Energizer announces Inductive Charging Mat… But Why?
I’m never one to complain about accessories here on the Accessorize Mobile, but this one just doesn’t make sense to me. Energizer has just announced a new inductive charging mat for BlackBerry and iPhone users. It’s very similar to the Powermat charging mat, except brings Qi standards into play. Qi basically is a standard that electronic manufactures have developed to bring universal compatiability for wireless charging. This means if phone manufactures like Motorola, Nokia, Apple, BlackBerry, etc. were to integrate Qi into their devices, you could simply just set it on the Energizer charging mat to charge it. Problem is, no manifacutres have done so yet. Therefore Energizer has released their wireless charging mat with removable battery doors (like Powermat) for the iPhone 3G/3GS and the BlackBerry Curve 8900.
The Energizer Inductive Charger goes on sale in November for $89.99, then $34.99 for each removable battery door. Sadly it doesn’t look like Energizer has released a universal charging block (like Powermat’s Powercube) for their product. So it’s pretty much useless for newer devices like the Bold 9700, iPhone 4, anything Android, etc. If you want more details visit Energizer’s website here.
Press Release:
ENERGIZER® Introduces New Inductive Charger to Meet Consumer Demand for Wireless Power
Leads the Way with One of the First Universal Qi Technology Products to Market
ST. LOUIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As consumers rely more heavily than ever on devices such as smartphones and cell phones for everything from texting and talking, to working and shopping, their demand for more power and more convenient charging options has skyrocketed. Energizer, a leader in innovative power solutions that make consumers’ lives easier, recognized this growing need and responded with the introduction of their first inductive charger built with Qi technology, the new universal charging standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC).
“This next generation charger is a natural extension of an innovative product portfolio that brings more freedom for people to live and to work using power that’s reliable and convenient.”
Widely anticipated and considered to be one of the most compelling new developments in charging technology, Qi (pronounced chee) will bring consumers the freedom to charge their smartphones, MP3 players, cameras – any device 5 Watts or less – on a single charging station, regardless of manufacturer.
“We believe that a universal standard is the future of charging, and by leading the way with one of the first Qi products – the Energizer® Inductive Charger – we are meeting a clear need for a product that makes charging devices easier by eliminating cords and clutter,” said Jim Olsen, Vice President of Marketing for Energizer North America. “This next generation charger is a natural extension of an innovative product portfolio that brings more freedom for people to live and to work using power that’s reliable and convenient.”
According to market research firm iSuppli, Corp., shipments of electronic products with wireless charging capability are anticipated to increase from 3.6 million units in 2010, to 234.9 million units in 2014. An open, standardized system will create a healthier competitive environment and prompt manufacturers to join forces.* The WPC had this very goal of global compatibility in mind when they formed an international group of more than 55 companies to develop this universal standard.
“The WPC and dedicated members like Energizer have been hard at work developing and testing this universal standard, and we are honored to have a brand with the global reach of Energizer as one of the first to market with a Qi inductive charger,” said Menno Treffers, Chairman of the Wireless Power Consortium. “They are helping to establish and educate about Qi and drive adoption, benefiting consumers and the industry as a whole.”
Designed in cooperation with WPC co-founder ConvenientPower, the first generation of the Energizer® Inductive Charger is designed to conveniently charge up to three devices at one time. It features two large inductive charging zones that don’t require locking the device into a precise position, so consumers can simply set down their phone and be sure that it will be charged and ready to go. It also has a USB port so it’s easy to charge an additional device such as a phone, headset, mp3 player, camera or GPS. Two LED charge lights indicate that the device is charging.
The Energizer® Inductive Charger will be introduced with a Qi Sleeve for the iPhone® 3GS/3G and a one-time replacement Qi Door for the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8900, so consumers can enjoy the convenience of Qi right away. Soon, consumers can expect to have Qi built right into many of their devices.
“As one of the first to market with a Qi device, we want to make it easy for consumers to experience how easy and convenient it is to charge their devices using this new universal standard,” added Olsen. “We focused on accessories for popular smartphones, but anticipate that it will not be long before manufacturers roll-out devices with Qi built right in.”
The Energizer® Inductive Charger will be available at retail this October. Suggested retail price is $89. The removable Qi sleeve for the iPhone® 3GS/3G and the Qi door for the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8900 will be sold separately for $34.99 each.
For more information, visit www.energizer.com/inductive.
About Inductive Charging and Qi
Inductive charging is what happens when two devices—one designed to send power and the other designed to receive it—touch one another and energy is transferred between them. By using an electromagnetic field to transfer energy, charging pads are able to intelligently communicate back and forth with the devices they’re charging.
Before Qi, transmitters and receivers had to be designed to work together, or speak the same “language.” Now, Qi is the common language for inductive chargers and devices to talk to one another, so any device with a Qi-enabled accessory or with Qi built directly into it can charge on any Qi inductive charging pad.
Where can someone buy the Energizer Qi Inductive Charging Sleeve for iPhone 4?
I can’t find it for sale anywhere – even where Energizer specifically refers to on the Inductive Charger web page links (Target, Amazon & Best Buy)?
Any help in this area would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.