charging

Owners of Google's Nexus S smartphones can soon use the device to process mobile payments via near-field communications tech, via software from a company called Charge Anywhere.

Charge Anywhere's existing mobile payments application has already allowed owners of iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android devices to process credit card payments with their phones and a dedicated reader to swipe the cards.

But the latest version to the software, announced at yesterday's CTIA trade show, turns the Nexus S phone into a full mobile payment terminal. This means that owners can process MasterCard PayPass and Visa Blink payments remotely using … Read more

Ever since the debut of the Palm Pre, I've been enamored with inductive charging. After all, what could be easier than recharging your phone just by laying it on a special pad or dock--no cord required?

Nothing, that's what. Straight outta "Star Trek," inductive charging relies on an electromagnetic (i.e., wireless) transfer of energy between devices. Yet phone manufacturers still haven't embraced the technology.

Apple certainly hasn't, which is why third-party products like the Powermat and Energizer Qi (pronounced "chee") have arrived to fill the void. I've spent some time … Read more

The initial results of pilot programs on plug-in electric vehicles may spook companies and create a vicious cycle of inefficiency when it comes to charging.

That's according to one of the topics covered in the "Changing the game: Plug-in electric vehicle pilots" report (PDF) released yesterday by technology consulting giant Accenture.

The Accenture report examined the recent data garnered from over 25 pilot programs scattered around the world that have been monitoring EVs and driver habits.

Overall the pilot programs found public charging stations have not yet been getting enough use to pay for themselves and their … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--Drivers don't have to buy a Chevrolet Volt to take advantage of wireless smartphone charging in the car. Powermat is releasing its wireless Car Charger later this year.

The windshield-mounted aftermarket accessory is powered by a 12-volt outlet and uses magnetic induction to wirelessly charge devices in the cradle. The Car Charger adjusts its width to hold any of the mobile phones that Powermat supports, and consumers will need to purchase the Powermat Battery Door separately ($19-$29) for each smartphone they wish to charge.

It's not as sleek as the integrated solution in the Volt. Plus, … Read more

WhatsApp Messenger has been around for quite a while, but it's still an app that's extremely useful to texting addicts. With this chat app installed on your iPhone, you'll save a considerable amount of money on text charges through your carrier. The only catch is that you'll have to persuade your most frequent texting partners to download the app, too, but once they see WhatsApp's advantages, they'll probably pony up a buck.

Much like the texting app that comes on the iPhone, WhatsApp Messenger shows your chats in little text bubbles, gives you a … Read more

An interesting news item over at AppleInsider caught my eye the other day, but I'm not sure how I would feel about this particular rumor if it turned out to be true. Apparently Apple is investigating the use of hover gestures on its devices as an alternative to multitouch. A few of the ideas include the ability to make the OK gesture with your hand or use hitchhiker thumb gestures to navigate around. As a tech writer, I can't wait to see how something like this would be implemented, but as an iPhone user who will be using … Read more

As you can see in the photo at right, I'm a power hog. I just unplugged the "No Commies Allowed" sign at my favorite bar coffee shop so I could juice up both my laptop and my iPad. But if I had this clever new Flipit! USB charger I could have all the USB power I want without having to put up with the comrade next to me making plans to take over the world.

It's a standard USB charger, like the ones that come with most cell phones nowadays, but instead of taking up a … Read more

Your next car WILL be connected; the Chrysler 300 gets a big change under the hood; Toyota eyes China with nervousness when it comes to electric cars; and we drive the latest Camry. (Yeah, we know. But they sell a ton of 'em.)

• Chrysler 300 Hybrid

• Keyless cars not that hard to hack

• Watch your BMW X3 being built. Oh boy.

• Toyota designs a way around Chinese access to electric motor minerals

• California has the highest cost for charging EV's -- do they make sense here?… Read more

LAS VEGAS--I had some hands-on experience with the Mobion Fuel Cell Generator in December and decided to bring it with me to CES 2011 with the intention of using it as the only charger for my iPhone 4 and seeing how this green technology would work out.

In case you're anxious, it worked out OK, though not perfectly.

Prior to the trip, MTI Micro, the device's maker, told me that while the generator itself would pose no problem, the fuel cell cartridge, which contains the fuel liquid, has not been approved to be included with carry-on luggage so … Read more