Dell to adopt wireless charging

The company has made a bold statement by becoming the first major computer maker to add its support to the emerging and potentially revolutionary technology of wireless charging.

The company has made a bold statement by becoming the first major computer maker to add its support to the emerging and potentially revolutionary technology of wireless charging.

It means that in the very near future Dell tablets and notebooks won't need cables to keep their batteries topped up, or to offer other devices, like smartphones a quick recharge either.

As its name suggests, wireless charging cuts out the need to make a physical, cabled link between a mains power supply and a battery-powered device. An object like a smartphone simply needs to be placed on or near a charging plate for a connection to be made and for the recharging to start.

A great idea in theory but in practice there are several competing versions of the technology on the market, each with its own standards and official organization.

Dell has officially joined the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) which counts Intel, Qualcomm, HTC and Samsung as members, and which supports the Rezence magnetic resonance charging standard.

'The development of magnetic resonance technology will improve the customer experience when it comes to wireless charging and bring the capability into more homes and businesses over the next few years,' said Glen Robson, Dell VP and CTO. 'We are excited to work with other industry leaders in the A4WP to deliver on the promise of easy, flexible wireless charging across an array of mobile devices including smartphones, tablets and laptops.'