Technology Sanyo Eneloop MDU01 charger

[masta247]

I know that it's a silly thing but I have a habit of talking well about good products. And I've come across a very good one recently. It's a AA/AAA compact charger. It's very small, despite being cheap it's very well made (http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?165664) and comes with a short usb cable so you can use your pc or laptop to charge but you can also use a phone charger if you have a two-piece one that looks like this: http://images.morele.net/full/408735_0_f.jpg

The whole thing looks like this:

If you are looking for a compact/travel-friendly charger for your AA/AAA batteries for your camera or whatever other mobile device and you don't want to carry a full-sized one it's a perfect buy. I even charge my batteries at home with this now because it looks so cool. So yeah, that's about it, a thread about a battery charger.

Oh, you can buy one here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000XVZYXO/bluebirdlanefarm
http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-eneloop...le-Batteries/dp/B004UAG776/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

And they come with 2 Sanyo Eneloop batteries which are by far the best Ni-MH batteries.

 

[S O F I]

I live in 2011. What's a AA/AAA battery?

 

[masta247]

Personally I almost exclusively use them when I travel and that's why a compact charger is perfect, since I wouldn't take a full-sized, heavy one. So I used to just take a few more packs of AA batteries and hope that I wouldn't run out of power. This thing solved my problems though.
I have to use AA batteries for my camera and I love that solution because when I run out of power I can just replace my batteries on the go. Also 2xAA batteries will run for much longer than a single ~2000mAh li-ion battery pack, and Sanyo Eneloops don't lose charge with time.

I also have a mobile phone charger using AA batteries. With Android I have to charge my phone every day and I hate that. When I travel I often can't charge my phone every night so I have to charge my phone with a mobile charger that uses AA batteries. I can fully charge my phone battery twice using two AA batteries. It also has a built in solar panel so I can charge the AA batteries that way, and then in turn they charge my phone.

At home I only use these batteries for my Xbox pad, remote control, clocks and such. However I think that AA/AAA batteries aren't dead yet, there are still situations when they are more useful - especially since the technology evolves and new Ni-Mh AA batteries are pretty awesome.

 

[S O F I]

I don't use anything in my house that requires batteries like that. Even my camera that I don't use uses the inner stuff (I guess those are lithium ion batteries) that needs charging.

However, I may have to look into that solar shit and a mobile charger that charges with AA batteries. I hate having to find outlets to charge my shit when travelling.

 

[masta247]

The solar shit actually sucks. It'd have to sit in direct sunlight for days to fully charge your batteries. However the AA phone charger alone is a very good idea. I have one similar to those, but older and with solar shit:
http://www.eneloop.info/products/mobile-booster/kbc-e1s.html

But you can go AA-free way too and buy one of those which is actually like carrying a second battery, you charge it and then you can charge your phone with it:
http://www.eneloop.info/products/mobile-booster/kbc-l3a.html
http://www.eneloop.info/products/mobile-booster/kbc-l2b.html

Sanyo actually underrates its power. According to this review
http://jeremygohblog.com/2011/01/25/review-sanyo-eneloop-mobile-booster-kbc-l2b-5000mah-1a-output/
you can charge a HTC Android phone 3-4 times using the dual-li-ion one. It makes sense since its total capacity is 5000mAh, and that's about equal to 3-4 smartphone batteries.

 

[S O F I]

It's like 80 bucks though. that's not going to fly. I would pay about 15, max.

 

[masta247]

There are cheaper, no-name alternatives too. I think you'd be able to get something for below 15$, but it wouldn't be as good.

 

[dilla]

I live in 2011. What's a AA/AAA battery?

Boom! Words right outta my mouth.

Admittedly, I do still use AA batteries in my 360 wireless controllers. But actually, as of late, I have moved to using a plug and charge/play kit, without the battery. So really, just a wired controller, but lighter because there is no battery pack there. Otherwise, it was only every two weeks I had to pull out the 2 AA rechargeables and replace them with two more. When all four were dead, I placed them on a recharger before class, and when I came home, they were ready to go.

Still, no one uses that coonshit anymore.

 

[Prize Gotti]

I take it SOFI changes the TV channel with the power of telekenisis.

 

[S O F I]

who watches TV? this is 2011.

 

[Prize Gotti]

who watches TV? this is 2011.

who watch movies and plays video games on a tiny ass computer screen? this is....oh wait, SOFI does.

 

[S O F I]

Who plays video games? I'm 23.

 

[Prize Gotti]

Who plays video games? I'm 23.

Going on 44.

 

[masta247]

lol, Sofi.

To be serious most people still use AA batteries for some things, at least once in a while. They are often more convenient, cheaper, "greener" and you are less likely to run out of power with them. Also devices running them are cheaper because you don't have to pay for included li-ion batteries that are more expensive and a charger that you will dispose of when you get rid of the device itself anyway. Personally if I have a choice between a device powered by AA/AAA batteries or a built-in, custom one I prefer the first solution, a lot of people do. I don't think that they will die out anytime soon, at least not unless someone invents a new generation of universal batteries that would be smaller while offering high capacity. I'm all for batteries that you can do in many devices, replace them when you run low on power and buy primaries in stores. If only because it's safer and more convenient.

The only threat for universal batteries would be device miniaturization and battery technology not catching up with a new, smaller standard of universal cells. That's why manufacturers are using their own batteries now - because their devices are too small/slim for aa/aaa batteries and it's hard to come up with a proper shape that would be more convenient yet would fit most devices. Not until a proper technology kicks in and I'm looking forward to that.

 

[Prize Gotti]

lol, Sofi.

To be serious most people still use AA batteries for some things, at least once in a while. They are often more convenient, cheaper, "greener" and you are less likely to run out of power with them. Also devices running them are cheaper because you don't have to pay for included li-ion batteries that are more expensive and a charger that you will dispose of when you get rid of the device itself anyway. Personally if I have a choice between a device powered by AA/AAA batteries or a built-in, custom one I prefer the first solution, a lot of people do. I don't think that they will die out anytime soon, at least not unless someone invents a new generation of universal batteries that would be smaller while offering high capacity. I'm all for batteries that you can do in many devices, replace them when you run low on power and buy primaries in stores. If only because it's safer and more convenient.

The only threat for universal batteries would be device miniaturization and battery technology not catching up with a new, smaller standard of universal cells. That's why manufacturers are using their own batteries now - because their devices are too small/slim for aa/aaa batteries and it's hard to come up with a proper shape that would be more convenient yet would fit most devices. Not until a proper technology kicks in and I'm looking forward to that.

Have you been following the study on WiTricity? Wireless electricity, works with magnets instead of radio so it completely safe for use, its at a near commercial stage in its developement, i've seen some amazing demonstrations where they've powered tvs and charged phones. Once that becomes standard in every home, the use for removable batteries will become obselete.

Was actually invented by Tesla like nearly a century ago.

 

[masta247]

^Yeah but it's very far from being released for commercial use. Also, works only on relatively short distance by now.

Awesome nevertheless.