energizer

Powermat 2X (Powermat Wireless Charging Kit)

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One of the items I received for Christmas was another Powermat. The first kit I purchased can only charge my iPhone but this kit can charge two devices at the same time. It also includes a wireless charging adapter that can be used with nearly any USB device with the included adapter tips.

The kit is great and so far seems to work without any issues. Placement of the iPhone is a little different. The other charging kit is practically form-fitted so the case fits in easily. On the larger charging mat it takes slightly more work to place the iPhone properly but it doesn’t take long to get used to figuring out the proper alignment to charge.

It does suffer from the same issues the other Powermat has – annoyingly bright LEDs (to indicate charging) and the sounds that it makes when the mat begins to charge a device. Those issues aside it’s excellent. I like the convenience of not having to plug and unplug every time I want to charge – this should help prolong the life of the connectors for when I do need to charge with a cable.

Overall, I’m really enjoying this gift. One of the reasons I wanted it was so I could also charge my first-generation iPod nano, which it does. It’s also capable of charging my 3DS with the extended battery.

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iPhone 4 PowerMat Wireless Charging System

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iPhone-PowerMat

I didn’t find any Black Friday deals that interested me. We just don’t care to fight the crowds for mediocre sales (or cheap equipment being sold at what I consider to be the most appropriate price). In the end, we didn’t hit up any stores until after 6 pm that Friday.

While going through Wal-Mart I did find one item that I ended up purchasing, though it was in the regular clearance isle. At a reduced price was an (unopened) iPhone 4 PowerMat Wireless Charging System. I’ve been considering the PowerMat system for a while but the prices usually put me off. I wasn’t going to assume it was a deal just because it was marked as a clearance item so I whipped out the iPhone and checked the current price on Amazon. The Amazon price was about $8 higher. The Wal-Mart price was $30, which seemed reasonable so I bought it.

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New Addition: Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries

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Final Verdict Added 01/03/2013: After having used these batteries, along with some older Energizer, for some time I’m not left with the impression that they’re any better. Perhaps they perform better in a laboratory but I’ve found they’re just as likely to be discharged (or nearly discharged) as the Energizers when I need to use them and this is despite recharging all of the batteries at least a few times a year in an attempt to ensure they’ll be ready when I need them.

I’m not convinced that they’re worth the premium charge, especially since they typically have less capacity than similar batteries that cost less. As far as batteries are concerned they seem fine but I just haven’t had an experience that leads me to believe that they are superior.

It’s easy for me to remember the rechargeable batteries that my dad used to have. It seems that it took forever for them to recharge and they were much more expensive than current rechargeable batteries.

Several years ago I started using Energizer rechargeable batteries along with a charger by the same company. In general, I typically used them in digital cameras or entertainment remotes. They worked well though tended to discharge fairly quickly when not in use.

A couple of years ago my wife purchased a battery charger from my wish list, which has extended the life of the Energizer rechargeables. However, every once in a while I’d find a mention of the Sanyo Eneloop brand that caught my attention.

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La Crosse Technology BC-9009 Battery Charger

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I’m surprised I hadn’t posted anything about this device but it appears to have been neglected. A couple of years ago my wife purchased a La Crosse Technology BC-9009 Battery Charger from my Amazon wish list. This certainly qualifies as a geek gift. I think she thought I was crazy for being happy about receiving it as a gift.

I’ve used Energizer rechargeable batteries for several years. Until my wife bought that charger I was still using an older Energizer charger.  Some time ago I had became curious about the different types of chargers available and the La Crosse brand had caught my attention.

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