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OhGizmo! reports on a hidden gem from this year’s CES; the RCA Airnergy Charger, a product sent straight from the future that convert air to electricity. Or rather, it somehow picks up on Wi-Fi signals and uses them to charge batteries. Apparently it does this surprisingly well, charging a Blackberry from 30% to full battery in 90 minutes. If this sounds like magic then prepare to stare disbelievingly at the proposed price: $40. Expected release is sometime during the summer.

This means that there is a chance that in 6 months our wireless controllers will be continuously recharged from the same invisible Wi-Fi beams that the console itself is using to connect to the internet. As the Airnergy supposedly works wherever there is a hotspot, you can literally just leave them lying around your house if you happen to have a wireless connection. Just another subtle sign that we are in fact living in the future.

80 years late, but Nicola Tesla's dream is becoming reality.

it's going to hit market with a low price like that because it's going to be a new standard real fast...and whoever got the patent for that, will be a few levels above the word rich.

^ RCA may actually become a name that means something again.

WTF????


This technology will be awesome for eletric cars!!!!

It converts Wi-Fi signals into fuel to your car!!!!! This can't work just like that!!!!

This is something I've been entertaining in my head as well but i never thought it would be possible. I don't think it's gonna have as much of a wow factor as you may think, we're all taking technology for granted these days. It will however be a part of everyday life sometime in the very near future.

This tech isn't new, but it hasn't been cost effective either. I'm still not sure it is.

Wait... that sounds like it still has a battery.

True but it could be integrated in the remote. If it's implemented that way you'd never have to worry about changing batteries or recharging them. It's still got a battery but not the way we know them today.

i didnt read the full article but from my guess it does look like it'll involve signals. most likely through bluetooth or wifi (or both) so that means not compatible for the 360 controllers. this'll will go good for the ps3 controllers though ^^. i dont mind charging it through usb  when the batteries or low but removing the use of cables 100% is fine by me. lets just hope it doesnt involve buying 'accessories' like the power mat, BS.

Not sure if the 360 controllers are compatible with the Power Mat, but the ps3 controllers are since it's bluetooth and usb supportive but it involves buying accessories (for the power mat, not the ps3 controller).

@WOW: No, it isn't new. I was wrong in the OP, it's 117 years old. (There's a rumor that Tesla was responsible for Tunguska) 

             $40, this summer, 60% charge in 90 mins at ANY Wi-Fi HOTSPOT.

Another Link to more wireless power stuff from CES

@LuStaysTru: I hear what you're sayin. The ability to recharge ANY (Duracell, Energizer etc) alkaline cell never really caught on. 

                      I ascribe that to the technological apathy you suggest.

@silicon: Yes, there would be a low memory cell used as a buffer.

edit:oops