Review: Duracell Instant Chargers Are…Pretty Perfect?

So I'd probably pick one of these up except that they were just released to market today and nobody has them yet. All I can find is the old model.

The eneloop chargers have been around for 2 years or so, if not more, and do the same as this. I do live in Japan though, so no idea how long they have been available in North America... There's two, one that uses 2 AA's and one without replaceable batteries. The one below can charge anything through the USB port, it can also charge the AA's itself through USB (from another device, like a laptop).

[www.amazon.com]

The energizer ones are just a copy of the Eneloop ones.

Ravlen

Ravlen

@Bandit: I'm more into that. Imagine a scenario where you're stranded in a foreign country who uses different electric socket, you're without your travel adapter, and you're running out of juice. At least AA batteries can be found almost anywhere in the world.

redangel7

@JazzBri: The article says 'But after charging (via mini USB), the Instant Charger stores just enough power to refill your iPhone about halfway' That makes it sound as if the charger gets charged with it. I agree that makes no sense at all.

@darngooddesign: You can do even better than that.

The Sanyo Eneloop USB Booster offers 5400mAh and two USB output ports for almost half the price. Even better, the thing is TINY, and it's as simple as the cheap Duracell above - one button, one soft blue LED. Bought mine back in February, and it's saved my bacon countless times - worth every penny.

m-d

bought a second palm-branded pre battery for $22, which is a better buy for pre owners.

hypocaffeinemia

Crack it open and make sure they are not pulling an energizer scam with a single AA.

ploopsy

@uRbAnlP: I could understand your confusion if it were an application.

darngooddesign

@ripfire: search for "External Battery for Iphone" and its #7. Its the 5400 Mah one with the white circle on it. Comes with a bunch of adapters and two collapsible cables. Its literally 4 times the 3GS' capacity.

darngooddesign

@anexanhume: how long does it hold its charge while not in use? Is it like most rechargable AAs that are dead after sitting on the shelf for a couple days?

PiltdownMan

@ihaveabu: I've been seeing them for quite a while now at my local Best Buy. I imagine there are other retailers that have them too.

Heres my $5.00 instant iphone/ Ipod charger from Big Lots...works great!Ok can't figure out how to upload pic..sorry.HELP!

paintedangel

@Bandit: Flaw: You are not smart enough to plug something in.

SoaringDisbelief

When I travel long distances and run out of juice, I always have a USB charging solution with me. It's called a laptop.

Jason Ultra

@Bandit: I have one of these that take 2 AA batteries ...bought it at Big Lots no less! Cost...$5.00! Works great for all my Ipod...nano, Ipod Touch etc.

paintedangel

@Brodka: Eukaneuba pet food is also owned by P&G. P&G does animal experimentation with cosmetics. I tell my clients (I run a dog boarding business) to buy Pro Plan (their chief competitor). Same price, same quality, better ethics.

@macpatrick: Instantly. Duh.

I'd like an adapter to charge a nokia cellphone. If it had that, I'd keep one of these in my handbag, without a doubt.

@[www.xantrex.com]

Snowflake7

@GitEmSteveDave_GlassMeatClocks: Hey hey hey... If they're going to put us to work they should at least pay us!

@ripfire: You can charge the iPhone while using the iPhone... Is that what you meant?

Snowflake7

@Bandit: Flaw: That requires you to have the batteries.

Flaw: This requires you to have remembered to charge the charger. Better solution is an adapter that lets you toss two or four AA batteries into the box and power your phone anywhere instantly.

@EBone: You can plug in and start using the unit right away.

Snowflake7

ZOMG SEND ME A BUNCH !!!!

[jai]

Jaianne Dickszcator

@yogibimbi: The battery in the larger charger is a Li-Poly cell, not AA or AAA based. The energy density is much better when you go to a custom Li-Poly cell.

Snowflake7

@JazzBri: For Blackberries and Motorola phones you can charge directly using the flip-out mini-usb connector. This way you don't need to carry a cable with you.

Snowflake7

@Accelerata: for any other usb rechargable device one tends to believe replacing the battery would be the most efficient way to go (100% charge and no time spent). But for iphone is ok cos you can not.

Muesli

Seems like a no brainer...not sure why these are just coming out.

bonedog73

@brandeis1: nothing is that instant. Don't be so simple. It is called instant because it is easy to use.

If you charged a battery that quickly it would explode. Best option find two wires plug both into the wall then place them into your device. I promise something will instantly happen.

