Gadgets
fromThe Verge
1 day agoMmm, Qi donuts
Ikea released three affordable 15W Qi2.0 wireless chargers with decor-like designs: a silicone donut, a cork-based stand, and a multiuse charging bowl with LED lighting.
But AirTags have a few design flaws. First, the replaceable battery means you're chucking away handfuls of CR2032s every year. Then there's the shape and size. These tiny UFO-shaped devices don't have a lanyard hole and are too bulky to be placed in a wallet without giving you a pain in the rear. Also: My search for the ultimate USB-C charger for traveling is finally over Yes, some wallets have little holders for AirTags, but in my experience, they are all too bulky.
Kuxiu already made my favorite 3-in-1 Qi2 charger, and now it's back with an even smaller yet more powerful version. The MagSafe-compatible Qi2.2 charger folds up super compact for travel and unfurls into a "Z" to simultaneously charge an Apple Watch, AirPods, or other Qi-enabled earbuds, and a Qi2 25W phone like the new Pixel 10 Pro XL and iPhone 17 series - all from a single USB-C cable.
The most tangible hardware addition across the lineup, in fact, is completely invisible: a set of magnets beneath the phones' back panels. With the new Pixelsnap system, Google is the first major Android manufacturer to finally catch up to Apple's MagSafe. Apple launched its magnetic wireless charging system on the iPhone 12 range in 2020, and it's quietly become one of the best things about using an iPhone.