Although Palm's
Touchstone, a contact-based charger for the Palm Pre,
brought the idea of wireless charging into the mainstream, WildCharge
has been doing this same type of deal for years now. In an effort to
provide a wireless charging solution for practically any mobile device
out there, the company has actually slipped somewhat from its promise
of cord-free charging, but it does provide an option for charging up a
host of different devices.
The PowerDisc can be ordered with a wireless charging mat, which is
simply plugged into an AC outlet and then left in place. Once there,
any WildCharge-equipped device can receive power by just laying flat on
the power mat. The PowerDisc comes with a vast array of connectors that
essentially enable e-readers, mobile phones and portable media players
to become compatible with the power mat. Unfortunately, the plug-in
PowerDisc dongle is, well, a dongle. Which is, essentially, a cord. So
yeah, the device
is being charged wirelessly per se, but it's
definitely not as cut and dry as we had hoped.
At any rate, the WildCharge PowerDisc with PowerLinks (seven of 'em)
can be purchased now for $19.99, while the power mat bundle retails for
$64.99.