Apple acquires wireless charging specialist PowerbyProxi

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  • Reply 41 of 56
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    melgross said:

    Some people just aren’t happy with what exists, so they change the definition until it means what they want it to mean. Others really don’t understand the definition. It’s hard to say with him which is which.
    Yeah, wireless entails some kind of induction, electron moving produce em field  em field induced movement in a conductor at a distance. The field decreases at distance squared so it’s pretty understandable why short distance were tried first. They already had induction stovetop so most of the job was done there :-)

    directing power in in a way that’s both useful and not dangerous is non trivial for sure (though i expect devices like iOT and smart watches be the first to get a practical use for this.

    i’am a fan of using standing waves from a spread out array of charging em sources to get to this (moves around to follow device)though it would be very wasteful in power . Only ok I guess for low power sippers.
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  • Reply 42 of 56
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,687member
    Soli said:
    I assume by "big plate" you're referring to AirPower. That's not designed for travel. There are plenty of Qi chargers that are small enough to be more convenient than a 2 meter Series 0 Watch cable and Lightning Cable.

    As you mention, the Watch charges fast, so even a low-power charger will be able to charge your Series 3 Watch while you get ready and then your iPhone X or 8 series overnight with half the cables and overall less bulk. Some are even designed around traveling so they have built-in battery packs.

    I almost always travel with my MBP so I never bring a separate PSU. However, if I did I'd probably just bring the 5W since it may be enough in the aforementioned setup. If not, you may want to consider, say, a 12W 3rd-party PSU from a reputably company that offers 2x USB-A ports so that you can charge more than one device at a time.

    PS: I'm glad they reduced the size of the Watch charging cable. I found 6 feet cable to be excessive.
    PPS: I've found that if I put my Watch in Theater Mode and turn off wireless when not needed I can go several days without charging my Watch while still using it throughout the day. It was very helpful for a 3 night hike into the mountains. I did bring an Anker lipstick charger and the meter long charging cable, but next time I'll likely just bring one of the travel chargers with a built in battery pack for more convenience. These are less than $30 and have good reviews (although working with the Series 3 Watch is still not certain).
    I always buy longer cables. I find the short ones to be frustrating. You have to be really near an outlet. I often read on my iPad in bed. At home, I have a charger plugged in behind the bed, and a 2 meter cable coming out of the back of the bed, which isn’t a solid back. That way, if the battery is low, I can charge while reading.

    when I travel, it’s finally true that most hotels have outlets, and even USB ports for charging. I find the USB ports to be low power, though good for the watch. I use the long cable again for reading my iPad in bed. I don’t find long cords inconvenient. It takes all of 15 seconds to wind it up and put in an outside pocket in my overnite bag, where I can easily get to it when in an airport that has ports of some kind in the terminal. 2 meters works better there too.

    the Watch never came with a 2 meter cable. It was 1 meter, though it’s even shorter now, almost useless to me.

    as far as traveling with Apple’s AirPower device, from what I saw in their picture, it was a bit big. No way I would take it with me. But I can see people insisting on that, as it wireless, so it must be more convenient, right?
    edited October 2017
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  • Reply 43 of 56
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,687member
    Soli said:
    AirPower will only work with the Series 3 Watch.



    Honestly, I don't know why Apple didn't support Qi with their original Watch. It seemed clear to me that Qi was the standard going forward. It's been in development for nearly a decade and Starbucks, IKEA, and others, as well as countless tech companies adopted it before the Watch ever launched. Maybe it was about size of the coils they could put into the first two generations of Watch, but that reason seems less than ideal to me.
    It’s interesting, and I don’t want to argue about it, but it says nothing about the series 2, which I just sold, now that I’ve got the LTE model. Apple often doesn’t mention discontinued goods, so that may be the case here, but it would be nice to know for sure, as there are a lot of people with one.
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  • Reply 44 of 56
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,687member
    foggyhill said:
    Yeah, wireless entails some kind of induction, electron moving produce em field  em field induced movement in a conductor at a distance. The field decreases at distance squared so it’s pretty understandable why short distance were tried first. They already had induction stovetop so most of the job was done there :-)

    directing power in in a way that’s both useful and not dangerous is non trivial for sure (though i expect devices like iOT and smart watches be the first to get a practical use for this.

