Apple rechargeables smarter than average AAs

The Apple Battery Charger has a power-management system that cuts the power when AA batteries are fully charged to nearly eliminate the vampire draw. The charger draws 30 milliwatts once batteries are full, compared with 315 milliwatts for other nickel-metal hydride rechargeables, Apple said.The charger kit costs $29 and includes six Apple batteries, which Apple says will last hundreds of charges and up to 10 years. The charger can work in other countries and with other rechargeable batteries, too. Powering peripherals, such as the mouse or newly introduced Magic Trackpad, directly from a PC's energy supply could very well be more energy-efficient. But clearly, using rechargeable batteries is far more environmentally sound and cost-efficient than buying fresh AA batteries every few months and tossing out the depleted ones. On top of it, the Apple Battery Charger is built for long use, which is the best way to design consumer goods.