Diaries of a Nokia Fan Boy

[caption id="attachment_489" align="alignright" width="150" caption="WPC: Qi"][/caption]The Wireless Power Consortium got a heavy hitter backing it up last week: Nokia decided to join the consortium as a full member. This means that we could very well be looking for Qi-enabled devices in the not too distant future. Of course Nokia keeps its politics “correct”, but I think if the consortium comes out with a good standard, Nokia won’t pass up the opportunity to join Palm’s Pre in the wireless charging game.

It would appear that both Nokia and the Wireless Power Consortium are pretty happy with the new alliance:

“As the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer and leader in mobile telecommunications, Nokia brings a new dimension to the Consortium. This significantly expands the potential market traction of the Qi wireless charging standard,”

- Menno Treffers, Chairman, Wireless Power Consortium

“Wireless charging technology carries significant potential to enhance consumer experience of battery charging. Consumers expect ease of use and general compatibility of mobile devices. By joining the Wireless Power Consortium, Nokia continues to support the open standards approach that aims to meet these consumer expectations. Wireless Power Consortium is the first serious effort by the leading companies to harmonize the wireless charging technologies.”

Markku Verkama, Director, Devices R&D, Nokia

- Nokia FanBoy

press release (PDF)
via: Engadget Wireless (read)

Well I’m not entirely sure just where they came up with this, but the Wireless Power Consortium has chosen a logo for themselves, and of all the things the logo could have been, they chose: “Qi”

The Wireless Power Consortium has chosen the logo “Qi” (pronounced “chee”, meaning “vital energy” in Asian philosophy – an intangible flow of power).

Ok, fine, when they explain it that way, it seems to make sense. But they’ll face some issues while consumers get used to it, and I’m not sure its going to be the easiest thing to get used to. Although frankly, I’d prefer they were working on the standard itself and getting it out there – the logo could have waited a while.

-Nokia FanBoy

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