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By John Ghysels, Special to Technology-Report.com

As one of those folks with a ton of portable gadgets & cameras about my house, on vacation and otherwise strapped to my person, I am always burning through batteries. As a committed shutter bug, I’ve learned the hard way to stick to what works for high draw applications like cameras and a host of other devices. 

Traveling overseas or out in the hinterlands, out of the range of friendly AC outlets, good batteries become essential for the well prepared techno-geek. Many digital cameras in particular, with energy sucking LCD screens and powerful internal motors for zoom and focus, need one-time use AA and AAA batteries that go farther than those most often found in over-priced shops while traveling. Regardless of how much you pay they are likely out of date or too weak to be much use.  

Once in a store, product package claims made by AA battery makers are confusing at best and down right deceptive at worst.  Retail mark-ups on AA and AAA batteries can be very high, since they are traditionally considered by retailers to be a spontaneous purchase and not subject to comparison shopping. That’s why you often see batteries hanging “conveniently” near the checkout stands.  

So, direct from Technology-Report, here is the bottom line on long life AA camera batteries. In keeping with our cheapskate sensibilities, we are including tips on shopping and saving big on AA camera batteries, long life and rechargable batteries of all kinds and finally, avoiding the costly mistakes that many battery “rookies” make.  

Rechargables: Myths, Lies and video cameras

First off, let’s explode some myths. Rechargable batteries can really suck. Yeah, yeah, I drive a hybrid vehicle, I’m a Sierra Club volunteer, huge recycler and solid environmentalist. Perhaps because of this, I recognize that many rechargable battery chemical mixes are toxic.  This might be OK in a reusable battery, if not for the fact that rechargables often DO NOT do the job, or, just as often, messily fail in your device and need to be tossed into the toxic waste recycling bin. 

First, nearly all AA and AAA rechargables provide a very low voltage of only 1.2 volts, about where one would throw away a regular, 1.5 volt AA battery. Some devices will automatically adjust to this low voltage, but some cameras need all the power your battery can provide and more. This means that rechargables automatically start at a major disadvantage, even compared to cheap alkaline batteries.  

Further, extensive testing here in the Technogy-Report “labs” finds that AA NiHM’s, NiCads and Alkaline rechargables can be VERY easily damaged. They will then leak unexpectedly during recharging or just quietly weaken and die when you need them most.  I have dozens that have, and lots of contaminated rechargers to prove it.  

Best Rechargable: NiHM

If you must deal with AA and AAA rechargables at all, be sure to buy NiMH or Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. These are at least somewhat acceptable in some cameras. 

Look for the “Ah” rating on NiHMs

Look at the NiMH batteries to see what their Amps per Hour rating is, or “Ah”. Some of the best in the AA size are 2400 Ah to 1800 Ah. This rating refers to how much current draw a battery can handle, the higher the better. It is a good measure for batteries in digital cameras and most other demanding devices. I’ve seen some AA NiHM’s and NiCads rated all the way way down to a measly 800 Ah, so keep your eyes open. The cheap ones, those less than 1200 Ah, would be worthless for just about anything except your Micky Mouse wall clock. 

Other rechargables: Don’t bother

Don’t even get me started on AA & AAA NiCads or Alkaline rechargables. Experience has shown that they are junk, except in a few low demand applications, so don’t waste your money, (at least in the opinion of TR).  If your camera or device comes with inexpensive NiCads, fine. Your device manufacturer may be saying that they are adequate to the job in your device.

Want the best? Go for The Ultimates.

The best one-use AA and AAA batteries for digital cameras, hands down, are Energizer Lithium Ultimates. The package says they offer “8X the life of regular batteries”, but I give them extra credit for offering this comparison against their own high quality Alkaline batteries, not cheap carbon batteries, as most manufacturers do. 