I know this will get buried in comment hell, but does anyone know what ever happened to the Energizer Energi-2-go line? It was the XPAL stuff re-branded but it was supposed to be available but it's mysteriously absent from stores, even where it has a shelf spot ready.

Brookespeed

@Phocis: Then hope that the Mom 'N Pop shop in town picks them up and you can help them grasp at straws for another business quarter.

Damn it! I can't find anyone that sells this. Anyone know when it's coming out?

Nice! Price is always the reason why I never bought a backup battery. I might try the $20 one. Thanks!

@jbaranski: :( I left mine on a plane about a month ago - I miss it...

DreamTheEndless

@Jestermeister: Are you serious?

@bohn002: I, for some reason, have an interest in your username...

@Monty: Why would Apple care? They don't endorse third party accessories. Besides, the device isn't just for iPhones as the article states. I mean, is Palm going to be pissed that it charges botha blackberry and an iPhone? I doubt it.

@Phocis: i know there evil i work there...=| modern slavery.

@Mark Wilson: Well you can, but in this case I feel like you'd be draining the iPhone battery and the instant charger at the same time.

@MrFresh: What if you refuse to shop at Wal-Mart, seeing how there evil and all.

I found the instant charger at WalMart for less than $30! It works great, takes about a normal amount of time to charge but charges my iPhone 3gs 66% (compared to 25% with belkin products)

KeithGauzer

@Mark Wilson: Wal-Mart...In Electronics or by the battery center in the front of the store by the cash register.

How long does the instant charger take to charge?

I will most certainly be picking one of these up. My gadgets always seem to run out of power at the most unconvieniant times. And having this little guy in my backpack will be clutch.

macpatrick

@Accelerata: Why would you have another device besides an iPhone??

MaceWandru

@dLMN8R: if you only are interested in charging an apple portable device, that's fine. but these will work for any USB rechargeable device.

Accelerata

@mdriggers: I'm actually not sure - though I expect they'll be popping up pretty much everywhere with normal Duracells soon.

@MahaliaSils: My question is when can't you use your iPhone while charging (not in the

Septhinox

@Homerjay- that's all.: They show up to "us". I think it's the dark side of the star.

Where is the best place to pick one of these up?

mdriggers

@omegix: I don't think it's out yet. The $25 one is the old model.

catlike

Seems like a pretty bad choice compared to this:

[www.monoprice.com]

I have that one from Monoprice, which fully charges the iPhone more than once (instead of a half-charge), and it's only $15 to boot.

dLMN8R

@Thangka: Ha, you're aren't kidding... The battery life so far is my only complaint with this phone. I could see this charger being a real life saver.

Captian_Caveman

@Mark Wilson: Is that commutative?

@GitEmSteveDave_WonAForeignLottery!: I still don't understand why they even show up if they're not approved. The intricicies of this system still elude me.

@jmurph05: I have one of those things too. I saw it on clearance at a store and bought it on a whim. It is pretty cool though and it can charge my stuff many times over.

Although I still think I would like to have one of these little Duracell chargers. The ultra portability and simplicity make it a definite win.

Captian_Caveman

@yogibimbi: Li-Ion rechargeable batteries has higher voltage than a normal AA or AAA.

@MahaliaSils: Yes, you can charge while using the iPhone.

Where can I buy this?

Anyone know if you can use your iPhone while charging...in effect using the charger as a extra battery. This would come in handy while using the SlingPlayer app , or any video for that matter..

MahaliaSils

@darngooddesign: Hmm. I can't find it.

I have something similar from Sprint (over priced) at $40. 2600mA...coupled with an extended Seidio battery, I can run the crap out of my TouchPro (WiFi, Bluetooth, Voice Calls, Text, GPS...you name it) with no problems for a couple of days without having to tether to my laptop OR wall plug. Definitely handy.

I do like the smaller of the two, perfect for short day trips.

amw1972

Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place, but I can't find the instant charger for $20. Closest I could find for that price was their legacy model, which was $25 through buy.com

omegix

Will Apple be upset that half of the photos here of the Duracell Instant Chargers do not include a photo of an iPhone? To be fair, it does improve the look of the Duracell product by having the sleek touch screen device next to it, so it is sort of win-win on marketing.

@JazzBri: It lets you attach the charger to a device that needs charging. Some phones with mini-USB (ie Motorola) has it on its side.

