Gallery: A Hyper-Stylish Gadget That Slays Energy Vampires
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Powerslayer is a $75 phone/tablet charger designed by Motorola veterans whose goal is to end wasteful power consumption by "vampire devices." *Photo: Velvetwire*
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Powerslayer plugs into a wall socket and can recharge smartphones and tablets, but also utilizes a series of algorithms to detect when the connected gizmo is topped off and can stop the flow of electricity. *Photo: Velvetwire*
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The company's founders, Eric Bodnar and Jennifer Lee, came up for the idea for Powerslayer while they were on a break from their corporate gigs at Motorola and sailing from California to New Zealand. *Photo: Velvetwire*
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The UI consists of a single, triangular LED that glows through the faceted surface—orange means charging, green is fully charged, and no light means the phone is charged, but not drawing power. *Photo: Velvetwire*
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Powerslayer's eclectic materials make the design feel like something Punky Brewster might have come up with if she grew up to become an electrical engineer. *Photo: Velvetwire*
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"Our goal is to introduce seductive forms, textures, materials and colors not commonly seen in the market," says Lee. *Photo: Velvetwire*
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It's estimated that the average household has between 25-40 gadgets plugged into walls at any given time and their phantom load accounts for about 20 percent of electric bills, or $3 billion dollars nationally. *Photo: Velvetwire*
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The company is trying to save energy by keeping manufacturing close to home and so far have been able to keep suppliers within 70 miles of their Santa Cruz headquarters. *Photo: Velvetwire*
