Skip to main content

Snow-C is the down jacket that wirelessly charges your smartphone

SNOW-C | Charge Your Phone Wirelessly In Your Pocket | New Kickstarter Technology 2018

Keeping your smartphone charged while on the go is a constant challenge. Sure, you can carry a portable battery pack around with you, but running a cable to your mobile device can get awkward and unwieldy, which makes us wonder why someone hasn’t come up with a way to wirelessly provide a charge instead. As it turns out, a new jacket that recently launched on Kickstarter promises to do that very thing.

Recommended Videos

At first glance, the Snow-C looks like just about any other down jacket you might find someone wearing outside in cold weather. It features 90 percent down insulation to provided added warmth and it is designed to be lightweight and highly packable, making it easy to stuff into a backpack or suitcase when traveling. It is also wind-resistant and features a durable water-resistant coating to help keep moisture at bay, too.

But take a look inside the jacket and you’ll find some useful technology too. For instance, the Snow-C actually has a pocket that is compatible with smartphones that support wireless charging, including the iPhone 8, 8+, and X, as well as all Nexus and Samsung phones released after 2012.

The wireless charging pocket is located on the chest of the Snow-C. It includes a flexible charger embedded right in the fabric which is activated automatically when a compatible phone is placed inside. The charger connects to an included 3,000 mAh battery pack., although customers can plug in their own larger models. The battery is stored in a small pocket that is designed to make it as unobtrusive as possible.

The developers of the Snow-C are looking to raise $12,000 to get the jacket into production and are currently a little more than halfway to that goal with a few days left in the campaign. If they do manage to raise the necessary funds, the down coat is expected to go into production later this year and begin shipping to customers in August. When it does go up for sale, it is expected to sell for about $300, although early bird supporters can still reserve one for $149.

As always customers are advised to take caution when backing any crowdfunded project.

Kraig Becker
Kraig Becker is a freelance outdoor writer who loves to hike, camp, mountain bike, trail run, paddle, or just about any other…
The iPhone 15 may finally get reverse wireless charging — but I don’t want it
Apple AirPods Pro 2 inside their charging case, sitting on back of an iPhone 14.

It’s been rumored that Apple has been working on implementing reverse wireless charging for a while. In fact, Apple has added some necessary components for making reverse wireless charging possible ever since the iPhone 12 (think of the MagSafe Battery Pack). Reports had actually suggested Apple was going to add it to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro devices, but it failed to meet the deadline.

According to recent developments, reverse wireless charging, also known as bilateral wireless charging, is something that engineers at Apple continue to work on. It’s also been suggested that Apple’s version may be more advanced than what Android competitors offer. Maybe it’s just been delayed, and it may make its debut with the iPhone 15. Or perhaps it can go the way of AirPower and just be scrapped completely.

Read more
Does the OnePlus 11 have wireless charging? What you need to know
OnePlus 11 with charging block and cable.

OnePlus phones usually have very fast wired charging, but does the OnePlus 11 also have wireless charging? It’s a common feature on most smartphones today and one that can add a great deal of convenience during the daily use of a device.

Your phone is running low on battery, you need to charge it, but you don't want to fiddle with pesky cables. If your device supports wireless charging, you don't need to! Just plop it down on a charging stand or pad, and the battery fills up without you ever needing to touch a wire. It's a huge convenience on the best phones in 2023 — but is this true of the OnePlus 11?
The OnePlus 11 does not have wireless charging

Read more
Does the Apple iPad Pro (2022) have wireless charging? Here’s what you need to know
The M2 iPad Pro.

Apple's new iPad Pro (2022) seemed to land out of nowhere, and if you've got your eye on the most powerful iPad in the Apple lineup, chances are you want to check whether it's got wireless charging before you spend your hard-earned cash. Wireless charging isn't a common feature on tablets, and we've got some good news and bad news when it comes to Apple's latest iPad Pro.
The bad news

Let's start with the bad news: The Apple iPad Pro (2022) doesn't have wireless charging. There were rumors the next iPad Pro would come with wireless charging and MagSafe, but this never came to pass. With that said, most tablets on the market don't offer wireless charging, so you're not really missing out.
Is it a big deal?
Now for the good news: Since most of us have never owned a tablet without wireless charging, you're not likely to miss it here. The new Apple iPad Pro (2022) packs a 28.65-watt-hour battery in the 11-inch model and a 40.88-watt-hour battery in the 12.9-inch model, which are two hefty battery cells..

Read more