Wireless Qi chargers are pretty straightforward, you just physically set the phone on or near the charging dock, and you’re done. It doesn’t seem like wireless charging docks could provide much more than the norm, as far as extra features go, at least, not to me. After all, there are only so many different ways to implement wireless charging.
As it would seem, however, my assumptions are a little off. The Tylt Vu, demoed at CES this year, is one such wireless charger that offers a fairly distinctive feature. At first glance, you wouldn’t expect much from the Tylt, considering the design is pretty minimalistic. I mean seriously, it looks like a cheap tablet or phone stand that I could make at home. Of course, I don’t have the wherewithal or appropriate skill-set to incorporate wireless charging, but that’s beside the point.
The Tylt Vu essentially offers a provisional charging base for your Qi-compatible phone or tablet. You just lay the device right in place, and you’re good to go. The real benefit of using the Tylt Vu, over other wireless chargers, is that the phone is actually seated upright so that you can still see the display. Furthermore, the device can be placed on the stand in landscape or portrait viewing angles, whichever you prefer.
At CES, the Tylt was demoed with the Nexus 4. I can rightfully say that the Vu and the Nexus work perfectly together, but I imagine that any Qi-compatible phone will work just as well.
In addition, the Tylt Vu includes several inductive charging coils that are strategically placed throughout the frame of the stand. That means your device will get a stronger signal while charging, and therefore will charge more quickly.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have any information about a price or release date on the Tylt Vu, that is, until now. The Vu will be available starting April 1st and will retail for about $70. You can already pre-order the Vu here if you want one bad enough.
Just don’t forget that the Nexus 4 has a wireless charging orb of its own coming soon. In case you haven’t seen the orb already, I would describe it as a “zen-like” Qi wireless charger that has been manufactured specifically for the Nexus 4. The Nexus attaches to the angular face of the dock thanks to paired magnets. It’s also worth noting, with the 4.2 update the Android OS received a new ‘Daydream’ function that displays photos, news and various data while the phone is docked. The wireless charging orb certainly takes advantage of this new Daydream function.
The point is, don’t jump the gun and pre-order the Tylt Vu, if you have the Nexus 4, without first checking out that gorgeous charging orb.
Don’t bother asking me which wireless charger I like better because, in situations like this, I fold under the pressure (clearly I’m not the best at making split decisions).
What do the rest of you think? Which wireless Qi charger would you rather have for your Nexus 4?
Source: Android Police