The TYLT VU Wireless Charging Pad in red
One of the things I love about the new Nokia Windows Phones is that they can utilize inductive charging. Being able to lay my phone on a Qi enabled charging pad throughout the day without plugging in any cables is too convenient; having a charging pad that looks as stylish as the $69.99 TYLT VU is pretty cool, too.
The VU packaging is fairly simple — the zig-zag style of the charger necessitates it poking out a bit, but it gives the package a nice 3D effect. Inside is the VU wireless charging pad, an AC power supply, and a user guide. The VU is available in yellow, red, blue and black/dark gray — all very Nokia-friendly colors, come to think of it.
Getting set up is a simple matter of plugging the AC cord into the charging port on the bottom of the charging pad, running the cable out through the divot in the stand’s end, plugging it into the wall, and setting your phone on the pad; in other words, you’ll be up and charging in 10 seconds flat.
The VU is about 7.5″ long, and it has a 3.5″ wide front end; it will securely hold your phone in either landscape or portrait mode, and you don’t have to perfectly place your phone for the charging to work, as the VÜ uses “free positioning technology”. Worth mentioning is that the VU charges as quickly as a traditional plug-in charger, and it will work with all phones that are Qu enabled.
The TYLT VÜ makes my Nokia 1020 look like a sports car! =)
Unfortunately, not all phones come with Qi inductive charging technology built in. My first phone that did was the Nokia 920, and after that, I was hooked. My 1020 has the capability — as long as I have its optional inductive charging case installed. It’s aggravating that my iPhone and HTC One don’t have inductive charging built in, I’m not going to lie.
There are inductive charging cases available for many popular phones, like the iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy series, but many of them are bulky and ugly. I guess you simply have to weigh the convenience of not fumbling for a cable versus using a thicker (and possibly ugly) case; it’s a trade-off. I haven’t yet found a Qi case for my iPhone that I like, but hopefully that will change soon; in the meantime, I’ve got a great looking charger for all of my other forward-thinking phones!
The TYLT VU Wireless Charging Pad is available directly from TYLT and from other retailers.
MSRP: $69.99
What I Like: Modern styling for cordless device charging; “free positioning technology” so that you can lay your phone anywhere on the charging pad; rapid charging as fast as when using a traditional plug-in charger; zig-zag design acts as a table stand for portrait or landscape device viewing
What Needs Improvement: Inductive charging isn’t available on all devices, so if yours doesn’t have the capability and you want to use this charger, you will have to use a (possibly) bulky charging case
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample