Many types of portable electronic devices (such as cellular phones, smart phones and some kinds of portable computers, such as tablet computers or laptop computers, as well as some accessories such as some headsets) exchange data, such as audio data, voice data, image data, video data, text messages, and e-mails, and any combination thereof, with messaging servers over long range wireless data communication links in one or more wireless communication networks. Many such devices can communicate (e.g., with another device or base station) without a wired or cabled physical connection, and may be called wireless communication devices. One example of such wireless data communication links includes cellular-like data networks. Wireless communication devices can receive messages from remote servers over a wireless data communication link in a one-way or a two-way wireless communication protocol. Some of these portable electronic devices may be handheld, that is, sized and shaped to be held or carried in a human hand.
Communication devices are becoming so ubiquitous in society that users often own, or have authorized use of, two or more such communication devices. Users with two or more communication devices often receive and send data on all of their communication devices, possibly different devices using different communication links. For example, a user can receive emails on their personal laptop computer, optionally using a wireless modem, and contemporaneously will also receive the same emails on their wireless cellular phone devices. This type of duplicate communication may be deemed unnecessary or duplicative or wasteful of communication system and device resources.
Additionally, mobile wireless communication devices typically use rechargeable power supplies, such as batteries or other electrical charge storage devices, to permit device operation while roaming and without being tethered to a particular stationary power source. As the rechargeable power source, e.g., the battery, in a wireless communication device becomes depleted it can be charged by connecting the device to a stationary power source, such as using a charger that is connected to an AC outlet. This may pose an inconvenience to a user because 1) a user of the device may have to monitor the charge level of the rechargeable power source in the wireless communication device to determine when charging is indicated, and 2) a user may have to make arrangement for and likely carry extra charging paraphernalia, such as charger equipment and power cabling, to be able to charge the wireless communication device as necessary from time to time. Although wireless charging pads may be popular, in part because this type of charger helps reduce the interconnection of power cabling with the wireless communication device, a wireless charging pad may as a practical matter have limited portability, may be comparatively large, and may require access to an AC outlet.