The Palm made a big splash in the portable device world…a few years ago. With the ascendancy of a host of portable-device manufacturers, thinkers, and developers, Palm frankly got lost in the shuffle…not to mention the fact that the iPhone came out in the meantime. But the Palm is back—and maybe with a bang. June will witness the release of the Palm Pre—and an accessory item, the Touchstone.

The Touchstone, and other devices like it, may just be the next big thing in technology. You’ve heard of wireless technology. In fact, you may be reading this article via a wireless signal, be clicking with a wireless mouse, or even typing with a wireless keyboard. Wireless accessories, signals, and devices are no new thing.

But more likely than not, you’re wireless device doesn’t charge wirelessly. The Palm Pre does. And that’s what will set it apart in the market, not to mention usher in a host of wireless-charging devices of the future. Wireless charging is no newcomer to technology, but useful adaptation and easy integration into every day life is the next challenge.

Wireless charging is a fairly straightforward phenomenon. The wireless charger is usually a pad of some sort which contains an embedded coil with an alternating current. Devices which are capable of being charged wirelessly contain a similarly-designed coil which responds to the magnetic field produced by the charging pad, and subsequently initiates a charge to the device’s battery.

While wireless technology is still jumping hurdles, it wields incredible potential for the next horizon of technology. Imagine a world where you never have to plug in your cell phone, your iPod, or your computer. Such a world is admittedly some distance away, but wireless charging may just catch on. Implementing universally accessible wireless charging devices into walls, desks, or rooms would eliminate a host of wiring and add a modicum of convenience to our power-hungry technology-driven society.  

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