“Starbucks launches wireless charging in UK shops”

So we at Fonesalesman, being Wireless Charging experts, had to check it out. But not without one of our very own QiStone+ to compare it with, though!

Armed with a tripod, a backpack full of smartphones and a smartwatch to complete it, we went to the nearest Starbucks to experience wireless charging. Although it was still relatively early in the morning, Starbucks wasn’t as crowded as we’d expected, so we had all the time and space to test it. Figuring out how to use it was easy; Starbucks has installed specially equipped tables, recognisable by circle-shaped pads embedded on them, and every table was provided with a holder for three kinds of donut-like dongles. Selection includes dongles for older iPhones with 30-pin connectors, for micro-USB devices (most Android and Windows Phone products) and those for newer iPhones with the Lightning Connector.

But then comes the practical side of the whole thing. First, you need to choose the right dongle for your phone, which will fit into the port of your device (so that already rules out the Moto 360).

Next, you have to make sure the ring is close enough to the pad for charging and exactly on the right spot.

But then, indeed, hooray, your device will charge.

Although it’s a very nice initiative, it still raises a lot of questions. What if all the rings are taken? And you can’t charge something like a smart watch, or a QiStone+ for that matter. Last but not least; many people who come in to Starbucks come there to have a coffee to take away, or for just a quick lunch; who has the time for charging their phone anyway? And if you do, in that amount of time you can probably charge it for 1-2%, most.

In conclusion, we’re not disparaging the service Starbucks is giving us with the wireless charging, but it lacks the ease of use a QiStone+ provides. Fonesalesman devices are not only compatible with many smartphones out of the box, you can use them ‘on the go’ as well. With a coffee from Starbucks, if you like.

Check out the full video: