If you find recharging a GoPro Hero3 or Hero3+ battery to be a chore – removing it from its waterproof case, then finding an outlet to plug the camera into or taking out the battery to put in a charger – then the Jolt Charger was designed for you. Jolt is a wireless battery you use in place of the standard battery that came with your GoPro, and it comes with a companion wireless charging base (called the Jolt Pad) that recharges the battery. It charges either by simply placing the battery directly on the charger, or putting the entire camera (even if it’s in the waterproof housing) on top. The charger even supports simultaneous charging of two cameras or three batteries, or a mix of the two.
As Jolt puts it, the traditional way of charging a GoPro isn’t great “if you are in the middle of shooting some great action – especially outdoors around water, sand, or dirt.” After researching alternative charging methods, Jolt partnered with Mojo Mobility – a company that designs wireless charging solutions, such as those for smartphones – to create a prototype. Jolt has now taken the charger to Kickstarter for funding, and one can be had for as little as $59 through an early bird special, with shipment scheduled for March 2015; the campaign end on October 26, 2014.
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The Jolt Battery is rated the same as a standard GoPro battery (the 1080-mAh Jolt Battery has a wireless power receiver built in). Recharging one, as mentioned, is simple. Drop one – in or out of a GoPro camera – on the Jolt Pad, and a LED indicator lets you know if it’s fully charged. Jolt says the battery’s wireless charging speed is the same as if it were charging wired. The Jolt Pad plugs into any standard wall outlet, car power port, or an external battery pack – the latter two options are useful for those on the go. The battery is compatible with Hero3 and Hero3+ cameras, and Jolt says it’ll support new batteries when they come out.
If you don’t have access to the Jolt Pad, the Jolt Battery can be recharged using the traditional methods as well.
Jolt plans to offer a personalized version of the Jolt Pad, where you can have a favorite image or logo covering it. At retail, Jolt expects to list the kit for $90, and extra batteries at $30 each.
If we have one wish for the Jolt team, it’d be to have them create batteries for other products, too. We’d love to recharge a battery in our smartphone or digital camera next to the GoPro, making the Jolt Pad truly versatile.
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