Hands On with Microsoft's wireless charging pad, the DT-903

Several of Microsoft's Lumia smartphones feature wireless charging, so it makes sense that the company would sell a fashionable wireless charger. Called the DT-903, the wireless charger uses Qi standard for charging and also features a subtle back lighting that the company says "invites your phone to be charged".

Even though this device is targeted at Lumia phones, any phone that supports Qi charging will work and after a quick pairing thanks to NFC, all you have to do is place your phone on the pad and it will begin to charge.

Wireless charging is a feature that has been slow to be adopted by all of the major mobile players in the industry. A myriad of Android devices support the feature and of course many of the Lumias do as well, but Apple has stayed away from the technology, although, Apple has been generally slower to adopt mobile trends than most manufacturers.

There is no denying that wireless charging is quite convenient, and the large pad of the DT-903 makes it easy to add some juice to your phone. I had no trouble getting my Lumia Icon and 830 to charge on the pad, simply put the device on the pad, the light turns on, and the power starts flowing. The device officially supports the 830, 920, 925 (with charging cover), 928, Lumia 1020 (with charging cover) and the HTC 8X.

The pad features a light underneath, that has three brightness levels and you can turn it completely off too. The light will also pulse when you have notifications, which is handy for knowing if you need to check your device while it is charging. If your device has Bluetooth LE support, the pad will light up when your phone is low on battery too.

The DT-903 costs $59 and while that is not cheap (buy here), the light on the bottom of the device is a nifty addition to what is otherwise a mundane device. While it's up to you if you think having a convenient charger is worth the entry price, we will say that once you get used to the DT-903, you really don't want to go back to plugging your phone in to charge ever again.