so instead of a wire plugging in your phone that lies around when you don't use it, you want a full sized pad that lies around taking up space when you don't use it.
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iPhone 5 NEEDS Inductive Charging, Damn It!
- Thread starter SomeDudeAsking
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I too thought it was just a gimmick before I got the Touchstone, which was less than the diameter of a hockey puck.
You simply lay the phone on its slanted surface, where strong magnets align it and turn on the charger. The Palm also automatically went into speaker phone mode if you got or made a call while it was on the charger.
Here, maybe this will help: It's like the difference between a regular laptop power plug and a MagSafe plug, only MUCH better since you don't even have to find the right spot to hit. You could tell that the Touchstone idea probably came from one of the Apple engineers who moved to Palm.
You're confusing those huge aftermarket mats with a fairly small inductive charger like the Palm Touchstone, that can sit elegantly in a corner.
And yes, it sure beats plugging in tiny usb plugs that can eventually break. Not to mention that in theory you could build a totally sealed and waterproof unit this way.
Pic below is the phone back and the base.
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That would be cool, but I wont use it if I need to buy a charging pad for only $39.99. It should be part of the phone.
No way. Inductive charging would make the phone twice as thick and it would take a day to charge. Not a chance. 
I like a traditional wire charger. I can charge the phone while I am using it to listen to music or browse the web, or what have you. With a powermat type system you have to place the phone down and you can't really move, thus rendering it useless for the duration of the charge. So if it's charging and you get a phone call you have to take it off just to answer. Kind of annoying. Also, I like to keep a car charger handy for long days away from home. Inductive charging in a car is not very practical.
aww how sweet of you to be a white knight and come to the OP's rescue. however, call me old fashioned, but i just plug my phone in to charge it like most people. maybe an android forum would be impressed with your "sarcasm"
2 questions:
1) Doesn't induction charging take really long compared to usb?
2) How would the phone be water-tight when they still need to put in an audio jack?
Well no.. MagSafe was invented to solve a specific and real problem - namely to prevent laptops being knocked off desks by tripping on power cords.
It is still unclear what problem is being solved by inductive chargers. I can just as easily drop my iPhone into my desktop dock, as laying it down on an inductive charger. And you will NEVER see an inductive charging being the only charging option.. Otherwise, how would one charge the phone say in a car??
So yeah, a gee whiz gimmick is the appropriate description of inductive charging. I don't see Apple ever adopting it in its current form.
Ever heard of an inductive dock that you can put in your car? I know, it's a ground breaking, shocking idea.
LMAO. Great repsonse!
The OP is a apple hater. Nothing ever works right for him. Yet he refuses to use another device.
Sell the iPhone,buy a android. Simple solution.
Having this as a feature would be cool,but only that. It would be great for the aftermarket though and I'd probably have one on my nightstand. Wouldnt have one in the car. That's the same as putting a dock in your car but only for charging. ???
There are so many OTHER things that need to be fixed that inductive charging should be LOW on the want list as far as I am concerned!
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Agreed. Even before we think of inductive charging, we first need wireless syncing.
Agreed. Even before we think of inductive charging, we first need wireless syncing.
There are so many OTHER things that need to be fixed that inductive charging should be LOW on the want list as far as I am concerned!
I doubt it even on the list.
I think that's coming. Can't wait to see what there going to do with mobile me and the new data center.
Why do people go crazy for inductive charging? I have a grand total of 0 inductive charging devices in my house, and have no interest in acquring any. The only way I think I would want it is if devices could charge just by being in my house, with inductive charging units in the wall strong enough to charge my phone anywhere. Of course, that would probably be dangerous and expensive, so I don't care for inductive charging
There are so many OTHER things that need to be fixed that inductive charging should be LOW on the want list as far as I am concerned!
I completely agree.
That's my quote of the day!
The iPhone should have Inductive charging indeed, It would fit in really well with AirPlay and (maybe) some future AirSync? It would be awesome to just drop your phone in your futuristic inductive charger table and get it synced via WiFi.
It would be VERY Apple to have something like that.
No way. Inductive charging would make the phone twice as thick and it would take a day to charge. Not a chance.
both of those things aren't true
inductive charging is slower, but not slow. I use a powermat and its very fast when it comes to charging
and it wouldnt make it thicker...the only reason an iPhone gets any thicker when you install an inductive charging unit is because it doesnt have a removable battery. Phones such as blackberries can simply have their battery door replaced and the phone will remain the same thickness...powermat is also developing "smart batteries" that actually conduct charge through the standard battery doors without needing a special back panel. If Apple installed such technology in the factory, they could retain the same form factor while enabling inductive charging
Actually no I haven't, and it sounds like another dumb idea. How do you ensure that your phone doesn't fly across the car, as you drive over potholes? Are you going to tie it to a charging surface with rubber bands? And how is this a better solution than a simple wired dock, which not only charges my phone, but also connects it to the car speakers?
Luckily, Apple is too smart of a company to implement silly gimmicks that serve no apparent purpose.
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Ever heard of the Palm Pre TouchStone inductive dock that uses magnets to hold on to the phone? (Or, God forbid, you use a traditional inductive cradle dock.) And have you ever heard of BlueTooth? I know, they're ground breaking, shockingly simply ideas.
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No way. Inductive charging would make the phone twice as thick and it would take a day to charge. Not a chance.
It can be the same thickness.
I said "in theory". If you wanted to make a waterproof device, you could use Bluetooth for the audio jack... or... wait for it... an inductive audio pad!
Errr... the exact same safety reasoning applies for phones. Probably more so.
However, I actually was referring to the nice feel of putting something together magnetically instead of physically. Another example of that might be the SmartCovers on new iPads.
Does there have to be a problem to solve in order to have something that's luxuriously easy to use? If so, the iPhone should be shot.
My son-in-law kept an extra Touchstone on his car console. The magnets held the phone just fine.
Why do so many people like to put down things that they've never even tried? If you had, you'd know how nice it is.