One of the new features of the recently launched Palm Pré is that we can buy a wireless charger for it, which works on the same induction principle like most electronic toothbrushes, which means that it's enough to place the phone on the surface of the charger. Palm didn't yet report on the efficiency of the device called Touchsctone, but most large manufacturers won't use the solution, due to environmental considerations.
Nokia thinks this kind of technology could have a future, even though they have a somehwat different idea, as they have strated developing a charging technology that would gain energy from electromagnetic waves. The first prototypes of the Ambient Charger can produce 2-3 mW of energy, but according to the manufacturer they will be boosted to up to 50 mW, which is not much, but it could charge the phone's battery when that's turned off and thus the use of a conventional charger would become unnecessary. The project is still in a very early phase and according to some opinions it is practically impossible to manufacture a charger of such an efficiency, although a phone that doesn't have to be plugged on a charger would really be an exciting gadget.
Nokia would like to combine the collection of electromagnetic radiation with solar cells and solutions using motion energy and these together could even completely banish standard chargers.
Translated by Szaszati
