Rechargeable USB Batteries

If you travel abroad with a digital camera (or other electronic device) that takes AA batteries, this may be of interest to you.

Instead of lugging around a stash of spare batteries, Firebox.com has a set of USBCell Batteries that use the power from a computer’s USB port to recharge. Plug them into your laptop or at an Internet cafe; there are no extra cables, clunky power adapters or recharge stations needed. Just plug and wait.

It’s not all rainbows and unicorns, however.

One reviewer notes the USBCell’s limited capacity, saying it is “less than half that you can get with normal rechargeable AA batteries.” The company doesn’t refute this claim, but instead says that what the batteries lack in capacity they make up in portability. They claim to be “perfect for lower power items like wireless mice, remotes, and radio controlled tanks.”

Digital cameras? Maybe not. Brilliant idea, though.