
Item Weight 3.68 ounces

Unboxing

The iClever charger comes in a fairly standard printed cardboard box. The side of the box lists the main features of the device, which includes over-voltage protection, over-temperature protection, short circuit protection and foreign object protection.

Plastic molded packaging protects the charging pad and the USB cable inside the box. The user manual and the warranty card come packaged below the plastic form. The instructions and the warranty card are in the English language only.

Design of the Wireless Charger

The top of the iClever charging pad has a leather coating. The leather has a black pigment and is embossed in the center with the iClever logo and name. The leather is a great feature because it makes each wireless charger unique, it provides a professional look and feels to the charger, it’s durable and easy to clean. Also, the natural grain of the leather provides a surface with the ideal texture to keep the device on top of it from moving. Other synthetic materials tend to be too slick or sticky.  The wireless charger is completely round and therefore can be set up with the cord leaving from any direction and not look askew on the surface it is resting on.

The material on the sides and base of the unit is black anodized aluminum. The material is perfect for good heat transfer and durability. The front of the base (the area in front of the iClever logo) has a LED indicator about 3/4″ wide. Four screws are hidden under silicone rubber feet to secure the top to the base. The bottom of the base indicates the model name and number, power information, compliance information and country of origin info.

Operation

The user must supply their own power supply for the included USB cable. It seems likely that most people have many more power supplies than they actually use, therefore this isn’t really an area that needs improvement. However, while the outside box does indicate many of the items features and benefits, it does not state that the unit comes without a power supply. Once the unit is plugged into the power supply the front LED illuminates for 3 seconds, indicating that device is ready to use.

Placing the phone on the wireless charger immediately starts the charging process. Once the battery reaches 100% on the phone the charging LED remains on and trickle charges the iPhone. Once the iPhone battery is full the LED turns off indicating that the wireless charging pad is no longer functioning.

The LED blinks on and off indicating that a foreign object is present between the wireless charger and phone. This function works when a quarter is between the charger and phone.

Performance

I plugged the USB into a 10W USB power adapter and monitored the charging operation with a USB safety tester that displays the voltage and amps and calculates the watts and accumulated amp hours. Even when a 10W power adapter supplies the power, the draw from the USB tester never exceeds 5.1W while charging an iPhone. This is in agreement with the operating instructions because the manufacturer indicates that QC compliant fast charging is not compatible with iPhone. In conclusion, the iPhone battery was charged from 10% to 43% in 70 minutes.

When the iPhone is not in a case, it will still charge with 5.56 mm of Post-it notes between the phone and the wireless charger.

What I like

What needs to be improved

• Box should indicate that the contents does not include a power supply.

Final thoughts

The iClever Wireless Charger is a good looking effective wireless charger.

Price: $21.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by iClever.

The post iClever BoostCube Fast Wireless Charger review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Batteries and Chargers, Qi

iClever BoostCube Fast Wireless Charger review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 7, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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The Belkin Boost↑Up Wireless Charger is designed to provide the most rapid Qi-compliant charging speeds currently available. The adapter supports 5W up to 15W charging modes and comes with a 5ft cord and dedicated power supply. Read on to see what I think!                                       .

What is it?

The Belkin Boost↑Up Wireless Charging station is an adapter that charges Qi-enabled devices. The ability to charge devices at a distance and charging devices without connecting power cables are the main benefit of Qi technology. The technology relies on inductive coupling between two coils and it works because at least one coil is in the charging base, another is in the target device and there isn’t a large amount of metal between the coils. The speed at which the charging takes place depends upon the power available to the adapter, circuitry in the adapter, circuitry in the receiving device, and the condition of the battery in the receiving device. The Belkin Boost↑Up has specialized circuitry which provides up to 15W or charing power and is consequently able to charge compatible devices faster than wireless chargers that provide less power.

What’s in the box?

Belkin Boost↑Up Wireless Charger
AC power supply
Instruction Card
FCC/IC declaration of conformity

Design and features

Specifications

Power: 15W/5W
Charging distance: 0-3mm
Product Dimensions 4.5 x 0.5 x 4.5 inches
Item Weight 4.6 ounces

Unboxing

The Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger comes in a box with a built-in magnetically hinged door. Opening the door reveals the product through a plastic window.

The rear of the box differentiates the 15W available with this wireless charger compared with the 9W available from Samsung and the 5W available from Apple.

Plastic molded packaging protects the charging pad and the power adapter inside the box. Also included is a small card that explains, in Emoji, the steps required to set this device up.

