Powermat juices power into gadgets – wirelessly!

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Thursday, 25 March 2010 11:56

Your IT - Home IT

Powermat’s perfect power pads place old-fashioned wires firmly into the past, with magnetic induction technology, mats and special receivers truly taking the recharging of gizmos and gadgets into the 21st century!

If you’re sick and tired of looking after a cornucopia of fiddly cables to charge your devices, be they iPods, iPhones, BlackBerries, Nokias, GPS devices, portable games consoles and just about any other gadget that can be recharged by mini or micro USB, then here’s a heads up on a new wonder in the wireless world!

It’s called the Powermat, and it uses special receivers and a mat with magnetic induction coils to transfer energy – not electricity – into almost any modern and portable gadget.

Due to arrive in JB Hifi, Harvey Normal, Myer and David Jones stores from April 15th, the Powermat is the simple solution to chameleon-like chargers that get lost in the tangled rats nest of wires that most consumers are only all too familiar with.

Each Powermat can charge up to 3 devices, with each device needing to be equipped with a receiver that allows that magnetically induced power to flow from mat to bat(tery) without cables of copper cluttering up your life.

Unlike in the US where Powermats and receivers are sold separately, something which caused some initial confusion for consumers who might have been unaware that special receivers were needed for each gadget, the Australian Powermat bundles were much more cleverly crafted.

There are four variations of the Powermat Home & Office Mat and receiver, and these are the Powermat Starter Kit, the Powermat iPhone bundle, the Powermat Blackberry Bold 9000 bundle and the Powermat iPod/iPhone bundle.

Although each bundle only comes with one receiver, with others receivers easily able to be purchased separately, Each bundle allow you to charge up to three devices simultaneously and include a USB port for a fourth device.

The pricing is simple – each bundle costs AUD $199.95, and each separate receiver costs AUD $49.95, prices that compare very favourably to US price points.

More details on how it works and how fast the wireless charging is compared with wired charging over on page two, as well as plans for future Powermat devices – please click on!