This multi-position Qi charger makes for an excellent desktop companion, or folds nice and flat for travel
By now, Qi chargers are old hat for many of us. You still have to plug in the base unit, but you can just plop a compatible phone on top of the charger, and it renews your battery level. It's not magic, but it almost seems like it. And since Qi is a standard, a lot of companies are making chargers using the technology. This means we get to see some innovative design, like this ADATA Elite CE700 Wireless Charging Stand.
The name's a mouthful, but the charger itself is a nice, unassuming package that fits easily into your pocket or a bag. It works well — you only need to make sure the coil in your phone is aligned with the coil in the charger — and charges my Nexus 5 from dead to full in about three hours. The output is 1 Amp, and the recommended input is 1.5 Amp. Other chargers are faster. Other chargers are slower. They all work well to keep your phone charged all day — if they are somewhere handy for you to set your phone down on them.
That's where the ADATA CE700 excels. The unit is actually two pieces, and you can flippy-floppy the charging plate and the aluminum shell around to make for a nice charging stand. For the Nexus 5, using the "desktop dock" mode is actually easier, because the coils align perfectly when positioned this way. You can also set your phone horizontal, and a Nexus 7 sits and charges perfectly while horizontal in the stand. It also makes for an awesome Night clock / Dayframe combo in this configuration. There's built-in overvolt protection, as well as temperature protection and a low-power mode that keeps the unit from using electricity when not actively charging a phone or tablet. The only point I can take away from the CE700 is that it slides easily on a smooth surface. A bit of rubber or some tacky feet would be helpful.
Now I know the comments will fill with people telling me that this isn't really wireless, or that it takes longer to charge than the 2.2 Amp block and 16 gauge cable they got from somewhere, but you can't argue away the convenience here. Put the CE700 on your desk, use it, and your phone will stay fully charged all day long. You can pick one up for $39.99 from Amazon