Design of the Wireless Charger

The Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger has a modern aesthetic that makes the unit stand out whether it is charging a device or not. The overall shape of the pad resembles a saucer which gives it the appearance of hovering from above.  The black matte synthetic rubber surface barely reflects any light and consequently provides substantial contrast to the silver-toned rim of the charger and embossed central ring. The central ring breaks up the surface into eye-pleasing proportions. Specifically, the outside diameter is close to 11.5 cm and the diameter of the inside circle is about 7.1 cm; the ratio is the golden ratio.  The central ring also illustrates the target for wireless charging.

The top has an LED indicator at the 3 o’clock position that indicates green for a good wireless signal and red for a misalignment or foreign object detection. However, there is a chance that the device placement can completely obscure the LED.  The LED doesn’t need to be in sight, but if there were more than one LED it would make it more likely that the LED was in view.

A non-slip pad completely covers the base of the charger in contact with the surface it is resting on. There is a chance that this base may transfer more heat to what it is resting on because of the large surface area of the foot, however, I have not seen this occur. The sides of the charger are made of a silver-toned plastic.

The AC adapter has a plastic shroud that fits perfectly into the notch at the 12 o’clock position in the picture above. This seems to be an unnecessary design element because this part of the charger is always out of view. At least it will be somewhat obvious what device the ac adapter belongs to.

The power supply is switching which means it will not draw that much power when not in use. It can supply up to 24W to the charger. If the charger operates at 62% efficiency (15W/24W) then this isn’t unreasonable for this technology.

Operation

The wireless charger is ready to use as soon as power is applied. When the unit is plugged into the power supply the LED illuminates briefly indicating that device is ready to use.

Placing the phone on the wireless charger immediately starts the charging process. Once the battery reaches 100% on the phone the charging LED remains on and trickle charges the iPhone. Once the iPhone battery is full the LED turns off indicating that the wireless charging pad is no longer functioning.

The LED turns red when a large piece of aluminum foil is placed between the phone and the wireless charger pad. I could not duplicate the off-center condition – either the phone charged or it didn’t.

Performance

In a test, the iPhone battery was charged from 10% to 60% in 70 minutes. This is faster than the charge rate for a device that I know only outputs 5W, hence the output of the Belkin is improved over the standard charger performance, even if it isn’t charging the full 15W available to QC compliant phones (like the Samsung)

When the iPhone is not in a case, it will still charge with 9.85 mm of Post-it notes between the phone and the wireless charger.

What I like

What needs to be improved

• LED not always visible
• Cost

Final thoughts

The Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger is a fast wireless charger. However, it is probably the most expensive wireless charger available. If you aren’t willing to use a cable to achieve the fastest charge speed available then this is the wireless charger to get. If all you need is a charger to rest your phone on for a majority of the day then a slower rate charger will probably suit your needs.

Price: $69.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Belkin.

The post Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Batteries and Chargers, Qi

Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 3, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Ever since purchasing my iPhone X I’ve been searching for a good 7.5-Watt wireless charger. RAVPower threw their hat into the ring recently introducing a new line of wireless Fast Chargers – HyperAir. The lineup includes flat charging bases, a charging stand, and even a power bank that can wirelessly charge your iPhone. RAVPower sent me all three HyperAir models to review. Since this was my first time using a wireless charger of any kind I was eager to test them out.

What is it?

Most fast wireless chargers on the market today are made to charge either IOS or Android phones. RAVPower’s HyperAir technology delivers the fastest charging speeds on contact for both iOS and Android devices – all with the same charger. HyperAir utilizes both 7.5W fast charging for iPhone X/8 plus/ 8 and 10W fast charging for Samsung devices like the Galaxy S9 and Note 8.

Hardware specs

PC069

• Input: DC 12V / 2A Max
• Output: 10W Max
• Dimensions: 5.04 x 2.76 x 2.83 inches
• Weight: 5.9 oz
• Form factor: Angled Stand: 60°

PC066

• Input: 9V/12V 2A
• Output: 10W Max
• Dimensions: 3.5 x 3.5 x 0.5 inches
• Weight: 2.9 oz
• Form factor: Horizontal pad

PB080 – 10400mAh Wireless Portable Charger

• Capacity: 10400mAh / 37.4Wh
• Input: DC 5V / 2A Max
• iSmart output: 5V / 2A Max
• Wireless output: 10W Max
• Dimensions: 6.4 x 3.1 x 0.9 inches
• Weight: 2.5 lbs

Whats in the box?

