Skip to main content

The chrome-plated Diskus makes it simpler to charge your Apple Watch on the go

Let’s discuss the Diskus. It’s a small, disc-shaped charger for your Apple Watch, but that’s not the only thing it does or the problem it solves. Apple provides a snake-like cable and charger with the Apple Watch, which is long and annoying. Meanwhile, accessory manufacturers concentrate on stylish but bulky travel kits that combine a dock and charger. What if you just want to slip a charger for the Watch into your bag?

That’s what is so great about the Diskus — it’s portable. It’s a simple charging disc for your Apple Watch, without any of the garnish or the ridiculously long cable attached to the Apple version. Instead, its tiny frame is wrapped in a chrome body, and equipped with a Micro USB port, so you can plug in the cord of your choice.

We’ve been checking out a prototype. It’s supplied with a short, braided Micro USB cable in case you don’t have one, that looks tough enough to withstand some harsh treatment. The charger itself is so small and light, you could easily fit it in your pocket and not know it’s there. The chrome finish looks great, and the magnetized charging plate grips our Apple Watch nicely. We did have to make sure the cable was pushed in all the way on the disc, though, as it needs a solid click before the Watch starts to charge.

Diskus_0635edit
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This isn’t some half-hearted, quickly devised product, either. It’s an Apple approved, Made For iPhone charger, so it meets the standards set out by the company when it comes to accessories. Why use a Micro USB charger instead of a Lightning connector? It seems Apple wouldn’t approve that aspect, but it’s not a massive problem. Most of us will have a Micro USB cable anyway, and the Diskus comes with one. Additionally, many external battery packs only need the opposite end of a USB cable to be plugged in. This makes the Diskus great for carrying around day-to-day.

The final version will come with a cute little pouch to keep everything together. We’ve been stuck with a dead Apple Watch and no charger on several occasions because we underestimated usage and didn’t want to carry the Apple charger around. As such, the Diskus is exactly what we’ve been waiting for. It will make life with the Apple Watch much more manageable.

The Diskus is the work of ThanoTech, the company responsible for the seamless K11 bumper case for the iPhone, that has been on sale since the completion of a successful Kickstarter campaign. ThanoTech has returned to Kickstarter for the Diskus, where if you’re quick, you can get it for $28. Once the early bird deals have sold out, the Diskus will cost $32 on the crowd funding site. Deliveries are expected to take place in October, and seeing as we’ve already had our hands on a prototype, provided the campaign is successful that date seems likely to be met.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Why you shouldn’t buy these 5 Apple Watch Series 9 alternatives
A person wearing the Apple Watch Series 9, showing the Snoopy watch face

Nike Globe watch face Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Not only are there a lot of smartwatches and fitness bands to choose from these days, but the Apple Watch range itself is surprisingly extensive — especially considering it began life with only a single model available. Simply put, it remains the best smartwatch to get if you own an iPhone.

Read more
Apple may have delayed a critical Apple Watch upgrade
Smart Stack on the Apple Watch Series 9.

It seems Apple’s highly anticipated display upgrades, especially for the Apple Watch, will have to wait a few more years. According to Bloomberg, Apple has shuttered in-house efforts to design and develop microLED panels that would have appeared on its smartwatches — and eventually more products down the road.

The current-gen Apple smartwatches rely on an OLED panel, but Apple has been eyeing microLED screens for the Apple Watch's future iterations. These in-house panels, which would have offered “brighter and more vibrant visuals,” were ultimately put on cold ice due to cost and complexity concerns.

Read more
Why you shouldn’t buy a new Apple Watch right now
The curved screen on the Apple Watch Series 9.

It has been over six months since the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 launched, and they are still considered two of the best smartwatches on the market. However, there are two significant reasons why you might not want to purchase either of these models.

Those reasons are the Apple Watch Series 8 and the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra. That's right — buying a 2022 Apple Watch over the newer models might be a better choice for you.
Why now's a great time to buy an old Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Series 9 (top) and Apple Watch Series 8 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more