How many of us have drawers full of tangled chargers and cables, all bundled up like a Rubik’s Cube of knotted wires? We know we’re guilty, hoarding them all on the off-chance we might need a charger for a phone we last owned eight years back.
The last bastion of dated tech, wires are finally getting the chop. Mobiles made the move years ago, and soon enough most facets of our daily lives may be able to unplug too, so today we look at five ways advances in wireless tech are making our busy lives easier.
Lights, Camera, Action
We’re constantly reminded that switching off can save power, but we’re all a little guilty of not wanting to leave the couch to flick the switch. Yes, we’re talking about lighting. Energy saving bulbs have been around for a while, and now the freedom to flip that switch from the comfort of your seat is becoming more and more affordable.
Systems like these were once a bullet point on extravagant new builds, but the quality and availability of wireless lighting options is quickly improving. As is the list of options available to you if you’re looking to upgrade. With companion apps to match, the likes of Philips Hue and the LG Smart Bulb offer control over everything from brightness through to colour, including the ability to schedule when your lights come on and turn off. Better yet, some sets are controllable via the web. A great feature for the security conscious traveller looking for some extra peace of mind.
The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Progress
Tangled earbud cables, messy cords, and headphones that cause a severe case of whiplash when you get up and forget you’re still tethered. We know the pain. How do they ever end up in such a mess of knots?! Any budding Boy Scout would be proud, we know that much.
Fortunately wireless headphones have saved us from the dreaded headphone whiplash for a while now, continuing to make audio enthusiasts sit up and take notice. Now the days of fighting over who gets control over the home theatre is coming to an end, with multi-room speaker systems embracing the advantages of going wireless.
Controlled via companion apps, systems like Samsung’s Shape or Sonos play music throughout the house, following you from room to room, anywhere the speakers are installed. Differing tastes in music? They even let you play different tracks in every room. And not a cable in sight! Music, and household, harmony at last.
CTRL+P
Ah, printers. The single remaining piece of technology that we all seem to need, yet doesn’t feel like it’s advanced since the stone age. Finally, though, there are some steps forward in the necessary evil that is the common printer, better matching the way we use technology today.
With an array of Wi-Fi enabled devices (as well as the emerging Wi-Fi Direct), options are filtering through to all price brackets. And for those of us who consider ourselves selfie-taking prodigies? Apple’s AirPrint is becoming more widely adopted, along with many other non-proprietary options for Android devices.
Finally being able to print directly from a smartphone or tablet makes the modern on-the-go home office that much more practical, meaning you’ll have a gallery of Instagram-filtered self(ie) portraits printed in no time. While there might still be no escaping the jamming paper and ever-empty ink cartridges, printers seem to finally be catching up with the times.
The Future Is St(r)eam Powered
With the likes of the Apple TV, video streaming is in safe hands, but what about those of us who want all the joys and freedoms of PC gaming, but don’t want to sit stiff-backed at a desk all day having spent eight hours doing exactly that at work?
Thankfully the days of lugging a desktop PC into the living room are behind us, with the likes of Valve’s In-Home Streaming leading the way in making couch PC gaming not only a reality, but an enticing alternative to home consoles.
A relatively new feature of Valve’s all-in-one store and launcher, Steam, instead of an absurdly long HDMI cable, all you need is a device that can run Steam – such as an old laptop or media PC – hooked up to your TV. In-Home Streaming then does all the heavy lifting on your gaming PC, streaming the output back to your device.
In-Home Streaming comes with all the options and customization you expect with Steam, now with the added bonus of being able to kick back on your couch and play on the big screen. Wireless controller in hand! And about that niggly mouse and keyboard? Steam’s Big Picture mode handles that with a smart, controller friendly interface.
Charging Towards The Future
Another year, another Apple product, and yet another proprietary plug needed to charge our devices. If we had a dollar for every time we’ve had to toss out our charging cables for a new set, we might just be able to afford them!
There are many smart ways to extend your battery’s charge before you have to return to base, but sooner or later you’re going to be running on empty. Thankfully the hassle involved in not just finding your charging cables, but the correct charging cables, is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Wireless charging is beginning to mature, with even the likes of Asus including it in their high-end PC motherboards. And with emerging technologies like QI and ‘Resonant’ charging, it’s only a matter of time before our bins, boxes and drawers are free from cables once more!