OtterBox Launches $130 'OtterSpot' Stackable and Portable Wireless Charging System

[MacRumors]

OtterBox today announced a new expandable wireless charging system that it calls "OtterSpot," which includes one charging base that can power up multiple batteries and a smartphone simultaneously.

To start, the OtterSpot Charging Base is placed on a flat surface, and you can stack multiple OtterSpot Wireless Charging Batteries on top of it to charge them. On the very top, a compatible iPhone can be charged wirelessly.

The idea is that with multiple batteries charging at once, you can quickly pick one up and take it with you around your home or office to charge any Qi-enabled device wherever you want. OtterSpot Wireless Charging Batteries include a 5,000 mAh battery and up to 10-watt wireless charging speeds.

They also have a USB-C port so you can charge another device through a wired connection, a power button, and LED lights to indicate charge levels. OtterBox also confirmed that the charging system has been Qi certified.

You can purchase the OtterSpot Wireless Charging System for $129.95, including a charging base and one extra OtterSpot Wireless Battery. Additional batteries will cost $69.95 if you want to expand the system.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with OtterBox. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Article Link: OtterBox Launches $130 'OtterSpot' Stackable and Portable Wireless Charging System

 

[BJMRamage]

Interesting, so it seems you can charge multiple "Hockey Pucks" then leave those/take those and sit a phone on them to wirelessly charge without any cables to the Puck.

Kind of like a battery/charger only of the new Samsung Phones (possibly Apple phones to send a charge out)

 

[ruslan120]

Love this. Will purchase one later.

Otter > Zagg at the moment.

 

[axcess99]

Color me not impressed.

1) Ooo affiliate links, hate redirects because can't necessarily tell where it is going (amazon, manufacturer, newegg, somewhere else).
2) pricey: setup shown on video preview can be bought for the low low price of a bit over $400 plus tax.
3) doesn't seem like one can charge from the battery while using the phone? So we carry around a hockey puck and can only use on a flat surface when also not using phone. There are only so many places that makes sense.
4) still have to "dock" the coaster batteries periodically. So while I can spread them around my house or office, I would still have to manage their charge. Is it really "portable" or better than plugging in if I have to set up camp to pull a charge from it? Seems like plugging a qi charger in at the few places this doing makes sense would be much more convenient.

 

[B4U]

This certainly reminds me the Wendy’s Baconator!

 

[Braderunner]

The price is greater than the coolness/convenience factor. I'll pass.
To those who disagree...you're absolutely right.

 

[parseckadet]

Meh. Seems like it would be much easier and cheaper to just scatter wired Qi pads throughout your house considering you can easily find them for less than $50. At least then you know those pads will always stay put. With this system they'll all be floating around the house. I guarantee that I would lose my mind looking for one just to discover that they're all in my wife's nightstand drawer with zero charge left.

 

[busyscott]

Good lord, the products to charge our phone cost more than the phones used to (or still do depending on what phone/charger pack you buy)! Screw that, I’m sticking with my free 5w charger and $29 2-pick Qi chargers I got at Costco.

 

[dannyyankou]

1) Ooo affiliate links, hate redirects because can't necessarily tell where it is going (amazon, manufacturer, newegg, somewhere else).l

I mean you’re paying the same amount either way, you might as well use the affiliate link to give MacRumors a cut to help run the site. And the affiliate link does go directly to the manufacturer anyway.

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/462641/type/dlg/fragment/start=1/https://www.otterbox.com/en-us/otterspot/wireless-charging-system/otr54-system.html

 

[Pbrutto]

Love it, need it in my life. Great idea, makes “wireless” actually portable

 

[TheAppleFairy]

What's the purpse behind stacking? To charge each other while you're charging the bottom one?

 

[Saipher]

I wonder how fast an iPhone charges if you have it on top of a couple batteries which in turn are on top of the actual wireless charger, 24hrs to charge an iPhone to 50% doesn’t sound practical...

 

[macduke]

This is not a good idea. This is a bad idea.

I have one flat Anker charger on my desk (which I hardly need to use, mostly for AirPods 2 charging), one upright Anker charger on my night stand, and one iOttie car mount charger. All wireless. Done. Total cost $85—and this thing costs $129.95? Why in the world would you carry these around with you, especially when battery cases and battery packs exist (and the latter is much more affordable). Looking at this, you'd think the iPhone battery dies every hour. For battery backup and charging when traveling, I have an Anker PowerCore Fusion, which has the same capacity as this thing at 5000mAh, has a built-in wall plug, and can charge two devices at once and only costs $25. I guess it's not wireless, but it's compact for travel and doubles as a wall charger and is mainly used for emergencies.

 

[M.PaulCezanne]

Seems like at least somewhat of a solution looking for a problem.

Honestly, for years I wanted wireless charging, but now batteries last so long and fast charging is so much quicker that I really don’t have much use for it other than specialty applications (e.g., car).

 

[technicalFoozle]

It's a fun idea for sure.

I'd love to see numbers on energy loss. Wireless charging is less efficient than wired charging. Charging a battery (Battery1) and then charging another battery (Battery2) from Battery1 is less efficient than just charging Battery2 directly from A/C power. This is all before getting to the is the slow draining of energy from the battery over time.

Given those truths, how much power is lost going from the outlet to puck number 5 in the stack? How much is lost then charging a phone a day later or two days later.

If you take two pucks, one empty and one charged and then charge them back and forth (one on top and then the other), how many cycles until there is no power left to charge?

 

[mattopotamus]

Interesting, so it seems you can charge multiple "Hockey Pucks" then leave those/take those and sit a phone on them to wirelessly charge without any cables to the Puck.

Kind of like a battery/charger only of the new Samsung Phones (possibly Apple phones to send a charge out)

It’s a really cool idea. Nothing worse than having to tether yourself to an outlet.

 

[dogg]

What's the purpse behind stacking? To charge each other while you're charging the bottom one?

I don’t know to make charging easier if you have more than one maybe?

 

[imola.zhp]

Hard pass.

 

[anson42]

What's the purpse behind stacking? To charge each other while you're charging the bottom one?

To charge each of them for portable use when they've each got enough juice. The top one can still charge a phone while it itself is charging.

Neat concept, has some convenience when around the house. Could work on the go as well since each pad has a USB port but the wide circular form factor does reduce its portability somewhat compared to a dedicated 5,000 mAh battery pack that usually has a smaller form factor than a phone. Nonetheless, kudos for the idea, less so for the price.