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October 29, 2012

Starbucks, Google and AT&T Join Power Matters Alliance

By Tracey E. Schelmetic, TMCnet Contributor

The Power Matters Alliance (PMA) has some powerful new friends. The PMA, which is associated with a program of the IEEE (News - Alert) Standards Association called Industry Connections, is dedicated to creating an ecosystem and open standard for smart wireless power. As of today, Google, Starbucks and AT&T (News - Alert) are members of the Alliance.



Founded by Powermat Technologies and Procter & Gamble, the PMA's Honorary Chairman is Google's Vint Cerf, and its board now also includes AT&T, Duracell and Starbucks. The U.S. Government's Energy Star and Federal Communications Commission – both PMA members – are PMA board observers.

The PMA's members and adopters say they are working together to create a real-world ecosystem of wireless power.

“An Internet of 'smart things' is rapidly evolving and most of them are powered electrically. Google (News - Alert) cares greatly about a future where power can be wireless, smart and environmental," said Vint Cerf, chief Internet evangelist at Google. "The PMA is about doing for power what the Internet did for data. With the help of Starbucks, AT&T, P&G, Powermat and so many others, I believe this goal is finally within reach.”

According to AT&T, the way people use wireless devices is changing, and it is incumbent upon them and their partners to ensure that these devices never run out of power.

"We believe the PMA has the right organizational framework, the right institutional backing and the most promising technological platform,” said Jeff Howard, vice president of devices and accessories at AT&T. “We look forward to a future where all of our devices can charge seamlessly in the home, in the car and in the coffee shop – and expect that such a future is at hand."

Technical specifications to enable any device to interoperate with the PMA standard are already available to all PMA members – and membership is open to all at www.powermatters.org. 




Edited by Braden Becker
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