• RAVPower wireless charger stand
• Micro-USB cable
• QC 3.0 power adaptor
• User guide

• RAVPower wireless charger pad
• Micro-USB cable
• QC 3.0 power adaptor
• User guide

• RAVPower wireless portable charger
• USB to Micro USB cable
• Micro USB to type C connector
• User guide

Design and features

I really like the understated design of both the HyperAir charging stand and pad. Their small size makes them perfect to use on nightstands, end tables, or desktops. They also eliminate the need for having a bunch of charging cords laying around the house.

Both chargers work with most phone cases as long as they’re no thicker than 3mm and don’t contain metal.

Each model comes with both an 18-watt power adapter that supports the Quick Charge 3.0 standard and a nice braided USB-micro cable.

PC069 HyperAir charging stand

The HyperAir charging stand has a matte black finish and unique body design. A little more stylish than similar charging stands I’ve seen.

It has dual-coil charging which allows you to charge your smartphone in either portrait or landscape positions.

The charging pad and base both use a non-slip silicone that helps to keep the phone and charger in place. It does a really nice job of cradling the phone.

The backside of the charging stand has small perforations that help to disperse heat. Unlike traditional wireless chargers that overheat affecting charging speed and battery health, HyperAir features triple temperature controls. An intelligent chip monitors and adjusts charging temperature and the advanced internal structure allows for 15% higher heat dissipation. This allows the charger to maintain charging speeds for a longer period of time. In my testing, none of the chargers got overly warm while charging.

The front of the charger has a LED charging status light. While your phone is charging the LED slowly pulses green. The light will turn solid green for 15 seconds when charging is complete. If the charger senses a foreign object (like metal) the LED will blink red and the charger will stop working.

HyperAir shares that same fixed frequency program as iPhones, allowing the charger to both accurately detect it and start charging immediately. When you place your phone on the charger it quickly detects what type of device it is and adjusts the charging profile.

PC066 HyperAir charging pad

The HyperAir charging pad has a sleek square design with smooth rounded edges. It’s small, light, and very thin, a perfect fit for my iPhone X.

It shares the same LED indicator on the front as the HyperAir stand, however, I noticed that it’s kind of hard to see in a well-lit room.

It has the same non-slip silicone surface and base as the HyperAir stand.

A vented aluminum alloy panel on the bottom of the pad helps to better disperse heat while charging.

10400mAh Wireless Portable Charger

Along with the HyperAir charging stand and pad, RAVPower sent me a 10,000mAh portable power bank. With the power bank, you can charge two devices simultaneously, one using the built-in wireless 7.5W charging pad and the second through a 2.4A USB port.

With 10,400 mAh there’s enough power to charge multiple devices multiple times.

The smooth matte black design of the power-bank is nothing special. But its size does make it perfect for carrying in both an EDC bag or backpack.

The working status LED located on the side of the charger works the same as it does on the other HyperAir chargers.

The battery power of the charger can be determined by four small blue LED lights located on the top surface.

RAVPower does include both a flat 24-inch Micro-USB cable, a USB-C to micro-USB adaptor, and a handy microfiber carrying pouch in the box. Unfortunately, they do not include the recommended 2A adaptor, and I think that’s a pretty big omission, considering its price of $67.99.

Charging speed

I tested the speed of all three HyperAir wireless chargers. I charged my iPhone X for an hour on each. Here are the results.

Charging stand- 40% – 80% = 40% charge
Charging pad – 53% – 86% = 33% charge
Portable power-bank – 60% – 92% = 32% charge

My not so scientific tests showed that the HyperAir stand yielded the best results. I was surprised that the HyperAir pad didn’t do as well. The power bank didn’t do quite as good as either of the wired HyperAir chargers, but not bad considering this is for charging on the go.

What I like

• Small and considerate design
• Less clutter
• Work with most phone cases
• Easy to use
• Both the HyperAir stand and pad come with recommended QC 3.0 power adaptors and braided charging cable
• The power-bank allows you to charge 2 devices at the same time
• Portability of the power-bank

What needs improvement

• HyperAir power bank is a little pricey and does not come with a power adaptor

Final thoughts

I really like what the RAVPower HyperAir chargers bring to the table. Both the charging stand and pad now have permanent spots in my house, and if I ever need to unplug the power bank provides a great alternative.

As an iPhone user, I waited a long time to be able to take advantage of fast wireless charging. This line of RAVPower HyperAir chargers made it worth the wait.

Price: PC069 charging stand – $49.99, PC066 charging pad – $39.99, PB080 power bank – $67.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by RAVPower.

The post RAVPower HyperAir 7.5-Watt Wireless Chargers review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Batteries and Chargers, Qi

RAVPower HyperAir 7.5-Watt Wireless Chargers review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 1, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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