Nexus 4’s Wireless Charging Orb seemingly inspired by Palm’s Touchstone

+Lewis Curdie Oct. 30, 2012 at 18:00 More articles by Lewis Curdie

Nexus 4’s Wireless Charging Orb seemingly inspired by Palm’s Touchstone The LG-built Nexus 4 offers a heck of a lot for a seriously reasonable price, and one of those thingies – alongside a 4.7in IPS display, quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM – is wireless charging.

You’ll be able to do all sorts of lovely things with Google’s Wireless Charging Orb accessory, though a nod towards Palm’s Touchstone is very much in order.

See, like Palm’s Touchstone, Google’s Wireless Charging Orb uses magnets, allowing the Nexus 4 to sit at a user-friendly angle. You can also position the phone in portrait or landscape.

Google also appears to have borrowed heavily from a webOS feature called Exhibition, which displays news and pictures and stuff while the phone is docked. Mountain View’s Exhibition-style feature is called Google Daydream.

Using the Qi wireless standard, the Nexus 4 should also be compatible with Nokia’s wireless charging pads. Y’know, in case you have both.

Wirelss Charging Orb price and availability have yet to be confirmed, but we’ll have more on the little fella just as soon as we hear it.

via: The Verge

Well the nexus one looks a little better then.
Is it compatible with the palm one too or is that not qi standard? Was thinking that might be a cheap way to get one, but guess there aren't many about anyway.
Honestly, I still don't see the point as the dock still needs to be plugged into the mains...how lazy do you have to be to not be bothered to plug a micro USB cable in?

Not saying I see it as completely useful but the charging point is a frequent failure area, Have once or twice sent my phone flying by catching the charging cable too.
I guess it does make it ever so slightly easier to make a quick call then put it back on charge. Ever so slightly. Though plugged in you wouldn't have to take it off charge so ok really reaching there for a point.

I'd find it a bit more workable if the angle was steeper and it could sit further and thereby safer on desk and still be available to text/email in situ.

Last edited by Pondlife, Oct. 31, 2012 at 01:10

Could be handy for a car phone charging point I guess though with £40 being mooted for desktop pads I dread to think what a car one would weigh in at. Could see them integrated in future.

Thinking of integration, some cafes/shops are supposedly getting charging points though suspect that will lead to more thefts and forgotten phones...

Good idea...car non-slip charging pad

Good idea...car non-slip charging pad
'Cos a MicroUSB cable and a non-slip pad (or just putting your phone in one of every car's many storage compartments) is just way too much effort for modern man.

Good idea...car non-slip charging pad
'Cos a MicroUSB cable and a non-slip pad (or just putting your phone in one of every car's many storage compartments) is just way too much effort for modern man.

Nothing wrong with having devices for making life easier and neater! Id quite like to see an in car holder with NFC, so you can basically just stick it to the charger and it will securely hold it whilst turning on bluetooth to sync with the stereo and loading a sat nav app of choice

I did think about the NFC thing when I said about the car point, but think surely most journeys you know where you are going? Could still turn on the music I guess.
As someone who specialises in kicking charging and audio cables out of the car seemingly every time he exits I wouldn't mind something a bit more elegant.

I did think about the NFC thing when I said about the car point, but think surely most journeys you know where you are going? Could still turn on the music I guess.
As someone who specialises in kicking charging and audio cables out of the car seemingly every time he exits I wouldn't mind something a bit more elegant.
Hahaha I have a glove box full of cables...some for devices I don't remember owning/using.
The ones I do need are usually under the seat...

I mean the one I've just unplugged phone from usually although the audio in lead does sometimes end up with cable hanging out the door. Oops

You'd be amazed how many people hop into their car and don't plug in their phone because it takes a valuable few seconds. I see people plugging in their phones all the time on the motorway/traffic lights. If there was an NFC wireless charging mat/holder/cradle sitting on the dash, it would be great. No more excuses for not using the handsfree as well!

True people are fundamentally flawed.

The problem with this lovely idea is, the car manufacturers who'd actually implement such a feature first (Audi, Merc, BMW, Lexus, Jaguar etc) woulld charge you several hundred quid for the privilege of having wireless charging/NFC capabilities, eliminating most of the market until it filters down to less premium brands like Ford, Vauxhall/Opel and Renault.

More than likely. That said the lower end ones have taken on ipod ports, steering wheel audio controls bluetooth and the like.
Could be done on an aftermarket way too though

have taken on
Precisely, years after they were available on "better" models. After market car enhancements are hardly cheap though, are they?

I don't think they've taken too long to come
Mayhaps. Be hard pushed to be more than the Nokia desk charger atm, £55!

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