Gary Waterfield should be collaborating with colleagues today over the hum of sewing machines producing an elegant leather crossbody laptop bag.

The small-batch tech backpacks and shoulder bags of WaterField Designs since 1998 have attracted discerning Apple users. Waterfield likes to time a new production run with an Apple product launch.

But when Apple unveiled the new MacBook Air and iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard this week, the handful of WaterField employees were stuck in their San Francisco-area homes on one of the strictest lockdowns since the coronavirus invaded American soil.

There are wall-to-wall alternatives on the market for what was supposed to be AirPower. One actually mounts to the wall and looks like a piece of art while it charges multiple devices.

The MagEZ Bar from Pitaka charges two phones simultaneously. It holds them in place with strong magnets that easily align the phones or AirPods with the charging coils. To the right of the charging coils, a hidden magnetic array provides a space for keys or AirPods.

Apple’s effort to give its multi-device users a reliable charging pad failed. But other companies have stepped up to bring an all-in-one wireless charger and one currently on Kickstarter looks promising.

The Air Quad from Pitaka provides dedicated charging positions for the iPad, iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch.