I using these Eneloops from Sanyo for years. Works very great! But this is not news, battery is Sanyo, so what? Tell us about the charger, that is where the technology is (or is not). I have very high end $100 charger for my AA's at home, with independent banks, customizable charging rate, various charging and discharging modes, very advanced. This Apple charger seems so simple with no buttons or display, so it must be very simplistic and not very high tech.
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Apple's New Rechargeable AA Batteries Actually Sanyo Eneloops?
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Apple;
6 eneloops and a really, really ridiculously small portable 2 at a time charger. $29
Sonyo;
4 eneloops and conventional sized and styled charger, but it can charge 4 at a time. $19 + shipping. (amazon because I can't find them local.)
I think it's great package at a fair price.
6 eneloops and a really, really ridiculously small portable 2 at a time charger. $29
Sonyo;
4 eneloops and conventional sized and styled charger, but it can charge 4 at a time. $19 + shipping. (amazon because I can't find them local.)
I think it's great package at a fair price.
This is small, but stellar example of the Apple tax.
It's just a battery charger.
All of the 5 or 6 chargers I own reduce power draw to 30 or 40 milliwatts when battery is fully charged. Plus I don't keep my chargers plugged in anyway. These batteries are LSD or low-self-discharge batteries designed to sit on the shelf and hold their charge for a year or more.
For $25 at CostCo you can get 8 AA (new colored) Eneloops, 4 AAAs, and a 4-battery charger.
Apple charger is only a 2-battery charger.
Not sure if the Apple charger is the better type of charger that charges cells individually or the worse type of charger that charges in pairs. So it may have the former going for it.
The pair chargers continue to charge both batteries until both cells are fully charged. The more mismatched the "current" capacities of the batteries are the more the "more full" battery will be over-charged. This reduces lifespan as these batteries have a finite number of times they can be charged to begin with. The CostCo package has the worse charger I believe.
It's just a battery charger.
All of the 5 or 6 chargers I own reduce power draw to 30 or 40 milliwatts when battery is fully charged. Plus I don't keep my chargers plugged in anyway. These batteries are LSD or low-self-discharge batteries designed to sit on the shelf and hold their charge for a year or more.
For $25 at CostCo you can get 8 AA (new colored) Eneloops, 4 AAAs, and a 4-battery charger.
Apple charger is only a 2-battery charger.
Not sure if the Apple charger is the better type of charger that charges cells individually or the worse type of charger that charges in pairs. So it may have the former going for it.
The pair chargers continue to charge both batteries until both cells are fully charged. The more mismatched the "current" capacities of the batteries are the more the "more full" battery will be over-charged. This reduces lifespan as these batteries have a finite number of times they can be charged to begin with. The CostCo package has the worse charger I believe.
The eneloops are great. My logitech performance mx mouse has one (yes just one!) and it lasts for about a week and I use it at work all day long. The best thing about it is that it charges FAST. I haven't timed it but it seems like a 1-2 hour recharge time charging from a USB cord while still using the mouse.
customizable != advanced
I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that you rarely, if ever use the options on your charger beyond the basics. Offloading the responsibility of managing batteries to the user and doesn't make a product advanced. A product that intelligently manages the task and simplifies the users experience is advanced. But you are right, we don't know how well Apple manages this task. All we know is that they have moved the bar forward on idle power usage.
Regardless, Apple deserves credit for using some of the highest quality batteries available.
If you think that's something, wait until you hear what's in your Big Mac
Man, besides you did not understand Apple is selling software primarily and not hardware, the vid from your signature is the lamest thing ever.
Every con for the Evo is a neg to me. Especially the changeable battery.
When will you get it that some people just don´t want such things?
Eneloops are great. I've been using them for a couple of years now with zero problems or compaints.
(Various bt mice, keyboards, and trackpads, cordless phones, clocks, fenix ld01 keychain flashlight -- the best AAA flashlight available, blood pressure monitor, probably a few things I'm forgetting.)
They have good capacity and -- this is where they really shine -- they hold a charge for months.
It's good that the Apple batteries are high-quality. I'm assuming the eneloop brand is cheaper, though, so you might as well get them. The low vampire drain of the Apple charger sounds nice, but it's not much of an issue: since the eneloop batteries hold a charge for so long, I only plug the charger in when I'm actually charging batteries. No need to keep the charger plugged in to keep the batteries fresh.
(Various bt mice, keyboards, and trackpads, cordless phones, clocks, fenix ld01 keychain flashlight -- the best AAA flashlight available, blood pressure monitor, probably a few things I'm forgetting.)
They have good capacity and -- this is where they really shine -- they hold a charge for months.
