Touchstone Picking up Buzz as Well

Ryan Kim, a technology writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote a story (“New Palm Pre phone comes with wireless charger”) about the Palm Touchstone, an accessory charging pad for the Palm Pre. Shaped like a puck, it holds the Pre in place with magnets.  This puck automatically enables a speakerphone option when a call comes in.

Most of Kim’s article talks about how the Touchstone is ushering in an era of wireless charging and bringing attention to "a technology that is ready for takeoff."   It talks about other developments in this space.  It also mentions how this is a technology we are familiar with – at least those of us with a Sonicare electric toothbrush.

“An alternating current in a coil embedded in a charging pad generates a magnetic field which induces a voltage in the device's coil, supplying energy to the device's battery.”

It is always nice to read stories where Palm is being mentioned as an innovator.  So far, 2009 has been a better year for Palm in that regard.