Apple Battery Charger gets official: a battery charger, only you know, better (update: hands-on)
By Laura June 
posted July 27th 2010 9:56AM
posted July 27th 2010 9:56AM
Update: We just had a chance to get a quick hands-on with the little guy, and well, it's a battery charger. Apple tells us the charger has the lowest vampire power draw of any charger on the market -- the idea is for users to keep two batteries in each of their peripherals and two in the charger, so they can quickly swap out as the cells run out. Interestingly, the batteries are some of the only Apple products in recent memory that don't have an Apple logo on them -- they're just plain silver with "Rechargeable" printed on them. The charger itself has slightly nicer charging contacts than the usual spring-and-flap arrangement, and it features the same removable flippy-prong AC plug as Apple's laptop and iPad power adapters, so you can theoretically swap it for a longer power cord if you like.
Fanboys and girls, I'd like you to meet three new friends: Hook, Line, and Sinker.
WTF?!
Only charges two batteries at a time? Guess I'll be keeping my current charger. What a strange day for Apple. Between this and the Magic Trackpad I don't know what to think.
@nickux
I know what you should think. $10 please.
"Apple battery chargers and batteries are the bestest.... because Apple always makes the bestest stuff."
Apple fanboy: Hello, I want to buy the new Apple battery charger.
Salesman: I'm sorry, but we don't have any Apple charger left in stock. However, we do have Energizer chargers which can charge more than two batteries at once, charge in 15 minutes and even print money.
Apple fanboy: I don't care. I want an Apple charger. Hello. Hello.
I love the UPDATE "hands on". lets see....we plugged it into an outlet and put batteries to charge in it. AWSOME hands on.
@TheEdge
Exactly what I thought.
A basic battery charger, whatever the company selling it, has nothing to do on engadget. That's no gadget, thats a damn basic battery charger !
If it's a decent charger (i.e. doesn't overheat or overcharge, maybe has an automatic conditioning cycle, etc.), and if the included batteries are low-self discharge (aka eneloop, etc.), then I guess the price isn't too outrageous, considering it's Apple.
But, all the same, I'll keep my Maha MH-C9000 thanks.
it's an awesome thing, especially that it's traveler friendly.
i wish their batteries would have charge level indicators and the charger would have a usb port (or two)
@thedimka
You better hope the indicators are NOT BARS.
is that a small indicator light on the top? it better be
ok now its just getting absurd
wonder if these are better than the Sanyo Eneloops...
Do I have to connect it to iTunes to charge my batteries ?
"the idea is for users to keep two batteries in each of their peripherals and two in the charger"
Nice idea, except the wireless keyboard uses three batteries.
Oh, I see the new one only uses two, never mind.
@reidme Old one used 4, not 3.
Awesome, you guys have one... Now, can you post the numbers from the manual about battery capacity and Voltage apple left out???
Great, it's long life HiMH..... How many mAH per pack? Charge time from empty to full? 1.2 or 1.5v?
Why can't they just offer a wired magic mouse? Seriously, I have plenty of plugins that aren't being used. I don't need everything to be wireless. One or two cords going from the mouse and keyboard to the back of the iMac is really not that much clutter.
Does anyone know who makes the batteries, and their capacity (mWh)?
Anybody know the capacity and charge time??
"CHARGE DIFFERENT"
;-))
Is there a comparison of "vampire power draw" of this and the plethora of chargers out there? This is one of the reasons I'm actually going back to plain Alkalines. Having to monitor the charger and un-plug them when done gets annoying.
Here's what I have:
24 AA Eneloops
8 AAA Eneloops
2 Chargers
8 D and C adapters
Paid
@liquidkernel Paid less than $50 for the set. Costco + Adorama for additional batteries.
Still betting that these are rebranded Eneloops.
Wow another fix, my magic mouse rips through batteries like that, instead of fixing the mouse they made a "fix" and released batteries. Never in my mind would i have thought that apple would get into this business.
I wasn't expecting Apple to produce a plain old AA battery charger. Still, it's a shame that they didn't name it "iCharge", in keeping with their other products. Oh well.
i want this NOW!! i'm using a microsoft keyboard with mi 27" imac because the wireless keyboard is out of juice, i feel like a criminal doing that
Will this recharge my rayovac hybrids? I love those.
No doubt about it. This is a game changer. The battery world is going to look a whole lot differen't after this. I can just see the whole heap of trouble coming Duracell's way as Apple sue them for ripping off their patent on portable electrical storage containers. Truly another magical product from Apple.
Let's see.
Apple selling rechargeable battery chargers when none of Macs, iPhones, iPads, or iPods allow you to replace batteries.
Interesting...
This is great!
"magical" for SJ bank accounts.
How can you keep two batteries in each device (mouse and keyboard) and two in the charger? My wireless keyboard takes 3 AA batteries?
@Pyrofallout
I'm sorry, you will need to upgrade to the new "Wireless Keyboard 2.0" that only uses 2 batteries. Seriously.
http://www.apple.com/keyboard/
"One less battery. All the difference."
All in all, I'm underwhelmed.
Interesting claim about the low vampire draw, though. I haven't found another manufacturer that lists theirs. And I'm not surprised Apple would make a point of listing it.
It's interesting that this comes out soon after Microsoft's announcement about "InstaLoad".
A couple of things mentioned that I tend to agree with, first only 2 batteries can be charged at a time, 4 would be nicer, and a USB charging port would be nice as well. But I can see how the USB port would affect the vampire draw if the charge circuit in the attached device didn't have the same design as the one in the charger.
