It’s about time the big companies are killing the power cord. After Dell unveiled a notebook that can be charged wirelessly, it now seems to be Sony’s turn to do away with those cables. The company has announced this past weekend [JP] a power transfer system that can bring electricity to electronics wirelessly.
The system is still in experiment stage, but Sony says it’s already capable of sending 60W of electricity to a 22-inch LCD TV that’s about half a meter away. The distance can, at this point, be extended to 80cm when using a repeater. Another potential device the system could be eventually used for is a laptop.
Sony uses magnetic-resonance-based technology to transfer electricity from the transmitter to the receiver. The company is now working on commercializing the system but hasn’t said when we’ll see it in action.
Wireless power transmission is pretty dumb outside your electric toothbrush. The efficiency of it is absurdly low, and at a time when we should be focusing on improving power consumption and reducing phantom currents… Not really what we need.
And if you need a repeater, then WTF is the point??
Jim
i think the point is to eliminate the need to run to a wall and pull out a cord from your bag so your laptop doesn’t die one you at an inopportune time.
I mentioned my desire for this kind of thing a few years ago to friends and they looked at me liking I was smoking Costco crack. Now who’s laughing. The answer is ‘me’ if it wasn’t clear.
Obviously it’s in early stages now, but imagine a world where we are finally free of power cords (not power chords). You could move your equipment wherever you wanted, no mess of wires . . . brilliant.
Hmm…I think I need to go sign up for a Costco membership. Apparently, they sell things there that I usually need to drive across town for.
I mentioned my desire for this kind of thing a few years ago to friends and they looked at me liking I was smoking Costco crack. Now who’s laughing. The answer is ‘me’ if it wasn’t clear.
Obviously it’s in early stages now, but imagine a world where we are finally free of power cords (not power chords). You could move your equipment wherever you wanted, no mess of wires . . . brilliant.
One more small step! I can’t wait until this becomes more mainstream.
Sony is somewhat late to the party. There are already some players in this arena who has developed the technology and have first movers advantages. But who knows, Sony might kill the competition with its might. Some more electronics giants are likely to come up with their offering as well. It is all good for the consumers, those waiting to achieve wireless nirvana!