I still like my Kensington battery. It has an amazing capacity, charging my iPod touch to full from almost dead with juice to spare, it looks slick too.

Oh and you can't forget the ultra bright blue LEDs. They're fun in the dark...

AND it attracts fingerprints just like my iPod Touch! haha

It's fun.

Apple will sure reject this one too.

uRbAnlP

@chefgon: OK, but what kind of drivers do I need to support it? ;)

Jestermeister

It's 2000mah. Which isn't bad but it definitely won't cut it for a trans pacific flight.

satoru

What's with the mini-USB "arm" on the Powerhouse charger? Are we meant to hang this blocky battery onto a mini-USB wall-charger somewhere to juice it up? Seems like it would be easier to just leave the port on the side of the device and plug it in with a standard cord.

JazzBri

@darngooddesign: I meant Amazon

darngooddesign

You can get a 5400 mHa iWalk clone for 60 on eBay.

darngooddesign

@snoop_dizzle: i think that should be the new comparison for gadgets: "well, i was considering buying A, but B could potentially fit in my rectum..."

About how quickly does it charge something? A few minutes? Is instant really instant?

Just curious.

@EBone: Why wouldn't it? All it's doing is supplying power to the device's USB charging pins. Your device should react exactly the same way it would if you plugged in a wall charger, it can't tell the difference.

chefgon

@selfprofessedgeek: Or buy two, and get almost the same amount of charge time for less money!

szrimaging

@Homerjay- that's all.: He's a Red Shirt. He just won't get approved.

i got one of these style things a while back from Black and Decker. Mine is huge though, it has 2 USB ports and a full grounded outlet. It powered a powerstrip with 6 phone chargers in it from Chicago to louisiana on a band trip (insert band comments here). For the 20 bucks I paid while it was on clearance, it's pretty damn nice. It even does and extra three hours to my iBook, which with the onboard battery, is like 5 hours total.

The Powerhouse just looks cheap from the pics compared to the Instant Charger. Instant is sleek, Powerhouse is clunky... You'd think they'd make them both the same (sleek and stylish)...

And for $20? Gosh, I'd buy one!

selfprofessedgeek

Woo, now maybe my Hero will get me through the day :D

Cheaper than an offical HTC battery too.

Have been using the APC version for years now and love it... it's always in my backpack for emergencies. Recharges my Fuze about 3 times on a single charge and holds it's own charge for a good while. Wasn't Duracell supposed to have a solar-rechargeable version of these things as well?

@twilight-arc: She is HOT....

hooshies

@bohn002: That's my question. If you plug it into an iPhone, does it extend the life of the battery while you're using the phone, like say the inCase charging case?

now, why the bloody hell are they not basing those things on Li-Ion AAA or AA batteries? That way I could even use it as a charger for those. I mean, I would bet that something similar is inside of them, but you would need a warranty-voiding, possibly fatal prying open of the charger to get them out.

yogibimbi

@bohn002: it acts like a dumb power source, you can continue to do whatever while it's charging up.

tedknaz

@Thangka: yes it is; I have one and have used it with my Pre. You get just over a half charge or so with this

tedknaz

This is good news for Pre users.

Thangka

so does it have to sit and charge? or can you plug it in and have it charge while your watching a movie? and then just burn/charge the iphone battery or something?

bohn002

Great positives, "Good" is very descriptive and helpful

@Homerjay- that's all.: Hope so.

This just makes portable life easier, wow.

@kickassy: Going for the midget hookers are we? I notice that disease free is noticeably absent...

ddmeightball

Now if only Apple could engineer the iPhone to recharge the lithium ion battery in these Duracell Chargers, perpetual energy might not be such a pipe dream after all!

LuciusMagumpus

@johnnystreets: does it get banned?

@grafxguy: The work you put into this project is excellent, though it would have been better if only you did it for free.

twilight-arc

I really want one of those tbh :s It happens a lot to me that I forget to charge my iphone... But then on the other hand... There's a laptop at my workdesk so why should I?

But when I'm going to my countryside house pretty often it can be handy. I'll think it over but for this price I will not refuse if I see one in the shops :)

I like my Just Mobile Gum Pro. Its a little larger than a pack of gum, and charges my iphone 2x.

jonbruc

Instant Charger seems to be going for $25, not $20 on Amazon, Buy, etc... See, five dollars less perfect!

djchaser

Mintyboost with Eneloop AAs will give an iPhone 3G a full charge. Twice as cool plus you can trade out the rechargeables with a couple of alkalines in emergencies.

lausley

@Amir Oulad: You also might not be able to smuggle it into a country in your rectum given its size. And you never know when you need to do that.

