Nomad's Upcoming 'Base Station Pro' is the Latest AirPower Alternative, Able to Charge 3 Devices in Any Position

[Smigit]

Slicecharge Pro, now available for sale directly from Hard Cider Labs

It misses two important things AirPower was addressing:

1. You can't place the devices anywhere. The coils are all across the horizontal and don't cover the full surface. You don't need to be exact with the placement but the devices still need to be positioned roughly in the middle vertically. It's more lenient than most but you can put a device on the matt in a manner that it won't charge. The far right is also off limits to QI devices due to the watch charger. that leads us to...

2. Apple Watch has to be placed on the puck, can't go anywhere. AirPower would have addressed this.

I have this dock and would also say the build quality is passable, but not much more than that. The units very light which feels cheap and they didn't include any non-slip surface on the base so out of the box the Slice Charge Pro will slide around on smooth surfaces. Can add your own grip but you really shouldn't need to.

While I haven't had issues with mine many on the kickstarter/indiegogo pages have cited reliability issues, and support appears to be almost non existent.

 

[konqerror]

source?

iPhone 11 Pro Max Charging Test

After years of shipping a 5W charger in the box with iPhones, Apple finally decided to include an 18W fast charger with the iPhone 11 Pro, along with a USB-C to Lightning cable because you need both to fast charging your iPhone 8 or later. Unfortunately, the more affordable iPhone 11 continues to co

www.chargerlab.com

I tested it myself and got similar results.

 

[pika2000]

I’m curious why/how Apple couldn’t finalise AirPower being the biggest tech company in the world.
I’m not a wireless charging fan as of yet but these alternatives make me wonder

Because, I don't know, physics?

These alternatives probably are not using as much coils as Apple wanted to on their Airpower.

 

[TheIntruder]

I’m curious why/how Apple couldn’t finalise AirPower being the biggest tech company in the world.
I’m not a wireless charging fan as of yet but these alternatives make me wonder

It's a fair question to pose, but in the end, I don't think Apple and Nomad shared all the same goals (or constraints) in developing each product.

Obviously, there is commonality between the two in that they share free placement of devices, and employ an array of multiple coils to permit facilitate that.

But, based on patent filings, AirPower likely would have employed more coils, in a overlapping arrangement, allowing for higher power and more liberal placement, but with the greater likelihood of interference and heat generation, and potentially adverse effects on efficiency.

The Nomad product appears to have 18 small coils is a non-overlapping honeycomb arrangement, controlled via "patented circuitry and propietary (sic) algorithms."

It would be foolish to assume that Apple lacks the ability the design a similar control system, and I'm certain that functional AirPower prototypes exist.

But, proof of concept is far from a finished, saleable product, and not to forget that AirPower was to also permit puck-less Watch charging, and more complex iDevice-specific handshaking (neither of which any third party charger can do), with a processor and software stack of its own.

Whatever the issues were that prevented Apple from shipping AirPower, the end result was that it didn't meet Apple's goals for a finished product.

If/when Nomad manages to ship a finished product, it will be interesting to see how much it costs, and how well it actually performs. But for now, neither has graduated from vaporware status to shipping product.

Let's assume that the Base Station Pro does ship, and really does permit a degree of freedom that no other wireless charger can. Then it will have succeeded where Apple did not, but whether to the same degree, we'll never know.

But it will face the same questions that the AirPower would have -- will consumers accustomed to $15 wireless chargers from Amazon really pay over $100. maybe considerably, for the sake of that convenience? As alluded to earlier, can Nomad meet demand, when it already has difficulty doing so with the current Base Station models? That's slightly puzzling in itself, as the Maxwise Group, who is their manufacturer, is capable of supplying a well-known clientele far larger than Nomad.

And what of this mysterious AiraPower startup, with a four-month old domain, and no published patents (at least according to a cursory search)?

 

[PastaPrimav]

I don't get it, that's not my experience with Qi charging at all. I bought a cheap $10 charging pad at the campus bookstore and I just plop my phone on it and it charges. I don't have to align anything precisely at all, just make sure it's reasonably centered on the pad and off it charges.

That's a single charger. I also have ones that are single charger stands, that are the same width as the device, and that of course is easy to place on.

Anything more sophisticated than that, forget it. Qi is inadequate. The multi-coil chargers where the coil is "somewhere" below an unmarked surface, it is a nightmare.

 

[zorinlynx]

That's a single charger. I also have ones that are single charger stands, that are the same width as the device, and that of course is easy to place on.

Anything more sophisticated than that, forget it. Qi is inadequate. The multi-coil chargers where the coil is "somewhere" below an unmarked surface, it is a nightmare.

Oh that's a horrible design then. There should be a clear symbol or marking where the coil is. That's just common sense!

 

[konqerror]

Anything more sophisticated than that, forget it. Qi is inadequate. The multi-coil chargers where the coil is "somewhere" below an unmarked surface, it is a nightmare.

The issue isn't the Qi standard but all the companies making chargers that violate it.