It's good that the Apple batteries are high-quality. I'm assuming the eneloop brand is cheaper, though, so you might as well get them. The low vampire drain of the Apple charger sounds nice, but it's not much of an issue: since the eneloop batteries hold a charge for so long, I only plug the charger in when I'm actually charging batteries. No need to keep the charger plugged in to keep the batteries fresh.
Why would I ever want to do any of those "advanced" things? Just charge my **** batteries so I can use them!
Hold the presses!
It's a true scandal!
OMG
...
I remember something called Page 2.
It was a good place for stuff like this.
It's a true scandal!
OMG
...
I remember something called Page 2.
It was a good place for stuff like this.
Just out of curiosity... How have you measured the mW range standby power consumption of your chargers? True RMS mains power measurement at that power level requires more than a simple multimeter.
Not that it would make any significant difference (economic or earthwise) whether the charger sucks 30 or 300 mW in standby. If the power draw is 30 mW then keeping the charger plugged for 365/24 would take 0.26 kWh per year. A few cents worth of electricity.
(If one wants to make a difference in the standby consumption having a look at computers, printers, plasmas, etc. would be a better idea. They may really be power vampires.)
eh....
I'm hoping this is a joke that I don't get.
An advanced charger should simply charge your batteries in a reletively short amount of time without any compications.
that's what i thought too but...don't worry....there are enough idiots who still will pay all this crap for a ******** of money.If you think that's something, wait until you hear what's in your Big Mac
I'm curious as to why 1/3 of the ratings are negative. The consensus is that Sanyo Eneloops are great (I use them now, and they are MUCH better than the NiMH batteries I used to use).
So Apple choosing to use an existing, great technology is also good news.
So why all the hate?
So Apple choosing to use an existing, great technology is also good news.
So why all the hate?
These do seem rebranded so for those who have a problem with Apple doing this, if you are logical, it has to be a price issue. If so, then here are some comparisons as of 8/12/10:
Apple 6 AA and two holder battery charger - $30 (I'm rounding all numbers)
From Amazon:
4 pack Eneloops - $10, no charger
8 pack - $20, no charger
4 pack with 4 charger -$21
2 pack with 2 holder USB charger - $13
From B&H:
4 pack Eneloops - $10, no charger
8 pack - $20, no charger
4 pack with 4 charger -$18
2 pack with 2 holder USB charger - $13
If you break it down, the price from Amazon and B&H comes out to about $2.5 per battery. The chargers run about $8-10.
Compare that to Apple: 6 x $2.5 = $15 + $10 for charger and you are at $25.
If you do some more research, you will find the one complaint most people have with Eneloops are the chargers. I found Eneloop fanboys prefer other "higher end" chargers which can run $40+. These often charge 8 or more batteries so not a fair comparison there either. But if we look at it, Apple charging $13-15 dollars for their custom 2 pack charger, considering the whole vampire thing, is not a price gouge.
Can you get cheaper deals, sure. Are you being gouged if you buy the Apple ones - no. No SJ reality distortion field on this, pure facts. You are getting some good rebranded (most likely) eneloop batteries and a slightly better charger and no one holding a gun to your head to buy Apple. As for me, I just hate the earth and am going to buy an starter kit from B&H for $32. Includes 8AA, 4AAA plus some C and D convertor holders and a standard 4 pack charger. Sure, I'm drawing more vampire voltage but this is the best price and I don't like the planet anyway.
Apple 6 AA and two holder battery charger - $30 (I'm rounding all numbers)
From Amazon:
4 pack Eneloops - $10, no charger
8 pack - $20, no charger
4 pack with 4 charger -$21
2 pack with 2 holder USB charger - $13
From B&H:
4 pack Eneloops - $10, no charger
8 pack - $20, no charger
4 pack with 4 charger -$18
2 pack with 2 holder USB charger - $13
If you break it down, the price from Amazon and B&H comes out to about $2.5 per battery. The chargers run about $8-10.
Compare that to Apple: 6 x $2.5 = $15 + $10 for charger and you are at $25.
If you do some more research, you will find the one complaint most people have with Eneloops are the chargers. I found Eneloop fanboys prefer other "higher end" chargers which can run $40+. These often charge 8 or more batteries so not a fair comparison there either. But if we look at it, Apple charging $13-15 dollars for their custom 2 pack charger, considering the whole vampire thing, is not a price gouge.
Can you get cheaper deals, sure. Are you being gouged if you buy the Apple ones - no. No SJ reality distortion field on this, pure facts. You are getting some good rebranded (most likely) eneloop batteries and a slightly better charger and no one holding a gun to your head to buy Apple. As for me, I just hate the earth and am going to buy an starter kit from B&H for $32. Includes 8AA, 4AAA plus some C and D convertor holders and a standard 4 pack charger. Sure, I'm drawing more vampire voltage but this is the best price and I don't like the planet anyway.