The Gadget: The Olin wireless Nintendo DS Lite charger.
The Price: $129
The Verdict: It does what it says it does. Except that it’s not really wireless. You see, the charger comes in two parts: a base plate and a case for your DS. For the whole thing to work, you need to plug in that base plate with a – you guessed it – wire.
But aside from that technicality the charger charges the DS when you place it on the base plate. The case for the DS is kind of ugly – It’s a black bottom with a “clear” top, and a great big hideous “Olin” logo on the front. It adds a little bit of bulk to your peripheral, but not so much that it makes playing difficult.
I could imagine this would be a pretty handy solution if you had a few base plates around the house. You know, so you could always just put it down to charge. But with just the one, you have to wonder what benefit the bulky charger, which needs to be tethered to a powerpoint anyway, offers over the little grey thing that comes with the DS. Especially for the $129 pricetag.