Gizmodo: eneloop

Sanyo Eneloop Solar Charger Powers USB Gadgets

Danny Allen — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT

The Eneloop portable solar pack doesn't look quite as cool as that Energizer charger we've been waiting for, but it will supply 5 volts for 2 hours.

To juice up, you connect your USB-charging device to the included Lithium Ion booster pack, which acts as a reservoir drawing power from the panels.

Sanyo claims a full charge to the booster in good sunlight will take 3 days with one panel (¥9,000; about $100) and half that on the two-panel version (¥14,000; about $150). Available only in Japan for the moment. [Sanyo Japan via Akihabara News and PC World]

Sanyo Eneloop Lamp Charges Wirelessly, Doubles as a Flashlight

John Herrman — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:20:00 EDT

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Fueled by the original rechargeable batteries from 2005, Sanyo's consistently strange eneloop (on-a-loop) line keeps on growing: next up is the eneloop Lamp, a vaselike, wirelessly chargeable table lamp that turns into a flashlight when picked up.

The lamp is intended to spend most of its time on a wireless charging stand, which not unlike the Palm's Touchstone or, more precisely, Sanyo's wireless eneloop Wiimote charger. There, it can be switched between the brighter white light mode and a low-draw blue, or "Healing Light," mode. The stand feeds power into the unit's two AA batteries, which power the lamp when it strays from home. Sanyo's press release says it'll switch modes when it's turned horizontal, mentioning that there's some kind of accelerometer, although it seems like a simple activate-on-disconnect system would work just fine.

At first, I had trouble imagining too many uses for a lamp/torch hybrid, but then it hit me: midnight pooping. For that, this lamp is genius. No price or domestic availability info is available yet; Japan will see a launch on September 11th. [Akihabara News]

Sanyo Eneloop Batteries Go Cs and Ds

Jason Chen — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EDT

Sanyo's just expanded their lineup of rechargeable batteries to include Cs and Ds, two sizes Jesus can't wait to get his hands on. They're rated as being rechargeable up to 1000 times, which is quite a few sessions of whatever it is you're doing with C and D batteries. There's also a new charger for these, and all of the above will be released September 12. Stock up on a few for the inevitable zombie invasion. [Sanyo]

Sanyo Brings Wireless Eneloop Charging to the Wiimote

Kit Eaton — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:05:00 EDT

It's been a while since we've shown you anything with Sanyo's Eneloop label, but this new product bearing the wireless charging tech will sound like good news for Wiimote users fed up of awkward battery/charging solutions. Sanyo have teamed up with Nintendo to make the Eneloop Wiimote charger: and it's contactless. You simply replace the standard Wiimote back, drop it into the stand (which even accommodates silicon covers) when you're done playing, and it'll refill the batteries in 220 minutes. The stands can daisy chain off one power brick, so up to four Wiimotes can get juice at the same time. But there's a problem: apparently it's Japan only for now. Though I can't imagine it'll always be: it's just way too useful. [Akihabaranews]

Ridiculously Stripped-Down Sanyo Phone Runs On 1 AA Battery

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:43:50 EDT

Designed to look like some kind of oversized battery, this crazy phone actually runs on just one small AA. There are some tradeoffs: it's voice only, so no 3G or SMS; also, there's no camera or MP3 player, or even a damn screen to look at. Just those weird little buttons. You get five hours of talktime, then you toss the battery—or charge it up. (We're guessing this is a not-so-subtle attempt by Sanyo to promote its rechargeable NiMH Eneloop batteries.) Sorry all you budding ascetics out there, this sucker is Japan only. [Crave]

Sanyo Rolls Out Eneloop Solar Charger, Rechargeable Heater

Charlie White — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 15:21:32 EST

At the same time Sanyo trotted out little Eneloopy, the battery tester doggie, it also introduced two other products associated with its Eneloop rechargeable batteries introduced last year.

The Eneloop solar charger recharges four AA-sized batteries, and the kicker is there's a USB port on the back that will also let you charge up your iPod, cellphone or PDA at the same time. Whoa! Great idea.

Sanyo also rolled out Eneloop Kairo, a rechargeable heater that uses the Eneloop technology. The palm-sized device might be just about right for keeping those hands toasty warm during the upcoming winter months. More pics of both products, after the jump.

Sanyo Eneloop solar charger [Akhihabara News]
Eneloop Kairo, the Sanyo hi-tech heater [Akhihabara News]

Sanyo Eneloopy, the Dog-Gone Battery Tester

Charlie White — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 08:51:48 EST

Here's Eneloopy, a little doggie into which you insert one of Sanyo's Eneloop rechargeable batteries, and when you press the button on his chest, his nose lights up if there's still any charge left.

Sanyo introduced its Eneloop batteries about a year ago, with their chief attribute being they arrive to you fully charged. Unlike other rechargeable batteries, they only lose a small percentage of their charge over time.

What, do you stick the battery up the little doggie's ass? Please, say it ain't so. A couple of pics illustrate how it works, after the jump.

Sanyo didn't mention if these testers would work with other batteries, but we can't see any reason why they wouldn't. Pricing and avilability weren't announced yet. – Charlie White

Eneloopy, the Sanyo doggy [Akhihabara News]