Distributed in South Africa by Platinum Micro, the Powermat products are aiming to set new standards in convenience and efficiency as well as having a reduced environmental impact.

 

“The Powermat has caused a stir all over the world,” said Platinum Micro product manager Tyrone Gruner. “It is one of the most convenient ways to charge the wide variety of mobile devices available on the market today and it's literally already become a household name in the US.”

 

The Powermat is a flat charging surface or “mat” which when plugged into a wall can charge all manner of mobile devices by the power of near-field communication. By attaching a magnetic Powermat receiver to the back cover of certain smartphones you can simply place the device on the mat and it will start charging automatically.

 

Gruner said the Powermat charges mobile devices faster than the standard bundled chargers and claims that charging via a Powermat does little to no damage to the mobile device's batteries. “It is a combination of Powermat's magnetic alignment system and RFID tagging that delivers these benefits. Using a magnet located inside the Powermat receiver, the system is able to more accurately align devices on the inductive charging surface. This ensures a higher quality charge is delivered and that batteries more quickly reach the full mark.”

 

RFID (radio frequency identification) technology automatically identifies each Powermat receiver’s model and the device linked to it, ensuring that the correct voltage and wattage of power is used to optimally charge the device's battery.

 

“Powermat's charging solution is also more environmentally friendly than other solutions, since it shuts power off the moment a device reaches a fully charged state. This not only saves energy, but it also prevents overcharging of the device's battery, which can shorten battery life.”

 

Platinum Micro plans to introduce the entire range of Powermat charging mats and receivers in South Africa. “The Powermat concept offers freedom and convenience of charging mobile devices without plugging and wiring tangles and searching for mislaid charges,” Gruner said in closing.

 

We're keeping a close eye on these intriguing new devices so expect reviews on a couple of Powermat products in the coming months, it’s definitely the most innovative charging solution we’ve seen in years.