Why You Can Trust CNET The PowerPic 5x7-inch picture frame with integrated Qi charger drops to $45
That's $11 below the sale price of just a week ago. It turns any photo into a framed phone charger.
It looks like an ordinary photo frame, but it's also a Qi charging stand for your phone.
Qi wireless charging pads are cropping up in the craziest places. End tables, desk lamps... even picture frames. And why not a picture frame? You already keep a photo of the family, the dog or whatever on your desk; why not let it pull double duty? That's the idea behind the Twelve South PowerPic, a product that's totally unnecessary but also really handy to have -- especially when there's a solid discount.
For a limited time, and while supplies last, Amazon has the Twelve South PowerPic for $45.11. That's $11 below the deal I shared just over a week ago, which was itself 30% off Twelve South's regular price of $79.99. (Amazon normally sells it for $89.99; the black model is currently $63 there.)
Made of New Zealand pine, the PowerPic is an attractive, substantial-looking tapered picture frame that's large enough to accommodate phones up to 6.5 inches tall and cases up to 3mm thick. It can hold any 5x7-inch photo.
It plugs into a powered USB port, though if you want 10-watt fast charging, the port must be capable of supplying that much power. I'm a little bummed Twelve South doesn't include an AC adapter, because not everyone has a spare USB port or one that supports fast charging. (Here's a 12-watt USB wall charger for under $8 in case you need one.)
To charge your phone, just place it inside the frame. Yes, it'll block whatever picture is there -- but if you have an Android phone, you can set the screen to stay on while charging, thereby showing off your wallpaper. (You could even get fancy and make the wallpaper the same as the photo that's in the frame.) Alas, there's no way to do likewise in iOS -- thanks, Apple.
Yes, I hear you: This is wholly impractical and not a charging solution for cheapskates. (Here's a Qi charging stand with AC adapter for $18.99, for example.)
But it's cool! It's a conversation-starter. And it would make a nifty gift. People seem to like it a lot, as evidenced by the 4.5-star average rating from over 120 Amazon customers.
Your thoughts?
Read more: 8 unexpectedly cool things with built-in Qi charging pads
Originally published earlier this month. Updated to reflect new sale price. Removed expired bonus deal.
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