The Qi specification defines the geometry of the charger coils and device. Any Qi-complaint device and Qi-compliant charger will not have an alignment issue.

Take for instance stand-type chargers. They have 3 coils in precise locations in order to properly cover the envelope of phones. They select the proper coil based on the size of the phone. The Qi specification defines how the phone should have its coils relative to the bottom edge. Phone sizes are different, so the standard requires 3 coils such that the stand will properly position it to at least one coil.

The issue is when manufacturers got the idea of having free placement. Basically, a bunch of people, including Apple, jumped into this free placement idea without understanding the inherent difficulties of it and how the Qi standard was carefully engineered to avoid alignment issues.

 

[ke-iron]

I just want an AirPower so I can charge iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods.

 

[Nicksd84]

I wish people would stop giving that same old tired justification for being too cheap to buy a $15 Qi pad.

The heat from USB-C wired charging, which operates at 24 watts, far exceeds 5-7.5 W wireless charging, and puts far more wear on the battery.

But the loss of energy to heat is much higher in wireless than wired charging. Much more inefficient. Long term wireless is worse

 

[Vitinary]

Has anyone tried Nomad’s Apple Watch Edition? And is it working properly with Apple Watch, AirPods and iPhone charging simultaneously?

Mine works great, although you need to get the right spots to place both AirPods and iPhone at the same time.

 

[ipponrg]

I think the technology that powers this Nomad is made from a startup company called “Aire”. They appeared on Shark Tank yesterday

 

[PastaPrimav]

The issue isn't the Qi standard but all the companies making chargers that violate it.

Oh that's a horrible design then. There should be a clear symbol or marking where the coil is. That's just common sense!

But even with a clear symbol, it is a bad design. You can't see through the phone. Aligning the spot on the back of the phone, with the spot on the pad, is inherent to the Qi standard, and is a bad design.

Having to match a single coil in the device with a single coil on the pad is just inadequate and subpar. I find that to be barely more than a proof of concept, and not worthy of Apple products.

The coil design should be a mesh construction that can direct power anywhere. So that a pad can be made to be any size or shape, and when an device is placed on it, it activates a region.

The Qi standard is insufficient to cover advanced products like this. If it weren't, AirPower would have come to fruition.

 

[zhenya]

But even with a clear symbol, it is a bad design. You can't see through the phone. Aligning the spot on the back of the phone, with the spot on the pad, is inherent to the Qi standard, and is a bad design.

Having to match a single coil in the device with a single coil on the pad is just inadequate and subpar. I find that to be barely more than a proof of concept, and not worthy of Apple products.

The coil design should be a mesh construction that can direct power anywhere. So that a pad can be made to be any size or shape, and when an device is placed on it, it activates a region.

The Qi standard is insufficient to cover advanced products like this. If it weren't, AirPower would have come to fruition.

I kind of agree as someone who just got their first phone with this capability. I thought it'd be a lot more convenient than it is but I actually decided not to buy any pad-design wireless chargers for home use because my wife would end up with a dead phone all the time given how little feedback there is in iOS when it starts charging.

 

[zorinlynx]

But even with a clear symbol, it is a bad design. You can't see through the phone. Aligning the spot on the back of the phone, with the spot on the pad, is inherent to the Qi standard, and is a bad design.

Having to match a single coil in the device with a single coil on the pad is just inadequate and subpar. I find that to be barely more than a proof of concept, and not worthy of Apple products.

The coil design should be a mesh construction that can direct power anywhere. So that a pad can be made to be any size or shape, and when an device is placed on it, it activates a region.

The Qi standard is insufficient to cover advanced products like this. If it weren't, AirPower would have come to fruition.

It doesn't have to be that precise, though. I literally throw my phone on the pad overnight when it needs charging and it's always charged by morning. It's never absolutely perfectly centered. As long as you have a general idea of where the coil is, that's enough.

 

[zhenya]

It doesn't have to be that precise, though. I literally throw my phone on the pad overnight when it needs charging and it's always charged by morning. It's never absolutely perfectly centered. As long as you have a general idea of where the coil is, that's enough.

I think that's the problem though. You and I and most people on a board like this understand there are two coils in there that need to be in relatively precise alignment. The average user is just going to see a charging pad and plop their phone down. Anything more than that and it's way easier to just plug in a cable which has a positive engagement every time.

 

[PastaPrimav]

It doesn't have to be that precise, though. I literally throw my phone on the pad overnight when it needs charging and it's always charged by morning. It's never absolutely perfectly centered. As long as you have a general idea of where the coil is, that's enough.

I think that's the problem though. You and I and most people on a board like this understand there are two coils in there that need to be in relatively precise alignment. The average user is just going to see a charging pad and plop their phone down. Anything more than that and it's way easier to just plug in a cable which has a positive engagement every time.

This shouldn't be a problem to begin with, that is my point. These products are woefully inadequate and the user experience is completely inconsistent with what I expect from Apple.

I would have greatly preferred they go in the direction of proprietary wireless charging, and hope they still do at some point.

We've gained nothing by having the privilege of buying $10 chargers on Amazon.

