Galaxy S5 wireless charging cover now available for preorder

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is on its way, but before it arrives, you might want to pick up a few accessories for your new handset. With this in mind, soon-to-be Galaxy S5 owners will be happy to know that the official wireless charging cover is now available for pre-order.

The cover’s status is currently listed as “back-ordered”, with no word on exactly when it will start shipping, though we wouldn’t be too surprised if it arrives within a week or two, to coincide with the GS5’s launch. While it would have be nice if Samsung would have included a wireless charging cover by default with the Galaxy S5, at least it’s not terribly expensive at $29.99.

For those that don’t mind going the unofficial route, it probably won’t be much longer before a cheaper 3rd party solution shows up on Amazon and other e-retailers. It’s important to note that Samsung is only including the wireless cover, so you’ll need to either pay an additional $60 for the the official Samsung-branded wireless pad, or you can pick up any Qi-charging compatible pad for anywhere from $20 – $50 depending on the retailer.

For those interested in picking up the official wireless charging cover, you can get your hands on it directly from Samsung in your choice of black or white.

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Google reportedly considering its own wireless carrier service

Google already offers Google Fiber internet access to select markets and is exploring ways to bring web access to remote parts of the world using all sorts of unique methods, but what about cellular phone access? According to a new report from the Information, such an idea is floating around at Google as we speak.

Citing unnamed sources who “discussed the matter with Google”, the service could roll out to the same areas where Google Fiber is offered. As for the network infrastructure? While last year Google was reportedly in talks with Sprint to launch such an MVNO-based service, Google has shifted its plans and is said to be more interested in reaching  deal with Verizon Wireless or perhaps even T-Mobile.

Google exploring Verizon or T-Mobile as possible partners for the service

Verizon could certainly be an attractive option thanks to its wide level of coverage across the U.S., but unless Google made a version of its Nexus handset that played nicely with the Verizon-based MVNO service, it also would mean that the Google carrier wouldn’t necessarily have access to Google’s Nexus 5 — which would be a pretty odd move to say the least.

In many ways, T-Mobile seems like the more natural partner for Google, since T-Mobile’s more progressive approach to wireless phone service would likely better fit in with Google’s own approach. Of course, it’s still early in the game, so it’s hard to say what will happen if and when Google goes ahead with its plans to create its own MVNO carrier service.

Google as a phone service provider

Does the idea of a Google-backed MVNO make sense? It really depends on how Google presents the service. If it was included as a freebie or a bundled part of Google Fiber, absolutely. If Google could control software updates on its MVNO-based carrier it could also potentially offer faster Android updates, which could make its service even more appealing for those of us rocking Android devices.

The Information speculates that Google’s wireless service could work somewhat like Republic Wireless, in that it would use Google Fiber Wi-Fi access points to make calls, texts and use data when it can, and would then route over to their partnering network in situations where you don’t have Wi-Fi access.

What do you think, would you be interested in a Google-backed wireless service provider, particularly if it was included as an option alongside Google Fiber? Let us know what you think in the comments!

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Toshiba announces fast charging wireless integrated circuit

Jacob Donley 2014-04-01T08:00:00Z7 hours ago

Jacob Donley

I'm not a developer or anything like that. I'm a consumer, just like you. I like to give my thoughts on Android products from the non-technical side. Yes, I do provide some of the technical specs and such, but really, I just want to give you the best news possible.

Toshiba announced a new integrated circuit that will allow wireless chargers to finally charge devices as fast as their wired counterparts. The chip is said to be compatible with the Qi standard.

Toshiba announces circuit for faster wireless charging. / © Toshiba

The Toshiba chip named, TC7763WBG, will finally give future wireless charging devices the ability to charge supported phones just as fast as if they were plugged in via cable. The chip touts a maximum of 5 watts of output and 95% power conversion efficiency. That’s some great numbers.

With wireless chargers having the ability to keep up with the standard wired chargers, users can do away with the hassle of having cords getting in the way. It very well could be the type of tech that could bring wireless chargers into the forefront. While there are various wireless charger manufacturers on various standards, such as the Qi standard. The new Toshiba chip will definitely give devices on the Qi standard the edge they may need to take over.

The Nexus brand of phones, like the Nexus 5, and tablets, like the Nexus 7, currently has the option for wireless charging. As more devices are released, we are seeing many offer this type of charging in addition to the wired port. With the rise of cloud storage and streaming music, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see the wire charging port disappear entirely.

With Samsung, Nexus devices and now Toshiba's chip supporting it, wireless charging should soon become an industry standard.  © Samsung

The wireless charging device market is rising in popularity. Tech improvements such as the Toshiba chip are making it even easier for consumers to switch over to this new technology. There are usually more demands than results when technology makes its debut to the market, and Toshiba may have just resolved some consumers worries about wireless charging.

Do you use wireless chargers? If so, how well do they charge? Would a wireless charger that charges as fast as a cable bring you over to the wireless side? 

Via: SlashGear Source: Business Wire

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Moto 360 rumored to come with an OLED display and wireless charging

Motorola has been rather forthcoming with details about its new Moto 360 smartwatch. We already know about the device’s splash resistance, the orientation free design for southpaws, and Android 4.3 compatibility requirements. Now, an unspecified source as divulged a few more details about the device.

Speaking with G for Gamers, an unnamed leaker, who supposedly has a “flawless track record when it comes down to Motorola”, said that the Moto 360 will come with an OLED display, Sapphire Glass to protect the display from damage, as well as magnetic induction wireless charging.

We hadn’t heard anything about the 360’s display up until this point, but considering that Motorola highlighted battery life as key concern, an OLED displays makes a lot of sense. The display can dim and turn off individual pixels which helps save on energy consumption, compared with LCD where the backlight is always on. The choice of a Sapphire Glass protective layer is an interesting one, as other smartwatch developers have so far opted for the same Gorilla Glass screens used to protect their smartphone displays. However, Sapphire is a material often used in premium watch products, another reason why the Moto 360 might stand out above the rest.

Magnetic induction charging isn’t exactly a shocker either, Motorola already has some smartphone experience with the Qi induction charging standard. We’d already speculated that the Moto 360 would use some form of wireless charging due to the absence of a USB port, after all, what else could it possibly be?

I can’t help by wonder what impact all these components will have on the Moto 360’s price tag, as there’s a lot of high-end tech going into the device. If it turns out that the Moto 360 is priced right at the top of the market, would you be prepared to a pay a little more for a really high-end smartwatch?

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