@jeremy
I use a free Google Exchange account to constantly push contacts/mail/calendar to my device wirelessly. As for wireless syncing with iTunes, I'm running a jailbroken version of iOS 4 with an app called Wi-Fi Sync. This lets me sync wirelessly with iTunes 9.2. It takes a little longer, but it really is completely wireless. A great partner to the Powermat.

Actually there's no reason to believe that it would. The kind of battery damage you're talking about, according to Apple at least, doesn't apply to the lithium ion batteries they use. Each battery has a limited number of up/down charges before it weakens and dies. Any time you let the battery drain you are aging your battery. If you drain it 100% then charge it 100% that's one cycle. Two drains and charges of 50% are also one cycle. It no longer matters if your drains are partial or not, only how much you drain total.

reference: http://www.apple.com/batteries/

The obvious implication is that to extend battery life as long as possible our goal should be to keep our devices plugged in as often as possible. When they are plugged in, whether charging or fully charged, the battery is not *draining* and thus not aging through drain cycles. If you are at your computer you should keep your iphone plugged in as much as possible.

This device, aside its other merits or pitfalls, would be good for long-term battery life, as it would really encourage you to keep the battery in a charging state almost all of the time when possible, with as little friction as possible and without wearing down your various cables and jacks from constatntly unplugging the device to go to the bathroom 😉

My big question about the device is about syncing. To me the fact that syncing happens during charging is a HUGE benefit. I HAVE to charge the phone, but could live without syncing so if they weren't linked I would sync a lot less. That said having a synced phone is vital for calendars and other data, so I'd hate to find myself annoyed at the process. I'd really want a wireless syncing solution and a way to have it go off automatically when set down on the power mat.

Reviewer: do you have mobileme? That would make a lot of sense, and reduce issues related to syncing with this device.

Then again, with the iPhone 4 due out shortly, I'd probably hold off buying anymore iPhone 3GS accessories.

Doesn't all this tiny (no full charge) just kill battery life?

I think that's halfway there, and I'd replace lazy with \”geekily awesome\”. There's definitely a difference in the way you use the device when you no longer plug it in at your desktop.

Sounds like you don't want to have a case on, or maybe you don't like this particular case. I'm never going to keep the 3GS naked again, since the first one developed cracks all on its own.

This is really something to be used right at one desk, and then you can use other micro-USB devices if you need a charge on-the-go. There's a definite downside to it, but I think it's a kickass little product.