 

[lazyrighteye]

It isn't. It's people who are jealous trying to justify their lack of technology. As I pointed out, the included wired charging in the 11 Pro, and the optional capability in the X through 11, charges at up to 5x the rate of wireless and definitely generates more heat.

Chargerlab found that the all time worst configuration is USB-C on Apple's own 29 W charger. The phone selects 15 V instead of 9 V and gets very hot.

Ah. That sounds no fun. Cheers.

 

[konqerror]

I think that's the problem though. You and I and most people on a board like this understand there are two coils in there that need to be in relatively precise alignment. The average user is just going to see a charging pad and plop their phone down. Anything more than that and it's way easier to just plug in a cable which has a positive engagement every time.

But even with a clear symbol, it is a bad design. You can't see through the phone. Aligning the spot on the back of the phone, with the spot on the pad, is inherent to the Qi standard, and is a bad design.

I agree the standard is tolerant to misalignment and you're generally exaggerating the issues.

However, that's why the stand type chargers are a better UX and the Qi standard is specifically designed for that. You don't need to align since gravity takes care of that for you. There's similar well-type chargers, found in cars, where the edge of the phone aligns with the depression.

The issue is the stand chargers require at least 3 coils, which increases the cost over single-coil pad chargers. Guess which design is more popular?

 

[TheIntruder]

The coil design should be a mesh construction that can direct power anywhere. So that a pad can be made to be any size or shape, and when an device is placed on it, it activates a region.

The Qi standard is insufficient to cover advanced products like this. If it weren't, AirPower would have come to fruition.

You repeatedly blame Qi for being at fault, but yet to offer any evidence to support that claim beyond branding it the villain.

How is it insufficient? What is better? Who has demonstrated a better solution and seen shipped it as a finished product? PMA?

If Qi doesn't cover simultaneous primary multi-coil arrays, then what is the purpose of the Type B transmitter reference specs?

I agree the standard is tolerant to misalignment and you're generally exaggerating the issues.

However, that's why the stand type chargers are a better UX and the Qi standard is specifically designed for that. You don't need to align since gravity takes care of that for you. There's similar well-type chargers, found in cars, where the edge of the phone aligns with the depression.

The issue is the stand chargers require at least 3 coils, which increases the cost over single-coil pad chargers. Guess which design is more popular?

Nothing in Qi's specs say that stand chargers have to employ three coils, per se.

There are stand chargers that accommodate both portrait and landscape orientations, and utilize only a single coil. But they do have physical designs that reduce the chances of device misalignment.

Designers have a variety of Qi reference transmitter designers to draw from, and build their product around, but are allowed to deviate.

A product like Anker's PowerWave A2524 stand employs the A28 transmitter design, which calls for three coils, but the product only utilizes two coils, and is still Qi-certified. Dual-coil stand chargers are quite common, if not the majority.

 

[The Game 161]

My nomad pas works well but have noticed even though it’s charging my watch it’s said a few times this accessory is not built to charge this watch which is odd

Few times it’s charged it then when I wake up the watch is only on 86%

 

[H3LL5P4WN]

It misses two important things AirPower was addressing:

1. You can't place the devices anywhere. The coils are all across the horizontal and don't cover the full surface. You don't need to be exact with the placement but the devices still need to be positioned roughly in the middle vertically. It's more lenient than most but you can put a device on the matt in a manner that it won't charge. The far right is also off limits to QI devices due to the watch charger. that leads us to...

2. Apple Watch has to be placed on the puck, can't go anywhere. AirPower would have addressed this.

I have this dock and would also say the build quality is passable, but not much more than that. The units very light which feels cheap and they didn't include any non-slip surface on the base so out of the box the Slice Charge Pro will slide around on smooth surfaces. Can add your own grip but you really shouldn't need to.

While I haven't had issues with mine many on the kickstarter/indiegogo pages have cited reliability issues, and support appears to be almost non existent.

1. I can literally put my XS anywhere on the pad, so long as the coil is roughly on the pad. Air Power wouldn't have somehow magically made it so that I could have the coil 3/4 of the way off of the pad and it still charge. I'm not saying you aren't correct, but I am saying that so long as my phone is roughly centered on the pad (horizontally or vertically), it's fine. Besides, my OCD won't allow anything not to be centered on the pad.

2. Correct, but you aren't going to find any charger that would do the magical. I feel that from a design standpoint, Hard Cider got as close as anyone was going to get. I also believe that it was the Apple Watch's proprietary coil that caused the issues that Apple wasn't able to solve.

I will give you that the Slice Charge Pro is indeed light and perplexingly doesn't have a non-slip coating on the bottom, but for the Early Bird prices I paid I'm not going to ding them on that.

 

[JoelBC]

I see that Nomad today released and updated version of their Nomad Wireless Base Station Apple Watch which has larger coils for easier placement. See here .

I am tempted because it seems to be the best AVAILABLE option but would prefer the supposedly in the works Pro version with Aria's technology OR the Zens Liberty. Does anyone have new information on either of these units?

Thanks!