Monday, April 5th 2010

RCA Announces WiFi Powered Battery

Apr 5th, 2010 14:49 Discuss (33 Comments)

RCA has named the batteries AirPower and envisions they will serve as a backup power source to normal battery charging methods. While it is obvious that enough power couldn't be gleaned from a wireless network to keep an active device running, an AirPower not in use could charge in as little as 6 hours. Naturally this is abysmally slow compared to current wired charging technologies. However, if the batteries are priced right they might give you one less thing to worry about since you wouldn't have to worry about plugging in and unplugging unattended batteries.

Source: bit-tech

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33 Comments on RCA Announces WiFi Powered Battery

zithe

OMFG. You can make breadsticks connect to the internet now!

:laugh:

Polaris573

Senior Moderator

I keep making terrible typos. This is awful. Bta is going to kill me.

Steevo

Really with all the wifi radiation and new low power devices they should become more mainstream.

Your fired.

mtosev

Polaris573I keep making terrible typos. This is awful. Bta is going to kill me.

Bta? isn't W1z the boss?

newtekie1

Semi-Retired Folder

I think that should be "as little as 6 hours".

Anyway, this could be very nice. However, what I would like to see is batteries that picked up on any wi/fi radiation and charged any time possible, this could greatly extend runtime on devices.

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop

newtekie1However, what I would like to see is batteries that picked up on any wi/fi radiation and charged any time possible, this could greatly extend runtime on devices.

Isn't that what this do or have I misread the entire thing?

Trigger911

Yea does it get hit with the wifi beams or what I think that would be sweet and having a laptop "ipood" or zune or what ever like that would be sweet. its about time they use that radiation from somthing besides microwaving our brains.

Unregistered

wow, a really cool device,

i never thought this thing was real

newtekie1

Semi-Retired Folder

FrickIsn't that what this do or have I misread the entire thing?

From what I read, this is for charging batteries that are not in use, like swappable batteries. So you can use one battery in your cell phone while the other just sits on your desk charging. At least that is the way I read it.

#10

Gzero

newtekie1From what I read, this is for charging batteries that are not in use, like swappable batteries. So you can use one battery in your cell phone while the other just sits on your desk charging. At least that is the way I read it.

Quick patent that idea someone, a battery that discharges and charges at the same time. ;)

This will come out at a high price and fail.

#11

Polaris573

Senior Moderator

I don't think there is anything that precludes it from drawing power from WiFi while a device is in use, but it won't charge the battery it will just die slower.

#12

Trigger911

Polaris573I don't think there is anything that precludes it from drawing power from WiFi while a device is in use, but it won't charge the battery it will just die slower.

I agree

#13

Mussels

Freshwater Moderator

Polaris573I don't think there is anything that precludes it from drawing power from WiFi while a device is in use, but it won't charge the battery it will just die slower.

agreed.

that said, devices like wireless mice and keyboards with low power draw, could run almost infinitely...

(sure mice arent too low, but they also sit idle a lot)

#14

OnBoard

Now this would have been nicer April Fools, compared to W1zz leaving :)

So 6 hours WiFi signals hitting you is the same as couple hours of licking charger plug :D

#15

driver66

OnBoardNow this would have been nicer April Fools, compared to W1zz leaving :)

So 6 hours WiFi signals hitting you is the same as couple hours of licking charger plug :D

ROFL :roll:

#16

Polaris573

Senior Moderator

OnBoardNow this would have been nicer April Fools, compared to W1zz leaving :)

So 6 hours WiFi signals hitting you is the same as couple hours of licking charger plug :D

April fools has been over for days. Will everybody please stop saying every news posts is an april fools joke.

Look Nokia had a cell phone concept last year that used this technology to charge. RCA is just bringing it to market sooner.

www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2009/06/19/nokia-developing-the-never-charge-handset/1

more info.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_power

#17

Mussels

Freshwater Moderator

even the wii has wireless rechargers now, they're just very limited in range.

wireless charging is the 'new' cool tech - and it really does have a lot of cool implications

#18

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop

Polaris573I don't think there is anything that precludes it from drawing power from WiFi while a device is in use, but it won't charge the battery it will just die slower.

That's what I thought.

This is really nice. Tesla would be happy. If only we could pull 360V through the air.. :o

Seriosuly though, this is really cool. I'm living in the future!

#19

n-ster

FrickThat's what I thought.

This is really nice. Tesla would be happy. If only we could pull 360V through the air.. :o

Seriosuly though, this is really cool. I'm living in the future!

Sorry for being off-topic but I'm a Tesla fan :D smart die that gets incredible misfortune, and even gets scammed by Thomas Edison!!! Tesla would be mighty proud that the world has started to work on his idea and is making it work :)

This thing would be good in an airport though right? :D the long waits can be a bit useful now lol

#20

pr0n Inspector

Transmit Power 42 mW (range: 1 - 251, actual max depends on Country selected; default: 42)

LOL yeah right. charge my ass with that kind of power.

#21

Mussels

Freshwater Moderator

42mw is enough for most cordless mice and keyboards to run live, let alone charge at idle.

#22

pr0n Inspector

Mussels42mw is enough for most cordless mice and keyboards to run live, let alone charge at idle.

....assuming you can "collect" all the transmitted radio waves then convert them to DC. and then there are conversion losses. and the charging voltage for nimh is 1.5v and 4.2v for li-ion/li-po.

#23

OnBoard

Polaris573April fools has been over for days. Will everybody please stop saying every news posts is an april fools joke.

Look Nokia had a cell phone concept last year that used this technology to charge. RCA is just bringing it to market sooner.

Musselseven the wii has wireless rechargers now, they're just very limited in range.

wireless charging is the 'new' cool tech - and it really does have a lot of cool implications

Yeah sorry. I've just plugged everything in/used batteries my whole life and this is as close to real life Science Fiction that I can remember.

Flying cars have been "around" a century and this thing comes true in a year? I find it truly remarkable and hence the 5 day old pun.

#24

Mussels

Freshwater Moderator

pr0n Inspector....assuming you can "collect" all the transmitted radio waves then convert them to DC. and then there are conversion losses. and the charging voltage for nimh is 1.5v and 4.2v for li-ion/li-po.

true, but who says new batteries with lower charging voltages arent part of the design?

#25

kylzer

mtosevBta? isn't W1z the boss?

BTA = News,Editor
W1Z = 1337 Reviewer,Programmer

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RCA Announces WiFi Powered Battery

33 Comments on RCA Announces WiFi Powered Battery

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