charges

Do you like wires? Neither do we. And thankfully, you don't really need them anymore when you're using a smartphone.

No matter your preference -- iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry -- any decent modern smartphone is equipped with wireless Bluetooth capability. In addition to hands-free calling with headsets and stereo headphones, phones can also be used as wireless music sources for an increasingly large array of Bluetooth speakers -- perfect for listening to MP3s on the phone, or Web-based audio services like Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Cloud Player, iTunes Match, or anything else.

As someone who uses Bluetooth gadgets daily, I'd frankly feel lost without my handy assortment of hands-free mobile toys. And I've collected a list of some of CNET's favorites. … Read more

File this under the unique but perhaps not entirely necessary, mobile accessories drawer.

In addition to the shiny new smartphones that it introduced last week at Mobile World Congress, LG also showed off a wireless charger that encourages you to use your device while it's receiving juice.

The WCD-800 is shaped like a cradle and can accommodate your phone in either a portrait or landscape position. So while you make calls, send texts, and watch a video, the charger uses electric coils located inside to power your device via magnetic fields.

It's an interesting idea, no doubt, though … Read more

The InCharge Auto BT is a simple device, both in form factor and function. Essentially, it features a 12-volt power connection on one end of a 4-foot cable and a male analog auxiliary audio connection on the other. You may be asking, "If one end of the cable connects to power and the other end connects to the car, where does my phone connect?" The answer is: wirelessly. That "BT" at the end of InCharge Auto BT doesn't stand for Brian Tong. It's short for Bluetooth and this unit uses Bluetooth HFP and A2DP/AVRCP to wirelessly receive audio from your handset to be output to your car's speakers via the aforementioned auxiliary audio connection. … Read more

Charging gadgets out in the wilderness is a challenge, but the BioLite CampStove could change that for the power-hungry. This 2-pound portable device features a USB port that can power or charge devices while you burn biomass.

So how does it work? Well, the thermal energy of the fire delivers power to fans inside the stove through a thermoelectric module. These fans blow air on the fire to improve combustion, which in turn creates excess energy. A USB port delivers the extra energy generated by the fire for charging devices such as smartphones, LED lights, or GPS units.… Read more

Even if you're rocking the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx, you know smartphone battery life leaves a lot to be desired. Carrying an extra battery or your phone charger is one way to ensure you don't run out of juice during the day, but what if it could be easier than that?

Enter the Autonome. This concept smartphone charger by designer Francois Rybarczyk is both simple and elegant. It consists of a magnesium unibody frame that attaches to the back of your smartphone and incorporates a power adapter right into the case. When you need a charge, simply flip up the adapter and plug your smartphone right into the outlet. … Read more

Stanford researches may have solved the problem of range anxiety by wireless charging technology that could one day create an electric highway.

Wireless recharging already is used by some electric vehicle charging stations to fill up batteries without cords or plugging into an outlet. MIT helped pioneer this technology and spun it off into a wireless charging startup, WiTricity. However, Stanford researchers improved on this concept and devised a way to transmit 10 kilowatts of electric power across a 6.5-foot distance with minimal energy loss. By overcoming transmitting electricity across a significant distance, researchers will make it possible to … Read more

Carry a bag with you everywhere you go just to carry every device and required charger? Find yourself traveling and constantly looking for an outlet to charge your phone or tablet? You may want to consider a Powerbag.

Powerbag is just what the name says: a bag that provides power to charge all of your gadgets while you're on the go. Whether a backpack or messenger bag, the bags have a battery built-in along with charging cables that allow you to charge your devices on the go, with no need for an outlet. There is even an extra USB … Read more

As more and more people turn to e-books and tablets for their reading needs, there are stacks of books gathering dust on shelves, or even worse, being tossed into the trash (for shame!). Thankfully, one California couple is out to rescue these neglected and unappreciated treasures.

Richard and Brenna Neeley from Cerritos, Calif., take old and vintage books, as well as some new ones, and convert them into charging docks for iOS devices. Each dock is handmade to order and features a power cord (wall adapter not included) threaded through the book, with a slot on the front cover to dock your iPhone or iPod. … Read more

Everything charges via USB nowadays: Kindles, iPods, Bluetooth headsets, smartphones...shall I go on?

In a perfect world, your home's AC outlets would have USB ports alongside their three-prong sockets. That way, you could dispense with all those bulky power plugs and just plug each device's USB cable right into the wall.

Until home builders get the memo, here's the next best thing: Lowe's has the RCA USB Wall Plate Charger for $14.99, plus sales tax where applicable. If you don't have a Lowe's store near you, you'll be on the hook … Read more