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I am barraged by ads on FB that attempt to cell me rechargeable batteries with USB ports on them (to be charged through).
The slogan is something like "Stop buying single-use batteries!", as though the only thing preventing the use of rechargeable batteries is the need for a charging station.
And the USB receptacle takes up volume that would otherwise be used by the battery medium itself. Resulting in lower capacity (mAh) for these batteries versus standard rechargeable batteries. That already deliver lower mAh per charge than a single-use battery does in its lifetime, at lower voltages (sometimes too low for electronics).
I know I'm an engineer, but do their customers really not get anything about, well, the insides being smaller than the outsides, and basic ideas like that?
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These might produce better (higher storage capacity/volume) batteries, and that would be wonderful.
From what I've seen, the AA batteries with built-in USB-C charging port are generally lithium-ion. I think they tend to include the port because they can't be charged in standard NiMH chargers. Also, because Li-ion cells are > 1.5 volts, they consist of a single cell plus a voltage converter. Since they already need integrated electronics, there's less sacrifice to make the voltage step-down bidirectional to integrate charging.
You can get Li-ion AA batteries without the integrated charging though; just means you need a charger made for them.
> Jonathan Geurkink, senior emerging-tech analyst at PitchBook, says it’ll be easier to gauge success in the solid-state battery business once a maker begins shipping products at volume.
No shit Sherlock?
“It will be easier for me to tell you how successful a product is once it’s already shipping”