NEWS: In this issue of Recap in Tech – IKEA to Release Wireless Charging Collection, Apple Watch Pre-Orders Soar, Apple Partners with IBM for Medical Research, and Tim Cook featured in Time’s Top 100.

IKEA to Release Wireless Charging Collection
Swedish furniture manufacturer, Ikea, is breaking new ground with its Wireless Charging Collection. The new line includes a range of lamps and nightstands with built-in wireless charging, standalone charging pads and charging units that can be installed anywhere with a special drill bit. The pricing on the new units ranges from $30 – $120. Unfortunately, these charging stations aren’t compatible with every type of phone – iPhones and the Samsung Galaxy series aren’t compatible. Additional charging covers are needed to accommodate. This new line of products is already available in Europe and will soon be available in the U.S.

Apple Watch Pre-Orders Soar
Even though Apple is keeping a tight lid on the actual sales figures for the Apple Watch pre-orders, research estimates from Ming-Chi Kuo put global pre-orders at over 2.3 million units. Kuo is an analyst with a strong track record with Apple estimation figures. Until Apple releases the real numbers, this is probably the closest figure we will end up getting.

Apple Partners with IBM for Medical Research
IBM announced Watson Health this week – a new health and wellness analytics platform. Watson Health will have support for both HealthKit and ResearchKit. This development furthers the IBM/Apple partnership that began with enterprise last year.

Tim Cook featured in Time’s Top 100
Apple CEO, Tim Cook, has once again earned a spot in Time Magazine’s “100 most influential people.” Congressman John Lewis said of Tim Cook, “It could not have been easy for Tim Cook to step into the immense shadow cast by the late Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs. But with grace and courage and an unabashed willingness to be his own man, Tim has pushed Apple to unimaginable profitability – and greater social responsibility.”