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Logitech Reveals Mouse Mat That Is a Giant Wireless Charging Pad (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the match-made-in-heaven dept.

Logitech has just revealed a new Powerplay technology that builds wireless charging directly into its mouse pad, allowing compatible wireless mice to charge constantly while on the pad. The Verge reports: The wireless charging tech built inside the Powerplay mouse mat is proprietary to Logitech, and the company claims it took more than four years of research and development to make it a reality. I asked Logitech why it didn't go with something more ubiquitous like the Qi standard, and the answer I received was that it wouldn't have been possible to cover the whole surface (275mm x 320mm) of the pad with Qi. Alongside the Logitech G Powerplay, which is to be priced at $99.99 and released in August, Logitech has also announced the first two mice officially compatible with it: the G903 and G703. The G903 is a very modest upgrade from the G900 while the G703 is practically identical to the well liked G403; both of the two new models use the PMW3366 optical sensor and just add improved switches rated to last longer. The G903 will cost $149.99 and the G703 will be $99.99 when they go on sale later this month.

2 of 62 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Forgot about the patent? by Dragonslicer · · Score: 3, Informative

    I wonder if Logitech forgot about the patent on this

    Why would it matter? That isn't a patent, it's a patent application. The application was rejected in 2005 (because of prior art) and abandoned by the PTO when the lawyers didn't respond for 6 months.

    You can see the complete history by going to USPTO PAIR, searching for application 10/737483, and going to the Image File Wrapper tab.

  2. Re:All of you get off my lawn by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's much easier to unplug than fiddle with the wireless receiver - which had a nasty habit of waking up my laptop from sleep whenever a button on the mouse was accidentally clicked while in my backpack.

    I just switch my mouse to OFF when I do that. Heck, it lets me charge the mouse still in OFF, but buttons won't make up the computer.

    Most wireless mice I've seen had an on/off switch on the bottom.