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Comparing wireless Qi chargers -- the Tylt VU is a winner
I bought the following three wireless chargers and tested them with my PRIV (note that the first one and maybe the first two seem to be available under various names but with the identical device):
1) Turbot 3-Coils QI Wireless Charger Pad
2) RAVPower 3-Coils Qi Wireless Charging Pad Stand
3) TYLT VU 3 Coil Qi Wireless Charger
I have a Seidio Surface case on my PRIV. I tested each charger with and without the case on it. In all tests, the case made no difference at all.
The Turbot and RAVPower require your own wall charger. (These types of devices need 2 amps of power -- some say this more obviously than others.) For testing those two devices, I used a RAV 2.4-amp wall charger.
1) The Turbot just plain would not charge the PRIV. The indicator light just flashed to say it was trying and failing to connect. (The rest of my comments are moot at this point, but here they are: The form factor looks decent and provides a near-vertical display (60 degrees), but tapping on the screen while it's on the charger will knock it right over. There's no stability.)
2) The RAVPower would "barely" work to charge the PRIV. I can't say if it would work consistently or not, because I didn't bother with it for long enough to find out. (By the way, the angle was close to vertical -- 60 degrees. The stability when tapping on the screen was not great but not terrible.) The blinking indicator light was so obnoxiously, glaringly in-your-face bright that even if it worked I would have had a very difficult time trying to live with it on my desk and, frankly, would never put something that distracting on my desk in a million years. (Others have said they cover it with tape or a Sharpie.) The back of the phone got incredibly hot when I took it off, enough to alone be a deal-breaker -- partly due to comfort and partly due to concern about hurting the phone. Interestingly, a few times while trying to get it to work I got a display on the PRIV saying to align the phone on the charger (where I positioned the phone in terms of a little left-right adjustment made a difference but it still was never really right) and it simultaneously gave me a graphic showing me where the PRIV's charging mechanism is located within the phone:
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I'm sure that graphic can be useful for those trying to make the PRIV work on certain chargers that are difficult to align it with, especially those round ones where the phone lays flat on the desk.
As it is, I never needed that graphic. Alignment was not an issue for me once I tried the next device...
3) The Tylt is a dream come true in every way, at least for me and my set of priorities, anyway. After using it a few days, I ordered three more, so I have one for the desk at the office, one for the desk at home, one for the kitchen table at home, and one for my nightstand.
It charges the PRIV just fine (yes, with the Surface case on it, too). It doesn't get the back of the phone hot (warm, but no more so than a little bit of usage of the phone does). There was never a display on the phone saying to align it. It seems to charge faster than it drains when I'm on a call using speakerphone or a Bluetooth headset (which is a big deal for someone using the phone at their desk a lot during the day), though it did at least once drain faster than it charged -- I can't say if this was due to the screen being on most of the time, or background activity like updates, or what. It definitely charges considerably slower than a direct cable does, and anyone who claims otherwise is either lying or not really watching or using different equipment altogether. It comes with its own wall charger and cable, which, while some "complain" about, I consider to be a huge plus in light of the warnings all the other product makers provide about using the appropriate power of a wall charger (which is not necessarily all that clear to obtain).
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this Tylt charger's form factor!!!! From the pictures, I was concerned it would take up too much desk space, or would have the phone on too much of an angle to be easily viewed. I was also concerned from the pictures that the plastic might have a cheap feel and that there would be no rubber cushioning for the bottom of the phone or to keep it from sliding around on the large flat plastic base.
None of those concerned were valid, however. The size is not big enough to make even barely more of a dent on my desk than the phone alone lying flat (and now there's no cable where I'd want to, say, write on a pad, for instance -- so it's actually saving me space). The angle is just PERFECT for viewing and for tapping on the screen to use the phone. The stability is nothing short of perfect -- just tap on the phone to use it while it's on the stand charging and it's rock-solid stable in all locations on the screen, and in fact even when tapping on all locations of the screen if the PKB is exposed! In fact, even if I know the phone is fully charged and I won't need to charge it any more for the day, I still often keep it on the Tylt as a stand for convenience -- for viewing and for tapping on the screen to use it! And the surface is also simply magnificent -- the entire unit has a rubbery feel that's just ideal to prevent sliding and protect the phone. The indicator light is solid (it does not "blink") and is as innocuous as can be. It's even less of a distraction than the charge status bar on the phone itself (and in fact the two lights seem to have been made to go together). Overall, the look, feel and performance are really solid and really top quality. I can't imagine anything they could have done to make it better.
Here are some pics:
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(Note that at the time of this post, Amazon is out of the Tylt VU in black, but it's available on Shop.CrackBerry.com, Best Buy, and NewEgg -- all at considerably varied prices.)
