Coming to a Marriott Near You: Wireless Charging

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

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By the end of this month, guests at 29 Marriott hotels will be able to charge their cellphones, laptops, or tablets wirelessly in the hotels’ lobbies.

The charging is provided by KS Portable Qi transmitters, which can simultaneously charge up to six mobile devices. Although the wireless charge is delivered without the need for wires or cables, the device must be placed in close proximity to the transmitter to receive the charge.

Not all mobile devices support wireless charging, at least in part because so far there’s no universally accepted standard for wireless charging. For unsupported devices — including the iPhone 6 — the transmitters are equipped with Lightning and micro-USB cables.

When charging protocols and technology are more mature, it’s easy to envision wireless charging on tap throughout an entire hotel. Kudos to Marriott for supporting the technology at this early stage in the development cycle.

Reader Reality Check

How cool is that (and no, it’s not a rhetorical question)?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.

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