Rechargeable USB battery works in AA-ready devices
By Darren Murph 
posted Oct 16th 2007 11:17AM
posted Oct 16th 2007 11:17AM
[Thanks, Erie]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
Ok but, why not just make all devices USB rechargeable???
I dont get why there is USB freakin' everything. Why would I want to have to use my computer to charge batteries? Its like all the stupid USB christmas trees, and beverage warmers. Are people that nerdy and asocial that they need to have all their shiz connected to their computer?!
Because it's too easy to put USB on anything and everything.
My laptop can charge USB devices while in stand-by mode, so it's kind of like a portable power source. These batteries would be awfully great for use on the road, when it is not possible to find a power outlet. Although it's been some time since I last used anything with AA batteries, I'm sure it would come in handy some time.
"I dont get why there is USB freakin' everything."
What's the "U" stand for again?
USB = Universal Serial Bus
This is great to use it for the Nintendo Wii controller and the USB ports on the Wii.
Energizer has a USB charger that is better in my opinion:
http://energizer.com/usbcharger/
I picked one up at Home Depot, and it is quite convenient to be able to charge both AA and AAA on the go with my computer. It comes with a wall socket USB charger, and software exists for it too in the form of a widget for both Mac and PC.
Gibbstar:
I would use my computer to recharge batteries. 1) My computer is always on, 2) I have several open USB ports at any given time, 3) these are cheaper than $20 device to do the same thing, 4) my digital camera eats up batteries like crazy.
You guys are all a bunch of nerds. Go get a girlfriend and some REAL batteries, instead of some half capacity toys you plug in your computer. I guess they would look great next your Halo Spartan Helmet and your World of Warcraft action figures though.
gibbstar:
youre calling everyone nerds and yet youre reading a tech website. nice
Amen Dark, Amen.
I am not reading a tech website, I am trolling a tech website. There's a difference.
Thought I'd be the devil's advocate and put up my "been there, seen that" flag... usbcell.com
Interesting concept, but wireless power will put them out of business in a few years.
Interesting concept, but wireless power will put them out of business in a few years.
Where is my flying car?
you mean wireless broadcast power or those little short range mats?
Broadcast power is not new, it's been around for a very long time. The reason it is not normally used is that it is extremely inefficient. In this day of "low energy footprints" I dxoubt wireless power is going to get very far.
As for the mats that will depend closely on what their final costs are. How much more expensive is a mat and the extra electronics to make it work? If it's over 50$ as I strongly suspect it will be, You're not going to see it much except in high end devices. adding an extra 50$ to a 5$ remote or a 15$ toy is not going to go over well.
And my self-toasting toast.
Where is my self-toasting toast?!
I just want containers of ramen noodles to self cook in 10 seconds powered by usb.
although a firewire one would cook in 5 second I am guessing...........
Not only is it old, Engadget already reported on it almost exactly a year ago:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/19/usbcell-batteries-feature-built-in-usb-plug/
Still, for those that had not read that old post it is an interesting concept.
Aha, someone pointed out below something that I had missed, the previous post (1 year ago) stated the batteries would be $24, whereas these are only ~$7, which is pretty cool.
Flying cars??? Self-toasting toast???
Why not just invent flying toast... er...
And where the hell is my jet pack!!!
This is old news, I have a pair of AA batteries that are charged via USB, and I have had them for over a year. Have a look at www.usbcell.com
These are less than half the price.
doesnt make them any newer.
Nice way to mix new technology with old one i guess... kudos?
Briljant!
Quite a nice idea - now, they should add a another plug into each cell, so that you cascade them. After all, more than one cell is needed for most stuff, and I don't wanna have every side of my laptop taken up by battery like suckers :D
lmao these were on here a year ago, whats going on?!
well if they're going for 7.50$ now instead of the previous 24$ they might be worthy of another review. That's a serious shift.
The usbcell, and I'm imaging this, are a pretty silly implementation of the "charge batteries by usb" idea.
It seems that including the usb plug in each battery means you need a usb port for each battery, and also means the capacity of the batteries are lower (presumably due to the space taken up by the plug).
These may be 1337, but a compact 2 battery usb powered charger makes much more sense, if you are determined to charge every device you have off the mains, but via your computers PSU.
OK idea, but with half the capacity of an alkaline, I think I will pass.
I guess you don't have a cable box? Or a DVR? Or a gaming console? Or an mp3 player accessory USB cable? Why the whining about a product that saves you money? That's called intellegence.
OK idea, but at half the capicity of alkaline, I think I will pass.
1) How long will these puppies hold juice
B) What extra wear and tear, if any, will this put on my laptop?
A) Not long i presume
2) Barely anything
iii) learn to list consecutively
00000100) i just wanted to write in binary
1.
B.?
What the hell?
good luck putting two of these in two adjacent USB ports on your computer.
