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Furniture that charges your phone - IKEA just got even better

Dropping a bomb on cool stuff you don’t need from IKEA is one of life’s great joys.

The fact that it usually coincides with moving into a new pad with your mates makes it even better.

And now, as if their giant warehouses didn’t have enough sweet stuff in them already, they’ve gone and taken things to whole new level by installing cool new tech into their furniture.

Also read: Chinese take to kit furniture

The Swedish giant has announced the launch of a range of desks, tables and lamps that are able to wirelessly charge phones and other devices that are placed on or near the furniture.

It’s exactly as cool as it sounds.

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The wireless charging technology, known as induction charging, powers up devices by using an electromagnetic field to transfer energy.

“Through research and home visits, we know that people hate cable mess. They worry about not finding the charger and running out of power,” IKEA’s Jeanette Skjelmose, Business Area Manager Lighting and Wireless Charging, said of the thought process to get to this point.

“Our new innovative solutions, which integrate wireless charging into home furnishings, will make life at home simpler.”

The technology, developed by the industrious team at tech outfit Qi, requires devices to be compatible with the system. Currently, models by Google Nexus, HTC, Samsung and Nokia have the right Qi tech to work.

But don’t fret, loyal Apple enthusiasts. IKEA is set to launch special covers that let phones without the right bits and pieces to function the same way.

The Home Spot range will be in stores in Europe and North America in April, with a global roll-out in the works, at which point it might be time to move house.



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