Users of Sanyo's Eneloop batteries are generally pretty happy -- the company reports a 90 percent satisfaction rate -- but a new product could make those users even happier.
The Eneloop Stick Booster is a wand-shaped USB charger designed for phones and other mobile devices, which require a high current to charge steadily. Sanyo warns that emergency chargers using regular dry cell batteries, by comparison, may not be able to charge a device properly.
The Stick Booster draws its charge from two Eneloop batteries, which are included with the aluminum wand. There's a plug that connects via regular-sized USB on the wand side, so smartphone users whose phones come with a USB charger should have no problems plugging in. It's not clear how much talk time you get from one charge.
Eneloop batteries are praised mainly for their ability to hold a charge when not in use, holding 75 percent of their charge over three years. That makes them ideal for emergency use with the Stick Booster, especially with cell phones, as they're not likely to drain if you leave them in your car for months on end. The batteries also have a long shelf life overall, with the most recent edition rechargeable up to 1,500 times.
Unfortunately, there's no word on a U.S. release for the Stick Booster. It goes on sale in Japan for roughly $35 on December 1.
