Nowadays, touchscreen technology is incredibly widespread. Hundreds of millions of people across the globe own a smartphone or a tablet, or even both. Considering all of the capabilities of a smart device, it’s not a stretch to say that they’re essential. We can conduct business, have video conferences, write important documents, schedule meetings, and record vital information, all using the same device. For those reasons, and plenty more, we need to keep that energy bar well above 10%. We need to charge our devices as often as possible, or rather, to have a charger handy at all times.
Of course, we won’t always have access to a USB charging station, whether it’s an electric plug or a USB power source. Sometimes, we will need a wireless solution to maintain battery life, which is where charging pads come in. Nowadays, plenty of people, both young and old, have at least one charging pad they keep on standby. Due to how useful they are, pads also make for excellent promotional items, and brands are taking notice.
Throughout this article, we will learn the basics about wireless charging pads and how they can make a difference in our lives. We’ll also cover all of the benefits of owning a wireless charging pad, as well as some of the potential setbacks that come with it.
Charging Pads 101
Before we can discuss their benefits, let’s first define our terms. What exactly is a wireless charging pad?
As their name suggests, these pads don’t require a direct link to a power source via a cable. They have one, obviously, but their main goal is the ability to store energy which we can use to charge a device remotely. More specifically, we use these chargers with smart devices that adhere to the Qi standard.
In that sense, a wireless charging pad is similar to a power bank. However, there is one major difference. Instead of connecting the pad to our smartphone or tablet, we simply lay the device on top of the pad, and the charging commences.
How Does a Charging Pad Work?
In the broadest terms possible, a charging pad works by creating a magnetic field. Once we place our phone, tablet, smartwatch, or any other Qi standard device, it absorbs the magnetic field and creates energy.
Both the charger and the smart devices contain coils. Once we connect our charger to a power source (usually via USB), a magnetic field is created within the coil. In other words, the two coils, i.e. the one in our pad and the one in our device, connect wirelessly, and one receives power from the other. Granted, we can also charge our phone like this when the pad is connected to the power source, but we’re here to focus on the wireless aspect of these chargers.
Pros and Cons of Charging Pads
As with all consumer tech, wireless chargers come with their own set of benefits and setbacks. So let’s quickly go over what we can expect from these handy little devices.
Pros
By far, the biggest benefit of charging pads is their versatility. We can take them with us anywhere, and we’ll have a source of energy readily available for charging. Furthermore, since it’s such a small device, we can keep it anywhere around the home, and it will take little to no room. And if we require a charge, it’s as simple as placing the phone on top of the pad and letting it work.
Naturally, wirelessness comes with its own benefits. For example, even the highest-quality cables tend to wear out or get damaged. And once we expose these cables’ inner wires, we risk short-circuiting them and damaging our smart device in the process. But those are not the only dangers of wired chargers. When we move about the home, we risk snagging the cable and knocking our phone down. Depending on where our phone was charging, the fall could cause severe damage. No such danger exists with the wireless charging pads.
Cons
Since charging pads work on the principle of magnetic fields and electric coils, they won’t perform well if we place a pop socket, card case, or cell phone wallet on them. Nothing can come between the pad and the phone, or else there’s an obstruction. In other words, if anything intervenes between the coils, they won’t react to one another. And since we’re on the subject of obstructions, it’s not just smartphone accessories that can cause the problem. To be precise, if we cover the pad with anything, even a thin piece of fabric, it won’t work.
Earlier, we mentioned the Qi standard and the phones that adhere to it. Of course, not all phones do, and the ones that don’t meet the standard will not be capable of wireless charging. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to research and find out if our phone is compatible with wireless charging pads. But there is one saving grace when it comes to this particular setback. Namely, despite the brand, all wireless chargers will work equally with any Qi-compliant phone. For instance, if we have an Apple charger, we can use it to charge any Samsung or Motorola phone that adheres to the Qi standard.
How Long Will It Take a Pad to Charge a Device?
Broadly speaking, a typical wireless charging pad can take around 2‒3 hours to charge an iPhone fully. On the other hand, some models can fully charge an Android phone in under 60 minutes.
Obviously, when we compare this charge time to regular phone chargers, it’s not that fast. That’s because a single pad is limited to five watts of power, an equivalent of one Amp plug. Regular plug-in chargers usually contain two Amps of power, and quick-charge items are even more powerful than that. So, if we need to recharge our device quickly, a wireless pad is probably not a good option.
Of course, this isn’t an issue if we’re at home and need to charge our device overnight or throughout the day. Furthermore, wireless pad technology is still advancing. In a matter of years, we will already have some effective charger pads that can handle the job well under an hour.
The Price of a High-Quality Charging Pad
Most of the time, consumer tech can be pretty pricey, especially if we want high-end products. For example, if we take power banks, we can get a solid model for £45, but if we need more power, it can go well beyond £180.
Wireless charging pads, on the other hand, run a wide spectrum when it comes to pricing. Some models go well below £10. Others, however, can cost £260 and more. The price will depend on what type of charger we’re buying, how much power it has, and what devices it can charge. Some models out there can handle three or four devices at once, for instance, and those tend to be pricier.
As with all products, we need to research the brand before making our purchase. Some brands sell items for minimal prices, but those end up either not working or harming the smart device. On the other hand, there are brands that overprice their items to the point where we can buy a whole new smartphone with them. Therefore, it’s best to look within the £10-£260 range. Our recommendation is to get a charger that costs anywhere between £25 and £60. Those prices are reasonable enough, plus we can get some excellent and long-lasting chargers for that sum.
Wireless Charging Pad Standards
As we stated earlier, most new wireless charging pads adhere to the Qi standard. Of course, there are other standards out there, such as the A4WP (Alliance for Wireless Power). However, Qi currently dominates the market, and most phones that can charge wirelessly are Qi certified.
In order to check for Qi certification, we can browse different informational websites such as GSM Arena for our phone’s specs. Alternatively, we can visit the manufacturer’s website and find out which particular models can be charged wirelessly.
Do Pads Make Good Promotional Products?
The short answer to this question is a resounding YES. But first, let’s discuss why wireless charging pads are such incredible promo items. For starters, they are versatile and practical. After all, a portable item that can charge several different devices is always welcome. Next, they are sleek and smooth, and modern designs make them stand out in any board room or office space. In fact, they’ll even stand out at home.
Of course, we mustn’t neglect the fantastic marketing potential of wireless chargers. For instance, we can print our company logo or relevant information on the surface or the charger’s sides. So, anyone who uses our charger will see the company info and potentially explore the brand later.
Finally, there’s the fact that wireless charging pads are an excellent way of retaining clients and earning new ones. People appreciate high–quality promo merch and gifts. So, if they see that we’ve gone the extra mile with a charging pad as a gift, they will want to continue their patronage with us.
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Opting for the Best Wireless Charging Pads
Nowadays, charging pads come in many shapes and sizes. Some are circular, while others are rectangular; a few of them contain a wooden exterior or some metal or stainless steel sections. There are even wireless charging pads with built-in Bluetooth speakers. So, which ones are the best?
Well, that depends on what we want to buy. We can choose something elaborate and pricey as a nice little anniversary gift for our best employees. Alternatively, we can always settle for an old-fashioned, simple model that charges the phone effectively. No matter what choice we go with, we won’t be wrong when it comes to investing in wireless charging pads. The thousands of new clients that come flocking to us will indicate just how spectacular these wireless consumer gadgets can really be.
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Explore our range of tech items including mobile phone stands, wireless speakers, and earbuds, and choose the ones you like best. Then, contact us at 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today — your way to seamless marketing is just a call away!
