The USB battery charger

You know how we feel about USB—if it doesn't have, use, or draw power by it, we're not interested. And while we're not sure whether the 500ma/5v current throughput on USB is enough to charge four heavy-duty Ni-CD/Ni-MH rechargables at the same time, gotta give them props for trying.

[Via TRFJ]

[Jonathan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

This is kinda cool. If I saw it for $20, I'd definately buy it.

[RexStJames @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

This infatuation with USB-powered devices (that draw only power from a USB port) is getting silly. Come on, the only use I could possibly see for this is using it as a portable battery charger so you could use it wherever you have your laptop, but I imagine trying to charge batteries off your laptop battery is even sillier.

[er_or @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i'm waiting for someone to test this up. how much time take to charge, the price..and lots more informations need to be clear with this...so anyone..

[Jerb @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

This has been around for a while, I bought one a few month's back. the modle is PANISONIC BQ-830.
I'm pretty sure it was like 19.99 or 24.99

[Woody @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Charge time's probably pretty long, but it looks handy, especially if you throw one in you laptop bag. There are also cigarette lighter to USB adapters, for charging-on-the-road. I'd like to see tests, though.

[Andrew @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

For being so critical, some of us seem to be forgetting that this (sadly) is one of the more useful USB devices out there. Let's save the criticism for the USB fish tank, shall we?

[Lee Gibson @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I think power over USB is a great idea. Why should I have a separate wall-wart for every device that requires DC power?

I don't much care what shape the connector is for modest current DC devices, as long as it's the same. If it happens to be USB shaped so that I can charge it from my laptop, so much the better.

[mai9 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I don't see how charging batteries from your laptop is such an interesting thing, wouldn't the laptop be connected to the AC? Why don't you connect the charger to the AC directly and save a few hours? I don't think your laptop battery lasts enough to charge four batteries of the USB power.

[Robert Craig @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

This is neat, but I want something that'll charge my rechargeables AND tell me which ones are ready to get rid of. Nothing I hate more than finding the set that sucks when I really need a good set..

[Lee Gibson @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Why should I carry an AC adaptor for my laptop, and an AC adaptor for my phone, and an AC adaptor for my battery charger, and for my iPod, etc etc etc?

I'm all for a unified DC power system. Until such exists, USB works great.

[Matthias @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I once found a bundle with an ordinary charger, good batteries and such a USB charger for about 20€.

I didn't buy it just because the USB-charger would have needed about 20 to 30 hours for charging, that is just too much.

[Travis Butler @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

The iGo system (Kensington sells the base brick under their own label) comes pretty close to a universal DC system. You've got the base brick, which is a universal laptop power adapter that can be used with AC, 12V auto socket or airline power socket; add an adapter that plugs into a socket on the laptop cable (which can also be bought with a 12V auto socket plug), and you can use charger tips for Palms, cell phones, Pocket PCs, and iPods, among other items. It's expensive unless you can get the tips you want in bundles, but having a one-bag solution to charging all my devices works pretty well.

[George @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

the iGo system has an adaptor tip for the iPod shuffle. It turns out that this tip is also a generic USB power source (but at 1.5 amps) so that it will power anything USB. We use AA batteries in digital cameras so that recharging them on the road is important. the iGo system will power the computer so therefore it's USB ports are powered. Further with the shuffle tip, a USB charger can run directly from the iGo Juice70 or DualPower adaptor without the computer.

I haven't found this charger in the US though, only shown on UK web sites.

- gws

[George @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Panasonic BQ-830 is a different unit, besides it's been recalled.