This is not the same product as the usbcell.
They do not have the same cap style for one thing and the packaging is different. The USBcell had 1300ma which is kind of impressive.
These are very possibly a great deal smaller. This is supported by their conspicuous lack of power information.
"There are over 2 billion USB ports around the world on desktops, laptops, hubs, games consoles and even keyboards and monitors. No need to carry cables, adaptors or travel plugs ever again."
Make sense now?
And, why bother charging your batteries at home when you can just swipe some juice from the benevolent corporation you work for. Now if they'd just come out an 1800Ah version!
and the are 1.999 billion taken up by USB power rocketlaunchers, USB powered earmuffs, USB powered cheesegraters...
just kidding, but it's true that the number of total USB hubs really isn't the same as the number of free USB hubs...keyboards, mice, card readers, etc...
Perfect for smuggling documents back to the USA from Soviet Russia!
You obviously missed the point... ;)
In Soviet Russia, battery charge YOU!
Wouldnt it be easier to have a USB charger, instead of each battery having a USB connector?
The best use I can think of for this would be for the AA battery in my wireless mouse.
that's exactly the reason i have the usbcell ones.
the ones posted today, you can loose the cap :(
not sure for specs, or capacity, but the ones i use on my mouse run 4 ever.
Charging time: 4 hours on a 500mA USB port
That would suggest a capacity of about 2000mah, not bad. But yes, it would be easier to use a usb charger and some higher capacity cells.
I travel all the time and wish everything could be charged with USB. I have a whole computer bag of cords for charging.
Computer
Cell Phone-120V and Car Charger
Wireless Head Set for Cell Phone-120V and Car Charger
Its amazing how you just build up so many cords to charge with.
That's exactly it. Say you have these things in your camera, and you forget to get batts but you do have a computer. You could theoretically charge up and be on the go w/out any charger at all.
Now I seriously doubt at this price they could run a modern digital camera, nor would I want to try and charge 4 of these babies at once, but if you have a grab and go device that takes just 2 AA, these worth considering.
these things have been out for a couple years now.
Excellent. 4 hours and I have to jam up my USB ports. That's MUCH better than my 15 minute 4-spot charger with 4 batteries for $22.
usbcell.com had this ages ago and they have nicer design with the hinge cap.
4 hour recharging time!! How inneffient!
I'll stick to my 1 hour 8 cell charger. It can charge 8 2000mAah AA batteries in 1 hour! I need my precious USB ports for Hard drives, DVD Burner, SD Card reader, BlueTooth dongle, Scanner, LifeDrive and many other computer related devices!
Then these obviously weren't made with you in mind, so you don't actually have to take the time to write about why you won't be buying them! Gasp!
I can comment on whatever I want to. I am just pointing out the major flaws with this design.
It is called Freedom of Speech. ;)
These were stupid a year ago, and they still seem pretty stupid to me. (But slightly less than before.) The phrase that comes to mind is "a solution looking for a problem".
At least the recharge time is down from 8+ hours to 4 hours.
Where am I supposed to find a USB port to charge this thing?
If it's a desktop computer, then there's normal electrical outlets right there.
If it's a laptop, then I don't want to be wasting my laptop's battery charging these things. Or do I plug the laptop in and leave it running as a $1000 incredibly inefficient charger for AA batteries? At least one commenter said his laptop will charge via USB when it's off, but I don't think that is typical.
How many devices do you own that still use AA batteries? In my office I have a Radica 20-questions ball (TOY) and that's it. At home? A flashlight and a Yahtzee game.
With the round shape, I can only fit 2 of them into my current laptop and that will "block" my other 2 USB ports in the process. Yippee.
And you're totally screwed if you lose that "cap" that covers up the USB plug.
I have bought USBCell batteries a while ago. But I haven't really used them, lol.
It's a good technology, I guess.
I would lose the top for sure.
They should make a version where the top is not removable and slides down.
I don't understand, can you chain these together and piggy-back them somehow? Who's got the time to charge batteries ONE BY ONE?
Wow, these look like some decent knock-offs. From the looks, these actually seem to be better than the original. Too bad you can only charge one battery at a usb port and with that thickness, it might block USB ports too close to the one it's charging from.
They should make USB batteries that also stores data! Maybe you can use them for readyboost while charging them.
Now add 1 GB of storage to each cell.
I bought these and they probably have the best Engrish I've ever seen.
"When battery capacity insufficiency, takes down the the battery the nearcathode black to be partial, reveals the battery the usb connection , inserts the computerthe usb place already to be possible charge, duration of charging 4 hours
NOTE: befre the use please confirmed the battery cathode. please hastilyopens the soltuon battery,the electric appliance does not need to besupposed for long time to take out the battery,the battery hastily invests in the fire."
I don't know what it means but it sounds scary.