    i’am a fan of using standing waves from a spread out array of charging em sources to get to this (moves around to follow device)though it would be very wasteful in power . Only ok I guess for low power sippers.
    What would be interesting is that low power could be ok, if it were charging all the time. Then there might not be too many worries about a fair amount of current traveling through the body when between the charger and the device, unless the power is designed to cut off when that happens, which could make it a problem if you sit where you’re between the phone on your pocket or belt, and the charger. It may hardly get charged then.

    but all the time charging would require charging in every room you’re likely to be in during the average day, with your device present. For some people, it may be too expensive, as these kinds of chargers could cost more than a bit. After all, my 29 watt charger is already $49, sans cable.
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  • Reply 45 of 56
    Solisoli Posts: 10,038member
    melgross said:
    I always buy longer cables. I find the short ones to be frustrating. You have to be really near an outlet. I often read on my iPad in bed. At home, I have a charger plugged in behind the bed, and a 2 meter cable coming out of the back of the bed, which isn’t a solid back. That way, if the battery is low, I can charge while reading.

    when I travel, it’s finally true that most hotels have outlets, and even USB ports for charging. I find the USB ports to be low power, though good for the watch. I use the long cable again for reading my iPad in bed. I don’t find long cords inconvenient. It takes all of 15 seconds to wind it up and put in an outside pocket in my overnite bag, where I can easily get to it when in an airport that has ports of some kind in the terminal. 2 meters works better there too.

    the Watch never came with a 2 meter cable. It was 1 meter, though it’s even shorter now, almost useless to me.

    as far as traveling with Apple’s AirPower device, from what I saw in their picture, it was a bit big. No way I would take it with me. But I can see people insisting on that, as it wireless, so it must be more convenient, right?
    1) Series 0 did. Series 1 and 2 came with a 1 meter. cable. I think Series 3 is still 1 meter, but they do sell a 0.3 meter cable as an accessory on their website. I really wish I had that when traveling, and if that works for the new iPhones as a trickle charger that sufficiently charges in less than 8 hours I may go for it once I upgrade next year.


    2) My suggestion was to get a different Qi charger designed for travel while leaving your AirPower on your nightstand (or wherever you charge your devices over night). I also plan to have other charger for a future iPhone in various places so I can top off as needed.
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  • Reply 46 of 56
    melgross said:

    Now you’re just trying to backtrack. You should know by now what wireless charging means, and it doesn’t mean “air gap” between devices.

    I'm not backtracking.  My complaint all along has been the misleading branding of this type of solution as "wireless."  To me--and most reasonable people--if you say wireless, you mean there is no physical connection required.  The original "wireless" (radios) were a breakthrough from telegraphs because--surprise surprise--the signal travelled though the air rather than a wire.  WiFi--wireless networking--did away with the physical connection between the router and the device--yay.  On the other hand, "wireless" charging?  Oh, I get to put something on a plate instead of plugging two things together.  La de da.  I'm not saying that putting my phone on a mat isn't marginally more convenient than plugging it into a stand; I'm just saying "don't call it wireless."
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  • Reply 47 of 56
    Solisoli Posts: 10,038member
    melgross said:
    It’s interesting, and I don’t want to argue about it, but it says nothing about the series 2, which I just sold, now that I’ve got the LTE model. Apple often doesn’t mention discontinued goods, so that may be the case here, but it would be nice to know for sure, as there are a lot of people with one.
    I'd bet anything that Series 3 is the first Watch to support Qi, as the charging info didn't change between Series 0/1 and Series 2, and they don't seem to be making any effort to support dual charging technologies for backwards compatibility.
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  • Reply 48 of 56
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,687member
    Soli said:
    1) Series 0 did. Series 1 and 2 came with a 1 meter. cable. I think Series 3 is still 1 meter, but they do sell a 0.3 meter cable as an accessory on their website. I really wish I had that when traveling, and if that works for the new iPhones as a trickle charger that sufficiently charges in less than 8 hours I may go for it once I upgrade next year.


