Testing out a Qi Charger.

What in the world is a Qi Charger?  It sounds like some Reiki or New Age gizmo doesn't it?  Well it is actually the proper term for the wireless charger that allows you to charge through your phone. The newer Samsung phones offer this feature built in, as well several Nokia models.  There are a handful of others but I am not going to try to list them all since newer phones hit the market every day. 

If you want to know how they actually work, Android Central goes into great detail here. In a very basic and over-simplified nutshell, they are chargers that plug into the wall and create a tiny electrical field that your Qi enabled phone can pick up and use to charge your phone.  

Why is this cool and oh so necessary?

 Tell me if this sounds familiar to you:  Right now my phone is sitting on my desk next to me and my charging cord is lying on the floor. (Where is my Qi charger, you ask?  It has been commandeered by Number 1 Son).  As I go about my day, I will come back to my laptop several times and there's a good chance that I will never burn the extra calorie to reach down and grab the cord, until I notice my battery is low.   When I do finally think to plug it in, there will probably be at least one time that I will either tangle up the cord or try to walk away with my phone plugged in. 

But if my Qi charger were here, I could set my phone down on it, and it would charge while it was sitting there.  I wouldn't have to worry about cords or anything.  (and don't get me started on those ridiculously fragile micro USB cords that are darn near disposable, it seems every time I turn around I have another cord that doesn't want to connect).  That's the magic of Qi charging and it is truly the wave of the future.  Even Ikea is getting on the Qi bandwagon and will be coming out with a line of furniture that has Qi charging pads built right in.  Car makers are starting to place wireless charging pads in new models, and I am sure that other industries will eventually follow. It wouldn't be hard to imagine these little gizmos in bars, restaurants, and lobbies everywhere. 

So what's the downside? 

Well, it is slower than wired charging.  And while that sounds like a major downside, it really isn't.  First off, high powered wireless charging probably would be a safety issue.  That amount of juice would surely deliver a jolt, wouldn't it?  Not to mention the tinfoil hat crowd would probably freak about EMFs and cancer etc.   But if used properly, you don't need to worry about fast charging with it.  A Qi charger is pretty much meant to keep your device at optimal charge, or maybe charge over night.   Most people have access to chargers throughout the day, but just neglect to plug in. With a Qi charger, it is much easier to maintain charges.

The bigger downside is the lack of conductivity through many cases. those heavy duty cases that we all need to protect our phone tend to restrict conduction.  I do believe though, that as the technology becomes more popular, we will see cases that have some sort of conductor built-in.

Testing the Qi Chargers

My favorite phone case is thick and leather and did not work with the Samsung brand nor the Insignia (Best Buy) wireless charger.  So I was not very hopeful when I tried out this wireless charger from Mikobox.  But it did work!  Not perfectly, I had to find that sweet spot, but it would charge.   I conducted a pseudo-scientific test comparing charging times between the Qi charger and an aftermarket charger I picked up at the gas station (because my micro-usb cord crapped out yet again!) 

Phone at 23% placed on Qi charger (IN MY CASE). Phone said estimated charging time until full charge was 2h 17min. It took nearly 7 minutes for the phone to charge to 25% Charging time now says 2 hr 16 min until fully charged.

Plugged in to micro usb charger using aftermarket micro usb cord. Time to completely charged was 1hr 58 min. It took 2 min 45 sec to charge to 26% New time to full charge was 1 hr 55 min.

Back on the wireless charger, this time without case. Charging time to fully charged was 2hr 12 minutes. It took 5 min 43 sec to charge to 28%. New time to full charge, 2 hr 9 min.

As I get my hands on other chargers to test out, I will share my experience with them as well.  

I do have one small bit of warning-  they look like coasters or mug warmers.  I have had to add a message to the outer ring of mine that says "not a coaster!" because people keep trying to set drinks on it.