Feed aggregator
State of the Art: The iPhone 8: A Worthy Refinement Before the Next Generation
Apple’s new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus have a ring of familiarity. But the phones may feel like a solid upgrade from older models because of their new processor.
The lawyers defending Trump
As the multiple Russia investigations deepen, President Trump has gathered a group of controversial lawyers to represent him, both from within the White House and outside it.
There have been protests in St. Louis for four days, but Trump hasn't acknowledged them
He's found time for a storm of retweets but not for a statement on one of the key issues that shaped the presidential election.
Pi Charger Uses Qi Standard to Extend Wireless Charging Reach Beyond Current Mats
With the launch of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, Apple added inductive wireless charging support to its mobile devices for the first time. While the feature brought Apple's phones up to speed with existing Qi-compatible charging standards, the announcement fell short of some expectations that this year Apple would introduce technology allowing iPhones to be powered wirelessly at a distance, rather than having to use a charging mat.
However, Pi is a California-based startup that aims to break from that limitation with the Pi Charger – a cone-shaped tabletop device that combines Qi-based resonant induction with a special beam-forming algorithm that allows it to charge multiple devices within about a foot in any direction.
The Pi might not reach the distances claimed by Energous' WattUp technology, which uses radio frequencies to charge devices from up to 15 feet away, but it does offer more flexibility than existing pads that devices must be directly placed upon.
In a demo at TechCrunch's Disrupt event, the company showed that up to four Qi-compatible devices can be placed within a foot of a Pi and they will start charging. Devices can be located anywhere within a 12-inch sphere of influence around the charging hub and in different orientations. The closer the device to the Pi, the faster it charges, with a gradual drop-off in charging speed the further away the phone is.
"Magnetic fields are the best way to send meaningful energy to phones, tablets, and other portable electronics," said Lixin Shi, Pi's CTO and co-founder. "The hard part was figuring out how to make magnetic charging more flexible, multi-device, and extend its useful range. It took us over a year to complete the mathematical proof that makes it all possible."The team behind Pi said they've yet to settle on an exact price for the charger, but they expect it to ship for under $200 sometime in 2018. As for Apple, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest it has partnered with Energous to work on bringing a truly wire-free, over-the-air charging technology to its consumer devices, but we'll likely have to wait for at least another year to see the possible fruits of those labors.
Related Roundups: iPhone 8, iPhone X
Tags: wireless charging, Qi, Pi
Buyer's Guide: iPhone (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums
However, Pi is a California-based startup that aims to break from that limitation with the Pi Charger – a cone-shaped tabletop device that combines Qi-based resonant induction with a special beam-forming algorithm that allows it to charge multiple devices within about a foot in any direction.
The Pi might not reach the distances claimed by Energous' WattUp technology, which uses radio frequencies to charge devices from up to 15 feet away, but it does offer more flexibility than existing pads that devices must be directly placed upon.
In a demo at TechCrunch's Disrupt event, the company showed that up to four Qi-compatible devices can be placed within a foot of a Pi and they will start charging. Devices can be located anywhere within a 12-inch sphere of influence around the charging hub and in different orientations. The closer the device to the Pi, the faster it charges, with a gradual drop-off in charging speed the further away the phone is.
"Magnetic fields are the best way to send meaningful energy to phones, tablets, and other portable electronics," said Lixin Shi, Pi's CTO and co-founder. "The hard part was figuring out how to make magnetic charging more flexible, multi-device, and extend its useful range. It took us over a year to complete the mathematical proof that makes it all possible."The team behind Pi said they've yet to settle on an exact price for the charger, but they expect it to ship for under $200 sometime in 2018. As for Apple, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest it has partnered with Energous to work on bringing a truly wire-free, over-the-air charging technology to its consumer devices, but we'll likely have to wait for at least another year to see the possible fruits of those labors.
Related Roundups: iPhone 8, iPhone X
Tags: wireless charging, Qi, Pi
Buyer's Guide: iPhone (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums
'Jeopardy!' makes a very bad Wikipedia, and we can prove it
"What is oxygen?” Glad you asked.
Nancy Pelosi confronted by immigration rights protesters about her DACA talks with Trump
The angry protest in San Francisco comes as she's working on a deal with Trump to provide protections for “dreamers.”
Democrats Mount Effort to Recruit Women as State Attorneys General
Few Democratic state officeholders are women, a shortfall the party is seeking to fix.
Health Bill Tests a Signature Senate Bond: John McCain and Lindsey Graham
The bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act bears the name of Mr. Graham, but Mr. McCain, who helped sink an earlier repeal attempt, has remained undecided.
Nonfiction: The Education of Ellen Pao
In “Reset,” the Silicon Valley executive and former venture capitalist explains how she came to question the culture of the tech industry.
