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`Home / Accessories / Reviews
`
`Review: Powermat Home & Office Mat,
`Portable Mat
`
`IOS CENTRAL
`By Nic Vargus FEB 4, 2010 11:30 PM PST
`
`At a Glance
`
`Expert’s Rating
`★ ★ ★ ★ ★
`
`Pros
`Aesthetically appealing charging
`dock
`Universal Charger charges just
`about everything portable
`Cases are solid
`Seamlessly charges multiple
`devices
`
`Our Verdict
`
`Cons
`Unseemly raised edge for iPhone
`3G and iPod touch case
`Cases are difficult to remove
`Steep entry price
`Magnetic induction connection
`isn’t truly wireless
`
`If you’ve ever had to fiddle around with a charging cable for your phone or iPod,
`or cast an envious glance at wireless chargers like the Palm Pre’s Touchstone,
`Powermat’s “wireless” charging pads may have caught your eye: the company’s
`eponymous products, compatible with Apple products, boast wireless charging
`to supported devices. I reviewed two models: the Home & Office Mat and the
`foldable Portable Mat version. Each costs $99 and supports up to three
`receivers.
`
`Included with each product is a universal charger that allows you to connect one
`device to a small box that sits on the charging station. While it seems paradoxical
`to fill one of the Powermat’s three charging slots with something that must be
`physically plugged in, the eight swappable connectors for the universal charger
`does make the device versatile.
`
`The investment in a Powermat system is steep; you’ll need a $99 base as well as
`a $40 receiver in the shape of a case or dock if you want to charge an iPhone or
`iPod touch. That’s an awful lot of money to throw down on what is, at best, a way
`to avoid the minor inconvenience of plugging in your player.
`
`Powermat charges “wirelessly” by using magnetic induction, which means the
`setup is as truly wireless as a rechargeable electric toothbrush. Align the magnet
`on the back of the receiver with the magnet in the charging base, and the mat
`beeps and starts charging your device. For $140, it would be nice if the “wireless”
`were more like Wi-Fi, charging your device from across the room or at least
`across your desk, but that technology remains largely in the realm of science-
`fiction.
`
`Positioning a receiver on the mat takes some practice—the handshake, as it’s
`called, can occur only when a receiver is positioned in a certain way on the mat.
`However, once in position—the magnets help you find the right spot by feel—the
`connection is solid.
`
`The receiver cases for the iPhone and iPod Touch are surprisingly sleek and
`sturdy, adding about the same amount of girth as many polycarbonate cases on
`the market right now. The cases are also relatively lightweight considering the
`additional hardware involved; that hardware results in a slightly raised ridge on
`the back of the case.
`
`I tested the Powermat units with an iPhone, an iPod Touch, an iPod classic, an
`iPod Nano, a Nintendo DS, and a variety of cell phones. I often charged devices
`three at a time without problems. In many cases, the Powermat seemed to
`charge devices as quickly as, or even a tad faster than, their own power
`adapters.
`
`Because the iPod and iPhone receiver cases aren’t designed to be taken off
`regularly, each includes a mini-USB port that allows you to connect your case-
`clad device (using the included, color-matched USB cable) to your computer for
`syncing with iTunes.
`
`If you do want to remove the case, it’s a bit of a trick: you must press two
`unmarked spots on the back of the case while pulling another part of the case in
`a specific direction—a pretty difficult task. There are no instructions included for
`performing this maneuver, so you’ll need to scour the Internet for tips.
`
`Of the two Powermat models I tested, I found the travel version to be slightly
`more practical: It was small enough to carry in a loaded backpack when I traveled
`across the state on a weekend trip, while still being capable of charging every
`handheld I brought. The only drawback to the travel version is that you sacrifice a
`bit of style (compared to the original model) for this convenience.
`
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`Overall, I ended up charging my phone more often when I was using the
`Powermat—it is indeed a bit easier to plop the phone down on the mat than to
`plug it in. However, it’s not a life-changing convenience. (Who said plugging in
`was difficult anyway?) Though the product does what it’s intended to do, at the
`asking price you’d hope the technology would do a little more than improve your
`life ever so slightly.
`
`Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may
`earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.
`
`Related: Mobile Phone Accessories
`
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