Archive Page 2

30
Oct

New Canon SLRs Are Making Their Rounds

By electronicswarehouse 1 Comment
Categories: Digital Cameras
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

It wasn’t that many years ago that the prices of digital SLRs were prohibitive for average camera users: unless you were a professional photographer — or at least a very serious photo junkie — chances are, your digital camera was autofocus. And Canon had the perfect consumer-driven answer to this reality: the Elph.

But with the rise of beefed-up camera sensors on smartphones (models like the iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S 2 now boast 8-megapixel cameras and incredibly sophisticated photo imaging software), companies like Canon have been forced to make digital SLRs more affordable in order to offer consumers a step up from what they already get from their favourite smartphones.

The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS is a perfect example of this. According to DigitalTrends, the camera boasts an 8.5 out of 10 rating for quality, performance, and features, with the only “cons” being a slight lack of stability when using a maximum telephoto lens and a less-than-stellar video shooting capability. But those flaw aside, the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS has a fabulous imaging processor — still great even though the camera was released in 2010, as well as an impressive 35x zoom: “This gives you a focal range of a nice wide-angle (24mm) with a telephoto that extends as far as 840mm.” For the money, this is just about the best value-priced digital zoom you’ll find on the market today.

But if you’re looking for a newer Canon SLR model, you’re in luck: Canon is set to release a new model at this year’s expo.

Continue reading ‘New Canon SLRs Are Making Their Rounds’

18
Oct

Sanyo Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries Now Hold Charge For Over Five Years

By electronicswarehouse 0 Comments
Categories: Rechargeable Batteries and Sanyo Eneloop

Sanyo Eneloop AA Rechargeable BatteriesSanyo Eneloop‘s claim that their new generation of rechargeable batteries can hold their charge for five years confirms them to be the industry leaders. But does a shelf life of 5 years make a real difference to the consumer?

It seems that with every passing year, Sanyo Eneloop continues to advance its rechargeable battery technology and keep their products are the forefront of the industry. This year’s newest generation of Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries boast new features and performance specs that improve on previous batteries’ longevity.

According to Gizmodo, on a full charge, “. . . their latest rechargeable nickel-metal hydride AA and AAA Eneloop batteries will retain up to 70% of their capacity after sitting unused for five years.” There’s no doubt that this is an impressive new feature, but like many of the features often touted for rechargeable batteries, the practical application of having rechargeable batteries sit on a shelf for five years and still retain up to 70% of the charge may seem like an empty feature for the practical consumer who, aside from building and outfitting a bomb shelter, would probably have no need for rechargeable batteries to retain their charge for so long. Does it really benefit the average person?

In fact, it does.

Continue reading ‘Sanyo Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries Now Hold Charge For Over Five Years’

06
Oct

Did Apple Improve the Rechargeable Battery on the iPhone 4S?

By electronicswarehouse 0 Comments
Categories: Mobile Gadgets Living, New Product Reviews and Rechargeable Batteries

Apple’s new iPhone 4S uses the same form factor as the old iPhone 4, while boasting some powerful, new components. But did they increase the power of the battery to handle the new performance levels?

This week has been a disappointment for Apple fans worldwide. The announcement of a refreshed iPhone 4S instead of an iPhone 5, together with the death of Steve Jobs, has cast an unusual pall over the usually optimistic glow of Apple. For iPhone users, the death of Steve Jobs perhaps helps to put Cupertino’s decision to merely refresh the iPhone into better context, assuming that his passing will undoubtedly have some short term negative consequences on the image of the company he helped to make so successful.

In spite of the disappointment,  the iPhone 4S is an impressive new iPhone, to be sure, much in the same way that the 3GS improved on the 3G’s design performance-wise. The inclusion of iOS 5 and iCloud, as well as Siri and the A5 processor, all make the iPhone 4S the most powerful, versatile iPhone ever.

Granted, iPhone users really wanted a larger screen more than anything: most of the iPhone’s natural competitors all boast 4″+ screens, and many expected the next iPhone to be an “iPhone 5″ with a larger screen and new form factor. But that’s not what we got. Perhaps one of the reason — from a technical perspective — why Apple was reluctant to increase the iPhone’s screen size this time around was their unwillingness to overhaul the rechargeable better on the iPhone?

From our observations, the iPhone 4S not only borrows the form factor of the iPhone 4 — it also uses essentially the same LiON rechargeable battery pack. Comparing the battery specs for the iPhone and iPhone 4S side by side, they read almost the same: talk time on the 4S up to 8 hours on 3G, up to 14 hours on 2G (GSM), which is a one-hour increase from the iPhone 4 for 3G; video playback up to 10 hours; and audio playback up to 40 hours.

There are, however, some areas where the iPhone 4S has seen a reduction in its battery performance as well. Whereas the iPhone 4′s specs for internet use boasts up to 6 hours on 3G and up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi, the 4S is rated at up to 6 hours on 3G, and up to 9 hours on Wi-Fi. And while the iPhone 4 offers 300 hours of standby time, the iPhone 4S only features “up to 200 hours.”

Why has Apple gone backwards with battery technology on the iPhone 4S?

