Chargers aren’t always the greatest things to look at. Given, their function is to charger your phone so that you don’t run out of battery life with what’s practically your lifeline (aka phone), but wouldn’t it be nice to actually have one that you’d be proud to sport on your desk at work? The Kickstarter campaign for the Swich Wireless Charger changes the charger game and provides us with function and style.
Swich, which uses the Qi charging standard, serves dual purposes for iPhones, Androids and Windows Phone handsets. The top and bottom of Swich are made from ceramic while the middle section is produced from American Walnut hardwood. It’s a striking, yet practical design.
The charger not only gets the job done when it comes to charging, but it does so while still looking great. Its sophisticated design looks more like a piece of art than some piece of technology with its wave-like round arc that as inspired by the sea.
Instead of charing your phone by having it lie flat on your dies, the Swich Wireless Charger stand allows you to position your phone upright so that you can still use it while it’s charging. It even lets you switch rom vertical to horizontal viewing angles, depending how you want to use your phone. It works with both iPhones and Android models like Samsung, Nokia, HTC, LG Electronics, Sony, Blackberry, Motorola Mobility, Asus, Huawei and more. Pledge $170 or more to get yours.
The campaign has targeted a goal of $25,000, and backers have pledged $41,733 as of writing, exceeding the funding goal by 67 percent. If the campaign reaches $50,000, the team promises to build in three additional colors (apart from the default white). If it reaches $100,000, the team will include a built-in battery so users can charge even while away from a power outlet or during power outages.
Not everyone is sold on Swich, however. For example, some point out that $170 is too expensive for a wireless charging device that’s just essentially a table-top cradle. Branded charging mats from Duracell, Panasonic and Energizer sell for $60 to $70, while generic power mats sell on Amazon for about $25. Perhaps if the developers reach their stretch goal of $100,000 and actually get to include built-in batteries for portable charging, the cost would be justified.