In any case, these AA and AAA Lithium Ultimate batteries offer a very strong 1.81 volts each when first opened up and they can handle very heavy current draws. This might be too much for a few tiny devices and toys where the extra power isn’t needed. However, I’ve had pairs that last for weeks of heavy vacation use in cameras that would chew up and spit out standard alkalines in minutes. Even the U.S. military agrees. Thousands of these civilian, one-time-use batteries continue to be used by American soldiers and marines in combat zones. There, they have proven to be the only type to function continously in power hungry scopes and night vision equipment for an acceptable length of time. If you are headed into the bush, or at least where your vacation time is valuable, you want a couple of pairs of these high powered AA or AAA batteries.f

The typical retail price of AA Ultimates can be up to about $4.00, per battery (!). However, they can be bought much less expensively at vendors, such as those on Amazon, usually for about $8 for a 4 pack. Not bad, if they last eight times as long.

Battery BARGAIN ALERT:  There is currently a $5.00 rebate on these Ultimate batteries, at least until the end of August, 2009. 

Next Best: Energizer Advanced Lithiums

The cheaper AA and AAA Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries were created to appeal to those who needed long lasting power, but could not see their way past the high price of Ultimates. They provide a bit less power than the top of the line, yet, surprisingly, many retailers shamelessly sell them for about the SAME price as Ultimates, apparently believing that people do not know the difference.

They CAN be much cheaper, however. I’ve been getting them for as little as $1.00 each at a local discount chain called Grocery Outlet (in N. CA, USA).  Enlightened Amazon retailers also have good prices, ranging from $4.96 to $5.99 (for a pack of four AA’s), at publishing time.

I have found the performance of AA Energizer Advanced Lithiums to be more than adequate, lasting perhaps 4 times as long as a good quality alkaline set.  For the savvy, Technology-Report reading shopper, they just can’t be beat for the price in high draw digital cameras, high powered GMRS walkie talkes, SteriPen UV water sterilizers and our many other energy greedy devices that just won’t settle for less.  

As a bonus, all Lithium batteries are about a third lighter to carry than Alkalines. For environmental purists, it might be argued that, for high demand applications that require the power and voltage of these one-time use batteries, they are easier on the environment. Long life means that far fewer batteries are used and later tossed into landfills and recycling.     

By John Ghysels

technology Batteries, Best AA Batteriers, Best Batteries, Best Batteries for Digital Cameras, Best Batteries for Walkie Talkies, Digital Cameras, high quality batteries, Longest Lasting Batteries

Original by Joe for the Dell Digital Nomad Blog:

As a digital nomad myself I’ve found that despite the wonders of an “almost always connected” environment there remain challenges in the motivation and attention departments. The ability to do work on the road pretty much from anywhere andactually doing work from anywhere are not – exusing the pun – even remotely the same two things. In fact it is important to be mindful of one of the classic pitfalls of being a digital nomad which is using the power of the ubiquitous workspace to put off “until later” work that is best done from the office – e.g. work that may require paper or personal documents or information histories that are unavailable online.   The ability to work 24/7 should not distract you from the fact you cannot work 24/7, and need to manage your time effectively regardless of your work environment.

Yet the productivity pitfalls for the remote workforce pale next to the productivity advantages. A workforce of digital nomads can use downtime in airports and waiting for meetings to check email, make calls, and conduct other follow ups. Unlike their counterparts who are chained to an office desk at a single location, the digital nomad travels fully equipped to handle most if not all the demands of their job from pretty much any location.  A Customer complaint needs handling in real time? Call them and email follow up online information and links to support the troubleshooting.   Here the customer will be impressed with your “”From the road” response, knowing that you are there for them all the time.   Is a server down?  Remote reboot from a laptop with EVDO card or over coffee at a WiFi hotspot at the coffee shop or airport.

An example of a digitally nomadic benefit I experienced last year came while covering CES 2008 – the massive Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show.  I often worked  from the blogger lounge, using online tools and blogging combined with Treo picture uploads to cover several sessions and product launches almost in real time.  In some ways I was working faster and covering more topics  than most of the thousands of “old school” journalists at the event.

When GM CEO Rick Wagoner released the Cadillac Provoq on the Keynote stage I was one of the first – if not the very first – to have pictures online since I could take the shot and then upload and caption it from my second row seat at the Venetian Ballroom.

In summary I’d suggest that productivity is more a function of the worker and how they are motivated than which tools they choose to use, but certainly companies large and small should always look for the best ways to digitally enable their workforce, empowering them to work effectively … anytime and everywhere.

CES, companies, conferences, internet business, digital nomads