An article from Business 2.0 has exciting news on the prospects of wireless charging of consumer electronics. Recent startup Powercast is driving much of the momentum in this area, having agreements with over 100 companies in various partnerships. One of the companies known to be working with Powercast is Philips, so this looks like the real deal.

This technology is expected to be reaching consumers in large volumes by the end of 2008, which isn’t exactly the distant future. The downside, though, is that early incarnations of the technology are going to be limited to devices using less power than the average laptop. While your iPod and iPhone could use Powercast’s technology, the MacBook will have to wait for a more robust incarnation of the technology. As the article notes, though, a solid state disk and organic LED screen could help laptops meet the technology halfway by reducing power consumption. The other bummer is the range: only three feet. Something closer to ten or twelve feet, which would handle most offices, would be a big boost for the technology.

It’s not difficult to imagine a variety of applications for wireless charging that would be a significant improvement over the current situation. How many of us have been at an airport, trying to subtly scavenge for an outlet, but finding the only two plugs at the gate are already in use? Airports, cafés, and classrooms could all have not only wifi, but charge your notebook at the same time.

Obviously we’re speculating on potential developments in the technology years down the road–don’t go throwing out your AC adapters just yet–but this is something that seems very likely to take hold in the market and push innovation in how we charge our electronics. Given some standardization, we could have to think much less frequently about whether it’s time to charge our iPod or MacBook Pro, knowing that whether you’re at Starbucks, home, or the office, you’re staying charged.

Filed under: New Products, Wireless