Sunday, May 5, 2013

Qi Wireless Charging Technology

2014 Toyota Prius Supports Qi Wireless Charging Technology The next-gen Prius is coming with an optional next-gen feature that may excite gadget owners. The technology is known as Qi wireless charging, and you will be able to have a Qi pad put into your 2014 Prius at the time of ordering it. Not only will this feature make keeping your future devices topped up a snap, but it will reduce the overall clutter in your vehicle which is always a good thing. What is Qi Charging? Qi Wireless charging is a type of inductive charging that relies on a very small electromagnetic field to transfer energy. There are no wires involved with this charging process. Instead there is a simple pad, and there is a receiver in each device that you want to charge. The receiver will pick up on the energy that is being released by the pad, and slowly charge up your cellphone, without you having to worry about plugging a wire in. Why it is Beneficial? The Qi wireless charging standard is going to reduce the need to have a bunch of different chargers in your vehicle. Instead of needing a charger for your phone, your mp3 player, and the portable game systems that your children own, you just set them all on the same charging pad and they will charge up. This simplifies the charging process dramatically, and it will help cut down on the clutter in vehicles. How does it Work in the Prius? The 2014 Prius is going to have a Qi charging pad installed near the center of the vehicle in the middle console. This pad will hardly be noticeable, and you will be able to charge your devices simply by setting them in the center console. Most owners will probably get in the habit of setting their devices down in the center console when they get in the vehicle, and removing them again when they get back out to have their batteries charged up. This technology is only going to be installed in the new Priuses as an upgrade, but it is sure to be a technology that only grows in popularity as more devices become compatible with the Qi wireless charging system. If you choose to have the device installed into your vehicle, the installation will be handled by the dealership, and it will be ready to go in your vehicle before you drive it home for the first time. Compatible Devices Just to name a few of the devices that are already compatible with this system, there is the Samsung Galaxy S4, the HTC Droid DNA, and the Nokia Lumia 920. As new phones are released there is sure to be an increased list of devices that support the technology, and there is a large group of manufacturers who are now supporting the standard completely. Qi inductive technology is slowly becoming more popular, and eventually more Toyota vehicles are sure to offer this option as well, but for now the 2014 Prius is one of the first vehicles to offer a rather new feature that many technology enthusiasts will enjoy.