The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact can be charged two ways: via Micro USB or via the special magnetic charging connector.
The phone comes with the normal USB cable, that can also be used for synchronization, file transfers and such. But since the phone is water proof the Micro USB connector is hidden behind a little door, and opening and closing this every time charging the phone does not really feel optimal.
The official way to charge via the magnetic connector is to buy the DK32 docking station. It is quite pricey, and quite “light” (the magnet is much stronger than the weight of the thing). Docking/undocking does not really feel like opening/closing a german car door, but otherwise it is nice to have the phone docked and charging. It is quite unclear if this DK32 is compatible with any other very similar Sony Xperia docking stations.
Other options?
I ordered a USB-cable with magnetic connector (but no docking station) from Deal Extreme. Again, quite unclear what models the cable really works with (there are many similar cables, with different phones listed as compatible).
Well, the cable “works”. When attached, it charges the phone just perfectly. Attaching it requires a little bit of a precision move, and when attached it is not very stable against rolling off to the front or the back of the phone. But now that I have learnt how to do it, I prefer it to the old USB cable. I am thinking about building/gluing some type of docking station for it. Note: the +/- connectors are not interchangeable. If I connect it upside-down (the cable from up) the phone restarts, and it is perhaps not entirely healthy for it.
I have the original DK32 at work, so the phone is almost always fully charged when I leave work in the afternoon, and I don’t need to charge it until back at work next day.
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