Cut the cords with the Microsoft Xbox 360 Quick Charge Kit

While the for the Microsoft Xbox 360 has been proclaimed by many as the best ever created, gamers were offered few solutions to battery-drain dilemmas. The Microsoft-approved choice, the Play and Charge Kit, sounded well enough in theory; by attaching a cable to your controller and running the other end into one of the system's USB ports, you could continue gaming, albeit with less room to move. Unfortunately, the controller charged only when plugged in--and slowly, at that. A suitable alternative has been provided in the form of the Microsoft Xbox 360 Quick Charge Kit, a docking station for the 360's rechargeable battery pack. The product sells for $30.

The improvements are many; recharging a fully depleted battery pack (one is included with the docking station) in the Quick Charge kit should take about three hours--half the time that the Play and Charge commanded (six hours, which usually extended over multiple gaming sessions). The device can charge two sets of batteries at once; the Play and Charge can hook up to only one controller/battery pack combo at a time. For you environment-friendly gamers, you'll be happy to know that the docking station powers off automatically after the battery packs are fully juiced. For only 10 bucks more than the Play and Charge Kit, the Quick Charge Kit is an excellent alternative. Now you just have to pencil in three non-360 hours a day...

Image sources: Joystiq and DS Fanboy