Skip to main content

The Connected Sleeve is the prettiest wireless phone charger you may ever see

It’s not enough to go cordless when it comes to charging your phone — these days, you’ve also gotta go stylish. And at the intersection of smart technology and suave design sits the Connected Sleeve from De Rigeur, a new wireless smartphone charger that is as a beautiful as it is functional. Handcrafted with high-quality leather, the Connected Sleeve is the latest in a burgeoning trend of tech devices that refuse to sacrifice aesthetics in favor of technical abilities.

As per the Connected Sleeve’s Kickstarter campaign, which has already raised an impressive $19,354 from 178 backers, the wireless charger is the “most elegant and useful embedded” device for your smartphone. Combining French craftsmanship, luxurious Italian full-grain calfskin, and international technology, the Connected Sleeve will let you face any challenge, smartphone-related or otherwise, with elegance.

While some wireless chargers are only compatible with certain smartphones, the Connected Sleeve will re-juice your iPhone, Samsung, Sony, Microsoft, or LG phone with ease — discrimination is not in this device’s vocabulary.

The truly ingenious aspect of the Connected Sleeve lies in its versatility. To charge your dying smartphone, you can either slide it into the sleeve, whereupon it’ll wirelessly connect and start providing power via electromagnetic induction within 10 seconds, or you can set it atop the sleeve and use it as a wireless charging pad. That way, if you have to take a peek at your notifications, your phone is handily available.

And if those two methods aren’t enough for you, you can also use the USB port that doubles discreetly as an elastomer clasp. Just plug the sleeve directly into your computer or the wall, and you’ll be able to charge your phone faster than you would with any traditional device.

But what happens when your charger needs to be charged itself? Never fear! Use the De Riguer app to check the power level of the Connected Sleeve, and proceed as needed.

Currently, you can pre-order a Connected Sleeve for $141, or half off market price. Or, if you’re really into the project and want to help the team reach their $54,000 goal, you can purchase the Dream Pack for $5,460, which not only includes two Connected Sleeves, but also a premium dinner with the creators of the device at the Eiffel Tower. Romance, my friends, is not dead.

So if you’re looking for a new case or charger, the Connected Sleeve may be for you.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
AT&T Storefront with logo.

Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.

Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.

Read more
Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today
Someone holding the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!

Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally. 

Read more
The Nokia 3210 is the worst phone I’ve used in 2024
A person holding the Nokia 3210, showing the screen.

Where do I even start with the Nokia 3210? Not the original, which was one of the coolest phones to own back in a time when Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace wasn’t even a thing, but the latest 2024 reissue that has come along to save us all from digital overload, the horror of social media, and the endless distraction that is the modern smartphone.

Except behind this facade of marketing-friendly do-goodery hides a weapon of torture, a device so foul that I’d rather sit through multiple showings of Jar Jar Binks and the gang hopelessly trying to bring back the magic of A New Hope than use it.
The Nokia 3210 really is that bad

Read more