By Jeda recently sent me the new and improved version of the Jeda Wireless Pad to check out. Let’s run through what’s changed and how it holds up.
I’ve been using the first Jeda wireless pad since last October and have been very happy with it’s performance. I’ll include a link to my review in the description. While the first version did what it said on the tin, many customers complained that the thickness of the pad didn’t allow enough room on the phone shelf to hold their phones in place while driving. Some experienced issues with more “energetic driving” causing their phone to slide off and fall into the cubby below. In all the time I used it I never experienced that, but I could see how it might happen. The phone sat right along the edge, so there wasn’t a large margin of error and some cases may have contributed to the issue.
Some people were also looking for fast charging, which required the purchase of a battery add-on in order to achieve the higher power requirements. This is due to the limited power available from the Model 3’s front USB ports. One of Jeda’s more popular competitors is the Nomad wireless charger, which addressed a few of the concerns with a built in battery, and extended phone shelf to keep phones in place.
This is where the new Jeda wireless pad steps into the spotlight and says hi. It’s been improved in just about every way and it’s clear to me that Jeda listened closely to all of the customer feedback.
Open the box and what you’ll see is the new Jeda and not much else. The only accessories in the box are two short USB cables to get power, but there’s nothing else needed to get it up and running. There’s no longer a need to add double sided tape to the back to secure it into place. This new version has several circular protrusions that fit the Model 3’s shelf perfectly. Just drop it in and it’s rock solid. I can’t feel any slack in the fit at all. It really fits like a glove and looks like it was meant to be there from the factory.
Which brings me to the looks. The previous version was well built and looked better than most of the other generic Qi charging options out there, but it was utilitarian. The color and pattern on the front didn’t mesh with the Model 3’s look as it could have. The new version fits right in … and with that red back looks like a charger designed by Christian Louboutin (Loo Boo Taun). The texture and color blend with the center console and make it look seamless.
They’re also using a new TPU material that has much better grip than the previous version. I never had a problem with my phone sliding side to side on the first generation Jeda, but this TPU material should remove any doubt from your mind of sliding being an issue.
But the thing about this version that sets it apart from not only the first generation Jeda, but also the Nomad, is that it supports portrait and landscape charging. You can charge two phone in portrait, or one phone in lanscape. It’s a clever design with three separate Qi chargers located throughout the pad. From my testing I’ve never had an issue with the phone not charging. Just drop it onto the pad in any of the three locations and it just works. The landscape mode adds an interesting use case for running apps like Google Maps or Waze if that’s your preferred orientation.
What about charging speeds? Well, the front USB ports have been running at 7.5 watts since the v.9 update1, you’ll get the full 7.5 watt charging on both sides of the Jeda. If you want to get the full 15 watts, you can run a cable from the center consoles DC port to the front and the pad will work with the extra power. But with phones like the iPhone capping out at the 7.5 watts, there shouldn’t be much of need for that.
And the final update that I wasn’t able to test adequately was the inclusion of holes for wired charging. If you want to leave a lightning or usb plug on one of the sides to charge a phone that doesn’t have Qi charging, you can do that now. However, it does require a spacer for the cable to fit properly. Jeda is planning on selling those spacers on its website this April.
Final Thoughts
In my testing the phone always remained squarely in place … even with some … very … energetic driving. I was trying to shake my phone loose and couldn’t get it to budge. You don’t have to pay particular attention to where you’re placing the phone when you get into the car. Just place it on the pad and go. The aesthetics are also improved and it looks like it came with the car. It offers several new features that aren’t available on products like the Nomad, but just like the Nomad, it’s a quality built product. My takeaway after using it is that it’s major step forward for Jeda, and also the Tesla Model 3’s wireless charger to beat.
1: http://forums.tesla.com/forum/forums/wireles-phone-charging
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