I’ve tested dozens of wireless chargers — this is the first one I actually want to keep using

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

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I’ve tested dozens of wireless chargers and desk setups over the years, and most of them suffer from the same problem. They all try to shoehorn everything into a single hub. There’s little, if any, flexibility in placement, choice of charging options, or future upgradeability. Moreover, as a design enthusiast, I care a lot about how a particular piece of tech looks in my space, and most chargers just aren’t very pretty to look at. But looks are subjective.

Anyway, the fact is that most charging stations expect you to conform to a fixed layout for your phone, earbuds, and smartwatch. That’s fine for a functional product, but for one, the fixed layout has never really suited how I use my phone. Want to rearrange things? Tough luck.

But what if there was a way to do things differently? I recently got an opportunity to check out the DailyObjects Node. Building on the spirit of the never-materialized Apple AirPower, it’s a modular charging system that you can configure around your needs. More importantly, you can actually take the individual pieces with you. That last bit makes it a lot easier to stomach the steep price point.

Would you pay more for a modular charging dock you can reconfigure and take apart? 5 votes Yes. The flexibility is worth it. 20 % Maybe, if the modules were interesting enough. 80 % No. A normal charging dock works just fine. 0 % I'd rather just use a cable. 0 %

A charging station that doesn’t define how your desk looks

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

I’ve been using the Node system for over a month, as this is not a system that you can really get a read on with a day or two of use. The one thing I’ve learned in my month with the charging dock is that not only does the flexibility make the Node an extremely interesting product, but it’s also convinced me that this is the direction I want all future desk docks to take.

Most wireless charging stations are essentially permanent fixtures. You plug them in, find a spot for them on your desk, and that’s where they stay. If you rearrange your desk or decide you’d rather have your phone on the other side, you’re usually stuck with the original layout. The Node gets around this with a modular base.

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