Wired vs. Wireless Charging

Wireless charging stations have been creating a lot of waves over the past few months and were certainly a big focus at CES, but will they ever really take off? Certainly the market is becoming pretty competitive; I can think of 3 companies selling them off the top of my head (Powermat, WildCharge, and CaseMate). While the concept is theoretically very useful and has a cool, futuristic feel to it, they're all currently hindered by one major factor, they all require a special case. One of the major sell points for these platforms is the idea of reducing the cables needed to charge multiple devices, but is adding a special case any better? First off, each case is an added expense and more than likely all of the devices you own won't have a case designed for them, i.e. iPod nano, digital camera, extra battery pack, etc. Instead one company, blueLounge, has taken a slightly more practical approach to the cable management situation.

The Refresh ($89.95) charging station was designed to be a catch-all for personal mobile electronics. Constructed with both functionality and style in mind the Refresh comes in 3 different stylish colors (white, pink, and black) with a very modern feel. The rubberized lid prevents devices from sliding around and is large enough to accommodate 3 or more items depending on their size. Concealed below the lid are 6 built in connectors, 2 iPod/iPhone connectors, both a Mini & Micro USB cable, and 2 empty USB sockets to be used as needed. Additional connectors for specific devices can also be bought for $5.95 directly from their site. Each of the cables can reach up around the lower lip of the lid to start charging any of the up to 6 devices. The Refresh is a great addition to any home with numerous mobile devices and cables.

blueLounge also makes a big brother to the Refresh named The Sanctuary which is mainly targeted towards business use. With a slightly larger footprint and a dozen different connectors The Sanctuary makes for being the perfect desk mate and could add that extra umph to a sale if a client needs a quick charge. The Sanctuary starts at a hefty $129.95 price point which makes it a little tougher to justify but it certainly looks a bit more professional.

The wireless charging stations may be the wave of the future but either of these seem to be a far more versatile and practical choice. In 2 years from now I'd say go ahead and check out Powermat, but in the mean time I'd consider blueLounge instead.
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