Power Suit: Startup Brings Wireless Charging to Clothes
BauBax’s first Kickstarter campaign was a wild success, raising over $9 million for its innovative travel jacket with more pockets and built-in gadgets than you can shake a stick at. Now, BauBax is back to bring wireless charging to almost any piece of clothing with what it says it the thinnest charging pad in the world.
With over 10 different items in a wide range of styles and colors, BauBax’s new Kickstarter isn't your average crowdfunding project. But at its heart, everything is powered by the BauBax charging pad, which is over 50 percent smaller and more than 3 times thinner than a typical Qi-compatible wireless charging pad.
MORE: 10 Kickstarter Products to Watch
This allows BauBax to embed its wireless pads into everything from jackets to pants and even wallets. From there, thin cords sewn into your clothes run from the charging pad to a nearby battery, delivering seamless tech without the tangles. For early birds, prices start at $19 for the wallet and run to $169 for the bomber jacket before going up to $40 and $300 respectively, when they hit retail later this year in December and January. Those numbers do not include the price of the $49 4,000 mAh battery pack.
The jacket is the clear centerpiece of the wardrobe, featuring a charging pocket for your phone, an attachment for use with Qi-capable smartwatches, and even a charging pad around the color that will juice up BauBax’s forthcoming wireless earbuds.
You still get all the standard features, which includes a built-in eye mask and neck pillow for sleeping on planes, a pocket big enough to store a tablet, a zipper that doubles as both a touch stylus and a ballpoint pen and more.
The one thing I’m not quite sold on is the wallet. That’s because after adding on a 4,000 mAh battery, the wallet goes from something that's supposed to carry cash and credit cards and charge your phone to a small brick weighing down your britches. Another important note is that on BauBax’s shorts and pants, only the right pocket is ready for wireless charging.
While I’m not convinced I need this much wireless charging in my life, BauBax’s pads make the prospect of cord-free recharging more enticing than ever. If you just want some solid travel wear, BauBax’s standard travel jacket is still available for as little as $149.
Copyright 2016 Toms Guides , a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
