Apple Battery Charger

[arch2b]

Apple Battery Charger

Now there’s a better, more environmentally friendly way to power your wireless keyboard, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, or just about anything that requires AA batteries. The Apple Battery Charger kit comes with a sleek, compact charger and six high-performance AA NiMH batteries that are ready to use right out of the box. The reusable batteries are exceptional at holding a charge and last for up to 10 years. Which means you can finally break the cycle of buying and disposing of those toxic, single-use alkaline batteries.

A smarter way to charge your batteries.

The sleek, compact Apple Battery Charger is all about efficient charging. It's optimized for Apple-supplied batteries, but it works with AA NiMH batteries from other companies, too. And with a feature that automatically reduces its power intake once your batteries are fully charged, the Apple Battery Charger is one of the most energy-efficient rechargeable battery solutions available.
It comes fully loaded. And then some.

Each Apple Battery Charger comes with six NiMH batteries — two for your keyboard, two for your mouse or trackpad, and two for charging. Not only do these high-performance batteries have up to a 10-year lifespan(1), they also hold a charge for an incredibly long time. So you always have power when you need it.
Best in class.

The Apple Battery Charger has the lowest “vampire draw” of any similar charger on the market. That’s the energy that most chargers continue to draw even after their batteries are done charging. Unlike other chargers, the Apple Battery Charger senses when a battery charge cycle is complete and automatically reduces the amount of power it uses to 30 milliwatts — more than 10 times better than the industry average.(2)
Better for the environment.

With the Apple Battery Charger, you no longer have to buy or hassle with the disposal of batteries every few months. The charger works quickly and efficiently. And once your batteries are fully charged, it draws less power than any other similar charger on the market. (2)

(1) Based on designed cycle life and anticipated user scenario.
(2) Testing conducted by Apple in February 2010 on a selection of similar leading NiMH rechargeable battery chargers.

[arch2b]

this sounds like an interesting solution for transmitter rechargeables. mine don't seem to hold a charge long in my helios and go from 11.x to 10.2, sometimes lower in a single day of racing.

[color01]

Doesn't necessarily make it a better charger for your Tx batteries... if you take a peak charger and slow-charge the batteries all the way up to their max capacity, you'll see them last for a VERY long time. And besides, 10.2V is still perfectly fine -- if you multiply out, 1.2V x 8 = 9.6V, you have a long way to go before those batteries are dead.

[arch2b]

mine run down to 9.2 at times where its a really long day. this is also due to my neglecting to turn off my tx when not in use all the time. i'm constantly getting up to fix my car, right someone else's or mess with the computer.

[benmlee]

These batteries are probably the same as the Sony Eneloop. You can get 10 Eneloop for $21 versus 6 Apple batteries for $29. For use in transmitter, the Apple charger is totally useless. Who would bother to charge 2 batteries at a time, you will need 4 days to charge 8 batteries.

The Apple website said: "The reusable batteries are exceptional at holding a charge and last for up to 10 years. " First reading sounds like the battery can hold a charge for 10 years! That can be misleading. These batteries can hold a charge for a few months like the Sonly Eneloop, but not for 10 years.

I will pass on this. Sony batteries are a better deal, and I have been charging them with regular charger just fine.

[Skv012a]

I'll also chime in that, considering this thing is $30 and only a 2-slot, for 20-30 more there's the 8-cell Maha that can safely take care of a full set of TX batteries in about an hour.