The Nokia Wireless Charging Stand (DT-910) is one of numerous accessories the company has released this year for the Lumia 810/820/822 and 920 series. It’s similar to the Wireless Charge Pad that many have received via AT&T (or should) but it does have a few additions too.
The retail price is $69.99 and like all things Nokia these days, it’s hard to find. We had one backordered from AT&T for weeks but finally went the eBay route (and saved $10).
The Wireless Charging Stand differs from the Pad in two ways: the device is propped vertically and it features NFC. The vertical position has its obvious benefits, especially if you keep it bedside or on your office desk. Being able to see the display when a call comes in, alarm goes off or a new text message arrives is certainly convenient.
The other is the inclusion of NFC at the base. When you first tap it with your Lumia phone, it will ask to pair it up with an app. This launches the Nokia Accessories under Settings, which then allows you to associate any third-party app with that wireless charge stand. For instance, you could tap it have it launch your favorite weather app or alarm clock.
The feature is not too bad but it’s not exactly super fast either. For instance, the Nokia app needs to enumerate all of your installed apps first before giving you a choice. This process took about 2 to 3 minutes and you need to do it each time you want to configure the pairing (luckily that shouldn’t be too often). Also, once you tap to launch, you still need to tap the screen and approve the app launch. In that sense, we’re not sure how much more convenient it is as opposed to just tapping the Tile (assuming you have that app pinned).
Still, NFC can have its advantages and there is a certain neat factor in being able to launch an app this way. And let's not forget, the main function here is to charge the phone while having the display being visible and there the DT-910 does well. One complaint though would be the inability to charge the phone in a horizontal position, something that you might want to do if you put on Netflix. It’s an odd omission and we assume it has to do with the hardware configuration and limitations. Be forewarned though if that is what you had planned on using it for.
So is it worth the $70? It is pricey but the build quality and cool factor are both high with this accessory. We prefer the vertical orientation to the flat one of the Wireless Charge Pad as it makes the 920 look like a trophy phone. The white stand against our white phone really looks good together, making it seem more art than technology. So in that sense, yes, we recommend the Stand if your wallet agrees.
The stand comes in black or glossy white and can be found through various retailers for $69.99. Make sure to watch the video review for our thoughts.
