Skech unveils super slim wireless charging case for iPhone 5
Skech, an Israeli case company, debuted a prototype iPhone 5 case that works with Powermat technology to wirelessly charge the handset
With its new design, Skech managed to shrink down the bulk seen in previous Powermat cases by removing the "chin" below the phone and replacing it with a small plug for the lightning connector. The plug also has a wrist strap connected to it for added protection.
Other than the simple design tweak, the case is reminiscent of Apple's bumper with interchangeable fabric back plates that have been molded to allow for the Powermat technology. This sample is not perfect or pretty, but it?s important to remember it is a prototype.
Wireless charging hasn?t really taken off until recently despite early attempts to build in the technology as did the now defunct Palm Pr?. A major obstacle to market-wide adoption was that proprietary tech introduced by one company required charging pads and cases to be built by the same manufacturer. As more OEMs license Powermat Technology, or other standardized tech from members of the Qi Wireless Power Consortium, this should become less of a problem.
Still, consumers don?t want unsightly cases from charging mat manufacturers, but perhaps Skech's design will speak to a wider audience with its sleek modular format. The company's new iPhone 5 case is slated to ship this spring, though it is unclear if the product will be distributed in the U.S.
With its new design, Skech managed to shrink down the bulk seen in previous Powermat cases by removing the "chin" below the phone and replacing it with a small plug for the lightning connector. The plug also has a wrist strap connected to it for added protection.
Other than the simple design tweak, the case is reminiscent of Apple's bumper with interchangeable fabric back plates that have been molded to allow for the Powermat technology. This sample is not perfect or pretty, but it?s important to remember it is a prototype.
Wireless charging hasn?t really taken off until recently despite early attempts to build in the technology as did the now defunct Palm Pr?. A major obstacle to market-wide adoption was that proprietary tech introduced by one company required charging pads and cases to be built by the same manufacturer. As more OEMs license Powermat Technology, or other standardized tech from members of the Qi Wireless Power Consortium, this should become less of a problem.
Still, consumers don?t want unsightly cases from charging mat manufacturers, but perhaps Skech's design will speak to a wider audience with its sleek modular format. The company's new iPhone 5 case is slated to ship this spring, though it is unclear if the product will be distributed in the U.S.
Comments
While efficiencies are improving, there is always some loss when using wireless charging. With good current designs, that can be as much as 30% of the applied power. With the less efficient designs, the power losses can be much higher.
We don't need to be wasting energy and building new power plants because people are too lazy to spend the 0.5 seconds it takes to plug in their iphones.
My family and friends have had a lot of nice phones that stopped working because of their power socket going bad due to repeated plug/unplug sequences. Inductive charging is one solution for that problem.
Placing a Palm Pre on its Touchstone inductive charger was simply luxurious... there's no other word that describes it.
The base magnet held it upright on the slanted surface, and automatically put it into speakerphone mode to boot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jragosta
We don't need to be wasting energy and building new power plants because people are too lazy to spend the 0.5 seconds it takes to plug in their iphones.
Or too lazy to unplug their charger that's vampiring current all on its own. Or too cheap to buy room switches that automatically turn off the lights if no one is in the room. Etc.
Okay, how about a middle solution? Something like a MagSafe connector for the phone? That would also allow direct non-power connections too.
Be interesting to see that for the iPhone 5. Especially if the next iphone doesn't have some method of mobile payments.
Or too lazy to unplug their charger that's vampiring current all on its own.
Apple chargers don't draw significant 'vampire' power; but many other AC chargers, including the power brick for my inductively charged toothbrush (Braun), do. I can leave my many Apple chargers plugged in all over the house without constant power draw, yet I must unplug my toothbrush charging base to prevent the same.
My wife and I boat/camp/hike very frequently. For GPS and for safety, we keep our phones charged with tiny solar panels and/or crank lanterns. We don't want inductive charging wasting power and increasing charge times.
Inductively charging iPhones would fulfill no pressing need while crippling the effectiveness of low power charging solutions.
Originally Posted by RedRaider2011
Apple chargers absolutely draw vampire power. Unless it's an extension cord with nothing plugged into it or it's a surge protector that's turned off, if it's plugged in then it's using power.
What about British Isles plugs that have a switch right on the wall to turn the plug off?
Because if you don't, you'll get an arc of 220 loud and bright enough to scare you into never plugging anything in again…
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timbit
I don't see the point of wireless charging. If I could walk around the house and it would charge, then sure! But what is the difference between plugging it in and placing it on a mat? It has to stay in that location until charged. At least you can pick up the phone while it's plugged in and use it. Trying to use it on a mat is too hard.
Another excellent point! And imagine how awful a charging mat would be in a car or a boat?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jragosta
As was the case the last 1000 times AI posted a story about wireless charging, I hope this never catches on.
While efficiencies are improving, there is always some loss when using wireless charging. With good current designs, that can be as much as 30% of the applied power. With the less efficient designs, the power losses can be much higher.
We don't need to be wasting energy and building new power plants because people are too lazy to spend the 0.5 seconds it takes to plug in their iphones.
You may need to get up to speed with latest advances. With some wireless power technologies you can get more than 95% efficiency.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timbit
I don't see the point of wireless charging. If I could walk around the house and it would charge, then sure! ...
Probably not with the solution provided by this company, but there are some technologies currently in development which allow you to do just that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedRaider2011
Apple chargers absolutely draw vampire power. Unless it's an extension cord with nothing plugged into it or it's a surge protector that's turned off, if it's plugged in then it's using power.
I've tried measuring the vampire power from my iPhone charger when now plugged into the iPhone. and it is so low it was immeasureable on the kill-a-watt meter.
That is not true with many of the other transformers ("wallwarts") around the house...
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedRaider2011
Apple chargers absolutely draw vampire power. Unless it's an extension cord with nothing plugged into it or it's a surge protector that's turned off, if it's plugged in then it's using power.
I have measured the iPhone AC charger and other common household devices using a sensitive ammeter. Its standby power load (‘vampire’ draw) is less than 30 milliwatts. The power brick for my Braun toothbrush is a “dumb” transformer—i.e. it has no standby function so it draws about 5 watts whether it is charging the brush head or not. That’s about 167 times more vampire draw than an iPhone charger. That’s why I stated above:
“Apple chargers don’t draw significant ’vampire’ power; but many other AC chargers, including the power brick for my inductively charged toothbrush (Braun), do.”
More perspective: running an average residential electric clothes dryer one hour to dry one load of clothes uses about the same amount of electricity as the vampire draw of an iPhone charger plugged in 24/7 for sixteen years (4400 watt hours divided by 30 milliwatts). The Braun power-brick uses the same amount of standby power in just 37 days (4400 watt hours divided by 5 watts).
I don't like the new plug; I always have to look if I insert it correctly. They should've designed it so it would plug in anyway you hold it, not just 2 options. Like a headphone plug, make it round. Of course, it's a vast improvement over the 30-pin connector.