I've owned more than a few portable chargers over the years, but I'll be the first to admit: I'm not sure where the older ones wound up, or how to properly dispose of one.
Nimble, a new company from two former Mophie employees, looks to change this, and add some style and sustainability along the way, without raising prices.
Nimble, which launches today, is a consumer tech brand that will start with its strong suit: devices that provide power to our mobile devices. First up are its wireless charging gadgets, which start at $40 with the Qi-enabled Nimble Wireless Pad, a device that charges iPhones at their 7.5-watt output rate and other smartphones at their 10-watt capacity.
MORE: Best Portable Chargers and Battery Packs
I got my hands on Nimble's pre-production units during a private briefing, and appreciate the fabric covers that coat its wireless chargers. Each coating is made of organic hemp and a recycled polyester fabric (PET), which creates a texture you'd expect on a higher-end good.
Nimble's story also focuses on being respectful of the earth, to reduce the amount of waste we make. Inside each of the recyclable paper containers that Nimble ships its products in, you'll find an envelope for packing up and mailing the cords and tech you don't use anymore (goodbye 30-pin cords, adios USB Mini cables and vamoose USB flash drives that just sit around, collecting dust).
Nimble will then provide a shipping label, so you can send this leftover tech to Homeboy Electronics Recycling in Los Angeles, which provides environmentally-friendly tech recycling, and provides "permanent jobs for women and men who face systemic barriers to employment," such as criminal records.
Unlike other Qi-charging pads, Nimble's wireless power surfaces also include a USB-A port so you can charge your Bluetooth headphones while your phone refuels. For an extra $20, you can get Nimble's $60 Wireless Travel Kit, which includes both a wireless charging pad and a dual-USB Wall Charger (which charges over USB Type-C and includes a Type-A port.) The two connect to form a portable shell of power.
Nimble's also got a $50 Wireless Stand, which is basically the same as the Wireless Pad, but features a neat, convenient folding easel-back, to raise the phone upright. Looking to charge multiple phones at once, and can't wait for Apple to release its AirPower charger? The $50 Nimble Wireless Dual Pad can charge two Qi-enabled devices, including smartphones, simultaneously.
Nimble's portable chargers feature a different, but equally elegant design style, with space gray aluminum and a speckled soft-touch casing, made from bioplastics and featuring a speckled texture from its mica mineral design. To stand out from the pack, the power indicator lights glow orange when these chargers outputting power at their higher-power rate, and green when they're delivering power at the standard rate.
Nimble's Portable Chargers are available in 10,000 ($50), 13,000 ($60), 20,000 ($70) and 26,000 ($99) mAh capacities and will cost between $49.95 to $99.95. Each include an 18W USB Type-C PD fast-charging input/output port, which most companies only offer on their pricier models. Their Type-A USB ports emit power at the QC 3.0 standard.
The 10,000 and 20,000 mAh models offer three charging ports (one Type-C and two USB 3.0), while the 13,000 and 26,000 mAh models offer four ports (one Type-C and three USB 3.0). Each charger includes a detachable cable manager, which magnetically attaches to one side of the charger.
Even Nimble's packaging is eco-friendly, made of 100% recycled scrap paper, and without the harmful inks, adhesives or dyes you find in other packaging. Not only does that make the packaging 100% compostable, the all-white packaging reminds me of boutique fashion company products, specifically from the Y-3 sneaker line.
While Nimble's goods will start off as exclusive to gonimble.com, they'll hit Amazon in the coming days.
Credit: Nimble
