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Vodafone and designer Richard Nicoll introduce smartphone-charging handbag

Vodafone and designer Richard Nicoll introduce smartphone-charging handbag

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Vodafone and fashion designer Richard Nicoll have designed a handbag that can be charged inductively and then charge smartphones that are plugged into an interior compartment.

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Richard Nicoll Handbag
Richard Nicoll Handbag

At CES this year, we saw some inductive charging technology that allowed for a smartphone to be charged while still in a hangbag, but Vodafone and fashion designer Richard Nicoll have designed a bag that does the charging all on its own. This handbag, which was unveiled at London Fashion Week, can be charged via a magnetic induction cable; once it's charged up, you can plug in an iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android device to reportedly get "several days" worth of power. There's a discreet internal pocket for holding your device while charging, but unfortunately you have to plug it in — there's no inductive charging capability inside the bag itself. There's also a Bluetooth-activated LED "charm" that lights up when you receive a call or message, just as the optional charge that comes with the HTC Rhyme does. Overall, it's a pretty handy tool for those who love both high fashion and technology. We're hoping this tech trickles down into less exclusive bags sooner than later — a laptop case that could charge your computer on the go would be a huge boon to those on-the-go.