SanyoEneloop
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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 glams up Eneloop batteries for fifth anniversary
How do you celebrate half a decade as the world's best loved and most efficient rechargeable battery? You throw a party, of course, which is exactly what Sanyo is doing with its Eneloop Tones Glitter limited edition set. Packs of eight technicolored AA and AAA Eneloops will go on sale in Japan on November 14, augmenting the brand's signature longevity with a dash (hell, make it a heaping) of glamorous style. For the functionalists out there seeking an excuse to jump on board, each box contains one of each color, meaning you can claim you bought them to color-code your battery management operation. Yeah, we'll believe you.
Sanyo waist warmer does almost irreparable damage to Eneloop's good name
Oh Sanyo, you do like to flirt with our Crapgadget label, don't you? Having already given the world battery-powered neck and hand warmers it never asked for, Sanyo is today expanding the Eneloop warmer family with a slinky new waist furnace. Thin film heaters are embedded inside that dashing-looking velcro belt above and power is drawn from the Eneloop mobile booster on the side, perhaps the most useful thing about the entire setup. It'll share its juice with iPhones and portable media players, while recharging can be done via USB. Sadly, that aforementioned neck warmer is getting a new 2010 version thanks to excellent consumer interest over in the key target market of Japan, so it's looking like these body warmers are going to be with us for a while.
AA rechargeable battery shootout: Energizer, PowerGenix and Sanyo Eneloop
If there's one thing that has become abundantly clear to us these past few months, it's that there's really no excuse to not invest in at least one set of rechargeable batteries if you find yourself chewing through more than a few on a regular basis. If you're an avid user of Apple's power-hungry Magic Mouse, Nintendo's oh-so-demanding Wii remote or one of the many professional camera flashes on the market, chances are you've considered buying stock in Duracell or Energizer based on how often you find yourself in the battery aisle. Quite a few devices have moved to proprietary rechargeables -- many of which can be rejuvenated over USB -- but for everything else, it's typically AA or bust. We tested out PowerGenix's NiZn cells late last year, and it wasn't long before we found ourselves in possession of two alternatives from Energizer and Sanyo. Care to see how all three of these stacked up against one another and those traditional non-rechargeables? Read on for more. %Gallery-92885%
Sanyo's new SPL Eneloop hybrid bike charges on flats to pull you up hills
There comes a time in every bicyclist's life when you come to realize "I really don't want to pedal up that hill." For those riding a Sanyo Eneloop, they don't have to. The series of bikes has been getting more advanced over the years, and the new SPL models are the smartest yet. Whereas previous editions could only regeneratively charge themselves on downhills or when the brakes were applied, this new series can juice up while the rider is pedaling along on the flats. This presumably increases the rolling resistance somewhat but the new "Eco Charge Mode" is said to boost range by 53 percent. More importantly, a new chrome basket shows that this ride means business. It won't come cheap, though, shipping to Japanese pedalers on April 21 for ¥157,290, or about $1,800. For that kind of money we'll stick with our fleet of Huffy 10-speeds. %Gallery-86878%
Sanyo's new Wii remote charger accepts MotionPlus
So, you've gotten yourself a fancy Wii remote charger, but you're tired of having to remove both MotionPlus and the rubber jacket before each recharging session. What's a dedicated fanboy to do? Run out and buy Sanyo's new Eneloop charging station. The device is powered by the Wii's USB port, accepts two Wii remotes and has room for both the MotionPlus add-on and its accompanying jacket. For those who haven't taken the MotionPlus plunge yet, the stand will also work with the standard Wii remote and jacket. Best of all, the charger has no actual contacts, so you just have to pop the remote into the cradle to start charging, no connection required. It's even licensed by Nintendo. The only problem: Thus far it has only been announced for Japan. Until Sanyo decides to offer it elsewhere, savvy importers can pick one up for about $80. [Via Engadget]
Sanyo releases new, Motion Plus-approved, contact-free Eneloop Wiimote charger
If you ran out last year and bought one of Sanyo's Eneloop Wiimote chargers, the first to be officially approved by Nintendo and to allow charging whilst that ludicrously thick rubber cover was still in place, you were probably a bit bummed when it was obsoleted by the Motion Plus. Sanyo has a fix: you can now run out and buy a new charger! Yes, you too can help fuel the economy by tossing a perfectly functional yet now useless accessory into the trash and replacing it with something that does exactly the same thing with a little extra room at the bottom. Like before it's USB-powered and charges via induction, so no contacts are required, though there are now cavities for two Wiimotes rather than just one. No mention of a US release, but it'll be hitting Japan sometime next month for ¥7,400 -- about $80.
Sanyo's new eneloop bike gets carbon fiber frame, traction control brain
Carbon fiber, with its light weight and high strength, is the material upon which the modern motorsports world is built. Traction control, which decreases difficulty, threatens to destroy it. However, in the world of the urban commute, traction control is a great thing and carbon is generally unheard of. Not for Sanyo, which will soon introduce the CY-SPK227 eneloop bike with a frame made of the stuff, featuring two wheel drive and traction control. The rear wheel is powered by the chain, the front by an electric motor, and should the rider pedal more enthusiastically than slippery conditions allow the bike will compensate by adding more juice to the front. Total weight is about 43lbs, many times that of the composite wonders Lance straddled in France, but about 7lbs lighter than the company's last entrant. It has regenerative braking, an LED headlight, magnesium suspension, a ¥627,900 price tag (about $6,600), and it releases in Japan in October -- you know, right about when the skies start to threaten snow. A good test for that traction control, then.[Via Fareastgizmos.com]
Sanyo's eneloop hybrid bike has basket, will travel
Looking for an electric bike that does the pedaling for you? You have plenty of choices, particularly if you're willing to drop over $2,000, but finding one that uses regenerative braking to extend the life of its meager on-board batteries isn't so easy. Panasonic's Vivi RX10S is about your only choice until February, when Sanyo's new eneloop-branded bike is set to start pulling weak (or just lazy) Japanese riders up up inclines before recharging itself on the way back down. On a hilly course a charge is said to last about 35 miles without braking, 46 by charging only when braking, and 62 miles in "auto" mode (charging on downhills, too). If you live in Japan it'll be yours for 136,290 yen, about $1,450 US -- but if you live around here we'd recommend not canceling your spinning class just yet, because while Sanyo pledges to ship this elsewhere in the world "at some point in the future," it could be awhile before this thing starts hitting the diamond lanes near you.[Via PhysOrg.com]