Not that I don't fully expect to see all of this fixed in "iCharger 2.0", or maybe a firmware update.
My favorite recharger is my Energizer DUO USB charger, (minus the included spyware, mind you) that charges 2 AAA/or 2 AA from a USB port.
I think this looks pretty good.
Looks well made.
I like being able to change the plug easily for traveling.
I bet resellers will love this as it is an extra accessory they can flog to people.
Well, it's a smart move and you can't really fault Apple for doing it. They release it the same day that they release the Magic Trackpad. They're basically advertising the trackpad as a compliment to the wireless keyboard. So I'm sure their reasoning is that if people are going to buy these devices (as I will — I love my multitouch trackpad on my Macbook and have been hoping for one on my iMac) then they're very likely going to buy rechargeable batteries. It's more economical that way. So if I'm at the Apple Store buying my new Magic Trackpad, realizing that I'm going to have to start buying more disposable AA's, but then I see on the shelf right next to it a set of rechargeables, then it's not even a tough decision at that point. It's the same logic that Apple employed when they made their bumper cases: people buy them anyway, so why not get in on the action and offer them right up front when people buy their phones (didn't work out so well for them, but that's a topic for another day).
Many of you have mentioned that other brands of similar rechargeables cost around $5-10 cheaper. But honestly, a $5 or even $10 difference is most likely not worth going out of my way to find a bargain at a better store or ordering it on Amazon if I see it right there in the store next to the trackpad. I'm sorry. Maybe that makes me frivolous. But I'm not a deal-hunter.
So before we start getting all over Apple about this (as the haters are want to do over just about anything) think of it more objectively.
@oupoliscigrad
"more objectively"? Saying other chargers are better and cheaper IS objective. Saying you're a fanboy so you'll buy any crap with a fruit on it, well, I won't say what it is, but it sure isn't objective.
@oupoliscigrad
I think your theory is plausible. However I had a slightly different one. Given the installed base of Apple customers and their ability to be influenced by an Apple product, even a $2 profit margin over millions of Apple devices is not a bad idea.
Personally, I would not buy it as I tend to buy from proven market leaders in a given tech. My reasoning would be that I wanted that Apple Magic Trackpad to last as long as possible. So that would mean Energizer or another big brand with several positive reviews on it. OTOH, Apple fans (as you appear to be) will simply not care and will most likely buy it. Apple knows it has a blind fan following.
Think about it. Who else other than someone who is not fully aware of Apple and who does not own some Apple device is going to consider it. Apple is obviously having another company make this. Its different than say buying cereal from your local-branded retailer store (Kroger, Pathmark, etc) versus buying say Kellogg. Would you buy a local-branded product for a higher price ? Even if it were 5 cents higher.
@HKCally
"Saying you're a fanboy so you'll buy any crap with a fruit on it, well, I won't say what it is, but it sure isn't objective."
and ...
@Bervick
"Apple fans (as you appear to be) will simply not care and will most likely buy it. Apple knows it has a blind fan following."
I just love how Apple-haters like to attribute brand loyalty to blindness or ignorance when the brand in question is one they hate. My counter-point is that people who love and buy Apple products do so based on prior knowledge and experience. It stands to reason that if every other mobile product I've bought that is made by Apple has had absolutely great battery life, than I would have few objections buying this set of rechargeables, IF I didn't already own one. Having a perfectly good set and then buying one because it says Apple on it is absurd, but based on my original comment, if I saw it on the shelf right next to a Magic Trackpad, knowing that I needed it and already having positive experience with the battery life of all my other Apple mobile products, then I would almost surely buy it. That's not blind fanboyism. It's based squarely on previous experience.
And I fully realize that Apple does not make these batteries themselves. But they don't manufacture the ones that come in their other products either. So it leads me to believe that if Apple chooses quality parts that go into the development of their batteries, then there's little reason for me to think that they'd go with something half-assed. Again, I'm basing this off of the fact that I've always gotten great battery life out of their products and so I have no reason to think that this would be any different.
Honesltly Canada-wise, I think it's a great price. $29.99. 4 Energizer Batteries of same type are $23.99. So you know I think it's a good deal ofcourse it totally depends on usage also.
I can't stop wondering if they would be good for my Wiimote? :|
And people will definitely buy this, because it's so convenient to just add it to the shopping cart when purchasing the keyboard / trackpad combo. Also it's Apple-white!
As usual great industrial design by Apple!
Let the jealousy rage on.
@jaffreywali great industrial design? It's a WHITE BATTERY CHARGER!?!?!?!
this apple mania is just absolutely ridiculous
(I wonder how long before Apple and their fanboys/girls start claiming this has some magic that means these charge faster and last longer than any other brand on the planet and whatever they put them in works faster)
I see Energizer bunny vs Apple logo in blogs in the near future...
I wonder how many fakes of these end up on ebay!
(Screams )
DAMN YOU Microsoft, Intel, IBM, Cisco, Raytheon, Northrop,..
Incompetent B@$#@+($
(Lowers voice to a whisper)
Could you not make a white battery charger ?
Customer: "My Apple Wireless keyboard isn't working. I think it's defective. I've only had it two months."
AppleCare: "Were you using Apple rechargeable batteries in it?"
Customer: "No- uhh- I think they're Energizer."
AppleCare: "Oh, sorry sir. That voids the warranty on your keyboard."