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IRL: Ballistic Tough Jacket, Dell UltraSharp U2412M and an argument for disposable AA batteries
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. What a week. What a month! So far this September, Amazon, Nokia, Motorola and Apple have announced new products, and HTC is up next, with a press event scheduled for Wednesday. We'll let you speak for yourselves -- maybe you want more liveblogs -- but we here at Engadget keen to take a break from the hands-on posts and breaking news posts and talk shop about the products we already own. This week, Jason tests a rugged tablet sleeve, Don rates his Dell monitor and Darren makes the case for disposable AAs (and yes, he has a favorite brand).
SpareOne cellphone claims 15-year battery life, we go hands-on
Xpal Power (owners partners of Energizer and PowerSkin) has leveraged its battery-tech know-how into the SpareOne, a cellphone that can maintain its charge for up to 15 years on just a single AA battery. It's designed to be used for sponsorship, hotel use and (most importantly) emergencies, to throw into your trunk and forget about until you need to contact roadside assistance. Now at CES we've had a chance to get our mitts on the device to see what it's like in the flesh plastic. If you're just a little bit curious, why not join us for a short trip?
SpareOne: a cellphone that can run for 15 years
If your car's broken down, nursing your smartphone's short battery life can be a real nightmare when waiting for rescue. Of course, that might not be much of a problem if Xpal Power (the company behind Energizer and PowerSkin) has anything to do with it. It's developed the SpareOne, a super-cheap phone that runs from a single AA Battery and will reputedly maintain its charge for up to fifteen years. The dual-band GSM phone is designed for emergencies, transmitting its location alongside its call ID, or as a loaner phone for big corporate events. You'll get an Energizer AA battery and a microSIM in the bundle which will set you back $49.99 when it arrives at some point this quarter. At that price, we can imagine throwing a few in the trunk for breakdowns, when we're doing our Bear Grylls routine, or during the Robopocalypse.
Panasonic's Evolta robot completes Ironman Triathlon, promptly rehydrates
The world is a happier place today, because a toy-sized robot has just completed a triathlon in Hawaii. After crawling out of the Grand Canyon and walking all the way from Tokyo to Kyoto, Panasonic's Evolta has finally conquered that Ironman Triathlon -- and it did so in impressive fashion. It all began on October 23rd, when the bite-sized bot and its AA rechargeable batteries embarked on the 230 kilometer (142.9 mile) race with the goal of finishing it within 168 hours. The Evolta ended up reaching this objective with time to spare, completing the run-bike-swim combo on October 30th, in just 166 hours and 56 minutes. The robot reportedly celebrated the achievement with a stiff erythropoietin cocktail. Re-live the magic after the break, in the full PR.
Sanyo expands Eneloop battery offerings with Pro for more power, Plus for less heat
If you love Sanyo's ever-so-practical Eneloop rechargeable batteries, you'll be smitten with its two latest AA additions. First into the battery compartment is the 2400mAh Eneloop Pro; it's loaded with twenty-five percent more juice than the standard model, and is a perfect match for your power-draining Nikon Speedlight -- not quite as formidable as the 2,500mAh XX series, though. Moving onto the next slot is the Eneloop Plus, which adds a positive temperature coefficient thermistor -- a resistor that prevents the batts from reaching skin-scorching heat levels in kids' toys. Blazing Hello Kitty anyone? Both will come in packs of two or four, and also as bundles with a charger. Residents of Japan will be able to pick up the batteries at varying points this year, but aside from the ¥1,260 (about $15) Pro two-pack, pricing remains open. If your heart's beating like the pink bunny's drum, check out the source link below for the details and some fancy infographics.
Sanyo announces 2500mAh XX eneloop batteries, suitable only for devices aged 18 and over
Rechargeable batteries keep a lot of toxic goop out of the world's landfills, but ones that drain themselves whilst just sitting there in the drawer aren't exactly perfect themselves. Sanyo licked that problem with its eneloop cells, thanks to their low self-discharge rates, and now the company is doing even better: boosting capacity. Sanyo will soon ship the eneloop XX battery in AA size, a 2500mAh cell that offers 25 percent more oomph than its predecessors. Even more important? The black and silver logo that serves as "a further testament to Sanyo's design strength." These up-rated and macho-designed batteries start shipping in Europe in December and, while no price has yet been assigned, given the number of times Sanyo mentions "professional" in its press release (six) they probably won't be cheap.
