Uniden’s Wireless Power Pad promises to abolish the myriad cables and chargers that householders need to power their burgeoning collection of electronics devices by utilising “conductive charging technology”. A single Wireless Power Pad can charge up to five devices – phone, portable games console, GPS device, camera, Bluetooth headset – at once, and the system provides support more than 600 different products, according to the company
So how does it work?
The device to be charged makes contact with the Wireless Power Pad via either a ‘sleeve’ or a ‘power disc’ with connector cable. Both enable a metal-on-metal connection with the Power Pad, after which charging is automatic. Uniden claims it is “completely safe” and “allows for a very efficient and secure power transfer without generating harmful radiation, microwaves or magnetic fields”.
It works too, although you’ll have to ditch the funky case your iPhone is wearing in order have it fit within the charging sleeve.
The surface area is large enough to fit two sleeved phones comfortably, but devices connected via the power discs tend to ‘orbit’ the Pad, like clinging to a life raft. With five devices connected, the effect is even a little less cluttered than the conventional charging scenario played out on kitchen benches and on select patches of flooring across Australia – the cables aren’t as long and you need only one power point (so, not totally wireless after all, Uniden).
The Uniden Wireless Power series is available in several packages, with the bundles being the better value. The Starter Kit includes a Wireless Power Pad and an iPhone Sleeve or Power Disc and 8 interchangeable tips for $130. The Deluxe Kit is the Power Pad, sleeve and Power Disc with 8 interchangeable tips for $180 more. Alone, the Power Pad is $100, with the 8 interchangeable discs costing $50 and Power Sleeves for the iPhone, Touch and various makes of Blackberry costing $60 each.
