Power your iPod for up to 8 hours with $5.99 disposable battery

(Credit: Cellboost)

Ick! Did I actually just write a headline with the words "disposable" and "battery"?! Let's see...yep, I did. But before you get your environmentalist dander up, consider: one, I recycle; two, I use compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and three, I have a relevant story to share.

About three years ago, at a CES show in Las Vegas, a PR flack handed me a Cellboost disposable battery for my Treo smartphone. "You never know when you might need it," she winked.

Flash-forward to three weeks ago, when my phone (it's a Centro now, but same difference) ran out of juice and I desperately needed to make a call. I pulled the Cellboost out of the glove compartment, where it had sat, untouched, for three years. No way will this thing have a drop of power left, I thought, not after three boiling summers and three harsh winters.

Long story short: I plugged it into the Centro and presto, instant power. So when I spied an iPod-compatible Cellboost at Buy.com for just $5.99 (shipped!), how could I resist passing it along? Granted, it's an eco-unfriendly solution, but it's compatible with all dockable iPods and promises eight hours of play time. Toss one in your travel bag; you never know when you might need it.

[Seaspray0]

Rick, are the two conditions really related? Making a phone call can be considered a "need" under the right conditions. I believe you used the phrase "desperately needed". Listening to music... go ahead, give me your reason why it's a "need." A "want", sure... A "need", nope. Toss one into my travel bag; I'll never know when I might need it? See above.<br /><br />Yep, you got my environmental dander up with that last line in your article.

[rickbroida]

Okay, but what if it's an iPhone?! Got ya there...<br /><br />No, you're exactly right, and I forgot to make that point in my post: emergency power is important when we're talking about cell phones, but iPods are hardly survival tools. On the other hand, if you're stuck on a 10-hour flight with absolutely nothing else to do, tell me that's not an emergency!

[kentlee71]

I totally agree. Enough of the disposable culture that adds to landfills and poisons our planet.

[GadgetConsumer]

BEWARE of BUY.COM promos. They are currently taking $50 off on a $51 purchase when signing up for a RevolutionCard account. They don't mention that all sales are final when using a coupon. They gave me a return authorization for an unopened product. Buy.com confirmed that they received the product back, and promised a refund to my credit card within 7 business days. 3 weeks later, they said "no refunds" and won't even send the unopened product back to me. <br /><br />If they aren't going to follow their own refund policy, they need to give the merchandise back to the buyer. BUY.com is obviously getting some kind of financial benefit from RevolutionCard. At the very least, they should send back the item to me, and not just keep it, re-sell it, and double their profit. As of this writing, there are over 600 consumer complaints logged with the Better Business Bureau regarding Buy.com?s handling of refunds. Buyers beware!