Despite all the marvels at the electronics store, I'm still waiting for "the future" to arrive, particularly with devices for those of us on the go.
I've seen Microsoft's
SYNC in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles
, but where is the technology Michael Knight had in K.I.T.T.? Sure, "Knight Rider" was just a TV show, but it's been over 25 years! They said we would have all this stuff "in the future."
When did you ever see Captain Kirk stop to charge his Phaser? My smartphone barely make it through the day. We're still living in the stone age!
That's why I was excited to hear about the two products seen today on the
Fox 8 Morning News.
Powermat claims it can charge your handheld device
wirelessly, and
iLane says it will let you operate your Blackberry solely with voice commands. Now, that's what I'm talking about! The future is here at last!
Well, maybe not.
The Powermat is cool, but it really doesn't recharge devices over the air. It's more about cable management. It uses inductive coupling, just like the charger for my cordless electric toothbrush. The system, however, is very well-designed, resembling something from Apple, which probably explains why it's a little pricey.
ILane is more of a disappointment. It claims to provide voice-controlled, hands-free management of your Blackberry's in-box, but it's like talking to your grandmother when she forgets to change the batteries in her hearing aid (I said "SEND MESSAGE!"). It reminds me of something you might see advertised on late night TV for $29.95, plus shipping and handling -- not for 600 bucks, plus a monthly fee.
Both products are good attempts, but neither lives up to the hype. Not from my money, anyway. For me, true wireless charging and flawless voice command are still things you only see on
The Sci-Fi Channel.
Powermat
Powermat's wireless charging system provides a way to keep several personal electronic devices charged, without using AC adapters and cables. Each mat includes a universal adapter that allows you to charge hundreds of devices. You can also purchase custom-designed receivers for popular products, such as the Blackberry Curve or the Apple iPod Touch.
Simply drop a receiver-equipped device on the Powermat to charge it wirelessly, which the company claims happens at the same rate or faster than with the stock power adapter. Magnetic induction is used to safely transfer power to the batteries. A video-game sound effect (adjustable or mutable) lets you know when you have a good connection.
Devices can be used while they're charging, and a wired USB connection is also provided for legacy USB devices. The system is also very green. An indicator light glows while a device is charging, but when the last device is fully-charged, the mat powers down.
The Home/Office model retails for $99 and wirelessly charges up to three devices simultaneously. A tri-fold, portable version sells for the same price, and custom receivers are available for iPods, iPhones, Nintendo DS, various Blackberry models and more. Each sells for $40. For more information, visit
Powermat.com.
iLANEiLane is a Bluetooth-powered system designed to interact with your smartphone to let you manage your inbox hands-free, using simple voice commands. Sounds great, doesn't it?
The system reads incoming email and text messages aloud. Voice command access to news and weather is also available. Without lifting a finger, you can also answer phone calls, update your calendars, or send outgoing messages as audio file attachments.
It sounds great, but I found the system "buggy," which is a polite way of saying it doesn't always work like it's supposed to. Trying to use iLane while driving is not a step towards undistracted driving -- quite the contrary -- which defeats its whole purpose.
The package, consisting of the iLane unit itself and a Bluetooth headset, has a substantial price tag (see CORRECTION, below), an $8 per monthly fee, and a one-time $40 activation charge. It is currently compatible with BlackBerry 8000 series and other RIM handhelds running BlackBerry OS 4.1 and newer. Support for additional operating systems is supposedly in the works.
For the price, I expected perfection, but I experienced a lot less. For more information, visit iLANE.com.
| CORRECTION: The price of the iLane was recently reduced to $399. We failed to report this on Nov. 4th. We regret the error. |
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