I'm sure if we think about this longer we can create quite a long list of pros and cons of such a device. ;)

@anexanhume: Yeah, and Duracell is owned by Proctor and Gamble and there's gotta be a reason to boycott them. Right? Something about RFID chips and store shelves taking your picture or something?

Brodka

....For real, there's a great product for a completely reasonable price, and all you can do is say: unfortunately it isn't free

loriensleafs

@anexanhume:
Yeah, it can't be al good.
Let me see: Lack of small solar-panel so you could recharge it in the open air.

And don't make me do your job again unless you ask me very nicely, in a fact you could ask me very rudely and I wouldn't mind because I would love your job expect for the pay check.

Amir Oulad

Those positives describe my local hooker.

kickassy

I can't wait until Costco carries these things in like a 4-pack!

jkrell

It's gotta have a negative. Like hey, it isn't digestible.

@laxmax613: that argument could be made for a lot of things in life. "Dammit, that Ferrari is perfect!! If only it were free!!"

grafxguy

wow. unfortunately it isn't free.

laxmax613

@Keeter: My thoughts exactly. If the mini-USB arm isn't for charging its own internal battery, How DOES this thing recharge then?

JazzBri

thepocketsolution.com, item PSI-45407. iPhone AA Battery Booster (uses four AAs), $14.95.

IMHO, a charger that uses AA batteries is far more useful than one that requires recharging like the Duracell. It can be easier to find spare batteries than a power outlet. The Duracell requires a powered USB port (computer, AC charger, etc.) to be recharged, so you have to carry something else with it. Plus, rechargeable batteries lose capacity over time.

The one mentioned above, which I've had for a year, does not have a USB connector but rather an integral dock connector on an 11" cable. This is both good and bad. Good, because it's compact and doesn't require carrying a regular USB-dock cable. Bad, because the charger has to stay close to the phone (you can't put it in your pants pocket while talking on the phone).

You could use rechargeable AAs with this thing, and carry a small recharger along with it. The combination wouldn't be any bulkier than the Duracell (with its required charger, not included in the price), but would be more reliable and versatile. Personally, I just use disposable AAs.

CAVEperson

@nagumi: There's no such thing as an "instant" charger--it's impossible. But there are battery boosters/extenders that will instantly allow the device to operate if its batteries have been drained.

CAVEperson

The Tekkeon TekCharge MP1550 looks like another good AA battery solution if one needs more cable flexibility than the gadget I mentioned below.

CAVEperson

@ReneeErmoo: Really? Are you sure that's what these things are for?

@das7002: No, thus the winky smiley eye.

Jestermeister

@Interstella5555: That's how it works with my battery "booster" (described above)--it doesn't noticeably charge the internal iPhone battery while the iPhone is in use. Rather, it's like having a bigger battery that lasts longer.

It would be interesting to know how much current would need to be available on the USB port to both run the phone and charge a mostly-discharged internal battery at the same time, assuming that the iPhone's charging circuit even allows that (does anyone reading this know for sure?) The USB standard says that a port is supposed to supply a minimum of 500mA, but some AC chargers can supply several times that current (the one I use at home is rated at 2.5A). The better battery boosters I've seen are generally rated to supply 800-1000mA when their batteries are fresh, and I'd like to know if that can do any actual recharging while I'm using the iPhone.

CAVEperson

I got the smaller of the two from Walmart, it was next to the camera section with other batteries. I didn't see the larger one though.

I finally got to use this thing a couple days ago after bringing it with me every time I travel. It saved me in the middle of Manhattan after I checked out of my hotel. I was at 7% at the time on an iPhone and it hovered around 20-30% with moderate use until later that night when I got home.

EmmettGebsite

Powerhouse charger is available at drugstore.com for $34 + free shipping.

AldisOxyntes

Road Test: Bought a Duracell "My Pocket Charger" from Costco a couple of months ago for $16 plus tx. (sale) It's powered by 2 AAs. I drained my iPhone down to 10% batt remaining.

The first two AAs returned batt to just about 50% in 40 min. Another 2 AAs topped out at 96% batt for a run total of appx 85 -88 minutes.

All said, I'm happy with the return on investment and convenience. Hope my contribution helps!

VachelBaazigar

I work at staples, we have the full line available in our store

DionClotho