    2) My suggestion was to get a different Qi charger designed for travel while leaving your AirPower on your nightstand (or wherever you charge your devices over night). I also plan to have other charger for a future iPhone in various places so I can top off as needed.
    I think that’s a mistake. From what I’ve seen of my friends original Apple Watch cable, it looks about 1.5 meters. My series 2 cable is 1 meter, and my series 2 is shorter by several inches.

    ive got chargers all over the house. Never know when you’ll need it! Normally I keep the 29mwatt with 2 meter cable in the living room. But I’ve got a 12cwatt in the dining room with a 2 meter cable. Of course all three of us can plug into our computers for charging as my wife does most often. I have chargers in my shops downstairs, garage shop, etc.

    several years ago I bought a pack of 5 10 watt chargers. I’ve got a draw with about 10 5 watt chargers. Now, only good for the watch.

    i doubt I’d ever bother with a wireless charger of any kind when traveling. It’s really too much of a hassle. Can you imagine using one in an airport, while you’re reading your iPad?
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  • Reply 49 of 56
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,687member


    I'm not backtracking.  My complaint all along has been the misleading branding of this type of solution as "wireless."  To me--and most reasonable people--if you say wireless, you mean there is no physical connection required.  The original "wireless" (radios) were a breakthrough from telegraphs because--surprise surprise--the signal travelled though the air rather than a wire.  WiFi--wireless networking--did away with the physical connection between the router and the device--yay.  On the other hand, "wireless" charging?  Oh, I get to put something on a plate instead of plugging two things together.  La de da.  I'm not saying that putting my phone on a mat isn't marginally more convenient than plugging it into a stand; I'm just saying "don't call it wireless."
    It’s not misbranding, and people who think it is, aren’t reasonable, they’re ignorant.
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  • Reply 50 of 56
    Solisoli Posts: 10,038member
    melgross said:
    I think that’s a mistake. From what I’ve seen of my friends original Apple Watch cable, it looks about 1.5 meters. My series 2 cable is 1 meter, and my series 2 is shorter by several inches.
    I don't know why you're arguing this point or referring later Apple Watches when I've stated direct experience with this and also supplied one of countless links which backs up my statement. One last attempt: Here's an unboxing video where he pulls out the cable.


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  • Reply 51 of 56
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,687member
    Soli said:
    I don't know why you're arguing this point or referring later Apple Watches when I've stated direct experience with this and also supplied one of countless links which backs up my statement. One last attempt: Here's an unboxing video where he pulls out the cable.


    I’m not arguing it. I’m just saying it didn’t look like 2 meters.
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  • Reply 52 of 56
    waverboy said:
    Still waiting for real wireless charging...that'll be the real game-changer.
    It's available now, at a huge cost to efficiency. There no magic involved, a physical cable connection to deliver power will always be more efficient.
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  • Reply 53 of 56
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    melgross said:
    What would be interesting is that low power could be ok, if it were charging all the time. Then there might not be too many worries about a fair amount of current traveling through the body when between the charger and the device, unless the power is designed to cut off when that happens, which could make it a problem if you sit where you’re between the phone on your pocket or belt, and the charger. It may hardly get charged then.

    but all the time charging would require charging in every room you’re likely to be in during the average day, with your device present. For some people, it may be too expensive, as these kinds of chargers could cost more than a bit. After all, my 29 watt charger is already $49, sans cable.
    Yes, for this to work, you'd need quite a bit of those things which are equivalent to beamforming routers. So, say 3-4 "power routers" per room to produce a proper level of power through a standing wave. For this to work, those routers would need to work together (so more like a mesh I guess).

    This is best for devices, you don't want to take off or that need to be powered from the environment cause there is no plugs of any kind). Eventually, just about everything we own will have some chip inside, even grocery; either their passive, or they actively interact with their environment. For that, they need power.
    edited October 2017
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  • Reply 54 of 56
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,687member
    foggyhill said:
    Yes, for this to work, you'd need quite a bit of those things which are equivalent to beamforming routers. So, say 3-4 "power routers" per room to produce a proper level of power through a standing wave. For this to work, those routers would need to work together (so more like a mesh I guess).

    This is best for devices, you don't want to take off or that need to be powered from the environment cause there is no plugs of any kind). Eventually, just about everything we own will have some chip inside, even grocery; either their passive, or they actively interact with their environment. For that, they need power.
    Nobody really knows where this is going. The efficiency is so low though, that if it looks to take off, there may be laws that prevent it. These days, with what’s going on with global warming, increasing needs for more power (though power requirements in the US had leveled off because of greater efficiencies over the past ten years, or so), wasteful technologies like over the air charging, which will make wireless charging seem like a paragon of efficiency, may have a difficult time not being regulated away.

    im not sure if that would be great or not, but it’s ok if a few people use it. If tens of millions do, or half the country, vast amounts of power will literally disappear into the air.
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  • Reply 55 of 56
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,687member
  • Reply 56 of 56
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
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