One of those technological breakthroughs that we just can't have soon enough

I’m a big fan of the ultra-portable laptop category. I’m not talking about one of those stripped down, internet-access focused Netbooks. I’m talking about a fully functional, every day laptop that just happens to be super portable. I use a Macbook Air but it could be one of the phenomenally small Sony, Acer or Lenovo’s out there. Full functionality (ok, so I don’t really need a DVD/CD drive with me every day) computing without the hassle of cables, heft or any other accoutrement to weigh me down. When I get home I plug in a couple of dongles and I have the extra display, harddrive, keyboard and mouse. (I was always a huge fan of the original Powerbook Duo - if you don’t know what that is you have to check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dqLT0UBPx0 So innovative but where is that solution today?!

Now I’m afraid I’ve gone a bit off my original subject focus. No matter how portable the laptop has become there is always that ONE cable that you can’t escape: the power cord. I’ve gone to work in libraries, coffee shops and countless airports. Work for a few hours and all of a sudden you realize that the drain on your battery will force you to start looking at the walls in search of the ubiquitous power plug. (Don’t even get me started about overseas travel and the limited number of converters that you are forced to juggle between all your electronic devices.)

I’ve always thought that if we could make internet connectivity and peripheral connectivity (I love my wifi connected printer, not to mention bluetooth keyboards and mice) then what is the problem with wireless power. Yes I know that in order to keep from getting fried or electrocuted there are some physics issues to work through! My dad always said that we just needed a better solar cell to more efficiently convert light into electricity and then cover the laptop in solar cells... not sure where that technology is headed, but for a long time I was sensing that my desire to be truly cord free was never going to be satisfied. Then the Palm Pre is introduced with a power mat charging peripheral. Then an enterprising start up introduces a dongle to accomplish the same thing with an iPhone. Now before getting too excited I realize that the power requirements for a cell phone pale in comparison to a laptop but I do a bit of online research and low and behold there has been progress in making my dream a reality. Within a few days late last week not one but two articles appear:

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/143945

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/wireless-0607.html

Sure one of those articles is focused on cell phones but I figure the more companies look at the problem the sooner we’ll have an efficient and powerful solution... THEN we can really say that we are mobile and cord-free!