[math0ne]

It does prevent that but it also prevents my device from ever being dead because whenever I'm at my desk I just put it on the charger. With the wired chargers in the past it was a paint to plug and unplug so my phone was always low but with the wireless stuff my device is naturally juicy all the time.

[annnnd]

Have the batteries progressed enough that this kind of charging is no longer a problem? (I am talking about memory effect)

[ghshephard]

Memory effect was mostly folklore, and, regardless, was only specific to one very specific type of nickel-cadmium battery.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_effect

"True memory effect is specific to sintered-plate nickel-cadmium cells, and is exceedingly difficult to reproduce, especially in lower ampere-hour cells. In one particular test program designed to induce the effect, none was found after more than 700 precisely-controlled charge/discharge cycles"

[omgtehlion]

Almost all Li(Ion|Poly|FePO) batteries currently don't have “memory effect” when you charge them repeatedly. The only problem happens when you drain the battery below minimum voltage, then it will lose its capacity.

[ansible]

LiIon batteries do suffer from wear from normal usage. The more change/discharge cycles, the lower the capacity. If it is exposed to heat, that damages it. I'm told that leaving it fully charged a lot is also bad for it, because that allegedly puts more stress on the battery than when it is at 90% full.

There is a lot to be desired from current battery technology.