At a time when people constantly feel the need to be plugged into the digital realm—and to replug and recharge whenever necessary—cell phone charging stations have become a popular addition to events. Here's a look at recent conferences, trade shows, and public festivals that offered spots where attendees could power up their handheld gadgets.
The Toyota Prius activation in Chicago's Grant Park for Lollapalooza this year offered a model car that doubled as a charging station. Inside the vehicle as many as five festival-goers could recharge their gadgets.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
In an effort to promote its news site Patch.com, Ad Week sponsor AOL installed lockers inside New York's TimesCenter in October last year. The station—dubbed the "charging post"—allowed executives to drop off their gadgets for recharging and claim them later.
Photo: Brian Virgo/AOL
At the 2012 International Builders' Show in Orlando, phone charging stations positioned throughout the concourse of the Orange County Convention Center also showed videos from the expo's sponsors.
Photo: Mitra Sorrells/BizBash
During Coachella this year, Lacoste hosted two days of pool parties at a private estate in Thermal near the festival's Indio, California grounds. Sponsored by HTC, the festivities included a place where guests could charge electronic devices while participating in activities like giant Twister and speedboat racing.
Photo: John Sciulli/WireImage
At the May iteration of Internet Week in New York, Brightbox stations positioned around the venue allowed conference attendees to quickly and conveniently recharge their cellphones between sessions.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Outside the "Goodnight Gansevoort" lounge—a late-night space hosted by the Gansevoort Hotel Group—attendees of the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival could recharge their electronics in the Best Buy charging zone.
Photo: David Lee/Getty Images
As part of its event for the 2011 International C.T.I.A. Wireless show in Orlando, Sprint created a movie-theater-style lounge in which 30-foot-tall columns functioned as phone charging stations and as projection screens for Sprint products.
Photo: Orlando Convention Photographers
In November 2011, Patrón hosted an event in Orlando to promote its XO Café Noir to musicians and industry executives in town for the Orlando Calling music festival. Inside the party, the spirits company offered GoCharge phone charging stations from Hercules Networks, where guests could leave their phones with a staff member to charge.
Photo: Angel Tagudin
This May, WWD hosted its C.E.O. Beauty Summit in Miami, bringing 280 executives in the beauty industry to town for a three-day discussion. During networking breaks and between sessions, attendees could charge their devices in the dedicated "refresh and recharge" lounge.
Photo: Sonja Garnitschnig
For the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Conference in 2011, MedQuist's booth offered spots for charging iPods and cell phones. While attendees waited, the company's staff took the opportunity to talk to them about its products.
Photo: Mitra Sorrells/BizBash
Last year the Dumbo Arts Festival was able to expand its roster of activities to include tech-based elements through sponsor AT&T. Among the offerings was a phone charging area inside festival's lounge in Brooklyn.
Photo: Caleb Ferguson for BizBash
At the Surf Expo Show in Orlando in January, LRG had a docking station with eight different phone chargers compatible with iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry devices. The freestanding kiosk also displayed videos of the clothing and accessories company's wares.
Photo: Mitra Sorrells/BizBash
Looking to reinforce the importance of digital media to its brand, Bravo's New York upfront event in April had a space called "Digital World" that included TV screens, latops, iPhones, and iPads. For guests, there was a phone charging station as well as a spot that printed images posted on Instagram.
Photo: Courtesy of MB Productions
Toyota’s exhibit area at the Chicago Auto Show included Apple desktop computers that functioned as charging stations and displayed Toyota commercials to keep visitors entertained.
Photo: Jenny Berg/BizBash
Duracell's "Power Lodge" pop-up in 2008 invited the public to help power the New Year's sign in Times Square with bicycles. The promotion also included an area where visitors could charge cell phones, iPods, and other personal electronics, as well as play with toys powered by the battery brand.
Photo: Stuart Ramson
