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Wireless chargers are out; wireless chargers with extra hubs are in

Wireless chargers are out; wireless chargers with extra hubs are in

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Let Pikachu charge your phone... or maybe don’t

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Wireless chargers are bigger than ever, and with more and more devices supporting the wireless charging standard, they’re starting to get... weird. Regular, boring wireless charging pads are out.

Today, it’s all about wireless chargers that go beyond just wireless charging. There are now pads that add extra USB ports, chargers that attach to portable battery packs for charging on the go, chargers combined with USB-C hubs, and whatever this Pikachu thing is.

On Circuit Breaker Live, we dove into a few of the latest and wildest wireless charging gadgets out there: the Nomad Wireless Charging Hub, which combines a fast-charging Qi charger with a full USB hub (including a USB-C port); the Synavolt modular charger; the Hyperdrive USB-C Hub, which offers a full USB-C hub with SD card slots, USB ports, Ethernet, and HDMI for your laptop, with the ability to charge your phone at the same time; and the Teknofun Pikachu Induction Charger, which looks like a giant Pikachu.

For more gadgets, check out the full episode of Circuit Breaker Live on YouTube. New episodes air live every Tuesday at 4PM ET over on The Verge’s YouTube channel.