The answer is simple: they have sacrificed battery power for performance. The A5 chip, iOS 5, and the new Siri Voice Assistant technology all sap the iPhone 4S of its battery juice, in spite of Apple’s impression LiON technology. In particular, the A5 chip really puts a lot of pressure on the battery while the iPhone 4S is on, which is why there is such a dramatic difference in standby times.

It remains to be seen what the unintended consequences will be for the iPhone 4S with less rechargeable battery power. It very well may be that the 4S will have significant rechargeable battery issues, in spite of the fact that Apple is boasting of the A5 chip’s ability to run on a moderate amount of power. And because the iPhone still does not allow users to easily replace the battery, having spare rechargeable batteries for the iPhone 4S is still not an option.

Only time will tell.

Thanks for reading our article! If you’re looking for great deals on rechargeable batteries, be sure to check out Electronics Warehouse! As an added bonus, use promo code EWBLOW at checkout for an additional 10% off your purchase, plus fast, FREE shipping Australia-wide, just for reading this article!

26
Sep

Digital Camera Batteries: How Many Do You Need?

By electronicswarehouse 0 Comments
Categories: Rechargeable Batteries

digital camera batteriesHigh-end digital cameras often comes with a digital camera battery pack. But if you’re an avid photographer, you cannot assume that one of them is enough.

Digital cameras that use AA or AAA rechargeable batteries offer camera users a wonderful option for saving a lot of money. But if you’re looking to invest in a high-end digital camera, you’ll often find that the camera itself comes with a proprietary digital camera battery pack that takes the place of traditional AA and AAA rechargeable batteries. To be sure, digital camera batteries like these tend to be high-quality, and they make recharging easy, since you can often charge them while in the camera itself, or in a proprietary charger.

There’s no doubt that the LiON digital camera batteries that are used in digital camera battery packs are high-quality and high-performance. But is one digital camera battery pack enough for your photo-taking needs?

It really depends on the digital camera, battery pack, and your level of enthusiasm for photography. As a rule, digital camera batteries discharge whether you are taking a photos or not. For this reason, you could take 300 photos with a camera battery pack one day, recharge it, and then only be able to take 100 photos with the same pack over the course of using the camera over the course of a week. Ironically, if you’re taking lots of photos in a shorter amount of time, you’re likely to get more endurance out of a fully charged digital camera battery pack than you are if you’re using it on and off over the course of a long duration.

It also depends on the digital camera.

Continue reading ‘Digital Camera Batteries: How Many Do You Need?’

12
Sep

Canon Digital Camera Batteries Among Highest Quality In Industry

By electronicswarehouse 0 Comments
Categories: Digital Cameras

Canon digital camera batteriesThe world’s leading digital camera company also continues to lead when it comes to making digital camera batteries. Read why Canon digital cameras are a worthy investment based on their batteries alone.

In this world of mobile electronics, one thing is for certain: mobile gadgets are only as good as the rechargeable batteries that are in them. That is an obvious truth when it comes to laptops, smartphones, and tablet computers, but it’s also true for digital cameras as well. Few people realise the amount of processing power and energy needed to snap a digital photo — that is, until they see their batter power draining by the second.

Many digital cameras on the market today allow users to utilise AA and AA rechargeable batteries, which makes it easy to charge up a few rounds of battery power for an extend day of photography. But there are just as many digital camera manufacturers who opt for a proprietary digital camera battery instead. Usually accompanied by a proprietary battery charger, the perception is that a battery pack is always a more high-quality option than using AA rechargeable batteries. But that is not always the case — even digital camera batteries can offer lackluster power performances.

cannon batteries

Fortunately for Canon digital camera users, their battery packs are just as high quality as their cameras.

All of the Canon digital camera batteries feature next-generation LiON rechargeable battery technology — the same kind used in Apple products and most smartphone devices. While NiMH is still the gold standard used in AA and AA rechargeable batteries, LiON is fast becoming the technology of choice for high-end mobile electronics — and Canon has been sure to invest in this technology for all of its top-end digital cameras and camcorders.

Ranging from 1050 mAh to as high as 1800 mAh, the Canon digital camera batteries offer some of the highest capacity on the market today. In addition, their battery packs can be charged up to 1000 without suffering from the dreaded “memory effect” that other cheaper digital camera batteries suffer from. Together with the fact that Canon digital camera batteries are environmentally friendly, with no Mercury, Cadmium or Lead, they offer avid photographers and camera enthusiasts a great solution for getting the most out of their Canon digital cameras.

The only problem with Canon digital camera batteries is that Canon only gives you one of them with your new digital camera. For as much as they offer unparalleled performance, if you’re planning on doing a lot of photography, you’ll most definitely want to charge up one or two spare battery packs. This is especially true if you’re going to be shooting a lot of video, since it uses considerably more power than snapping photos.

What’s remarkable is that you can now pick up spare digital camera batteries that work flawlessly with Canon digital cameras ranging from AUD $20 to $40, depending on your digital camera model. It’s a small price to pay for doubling down on your battery power!

Thanks for reading our article! Did you know that Electronics Warehouse now carries a wide range of Canon digital camera batteries? Plus, as an added bonus, you can use promo code EWBLOG for 10% off your purchase, plus fast, FREE shipping Australia wide, but for reading this article!

04
Sep

Sanyo Eneloop AA Battery Chargers Lead the Market In Quality, Features

By electronicswarehouse 0 Comments
Categories: Battery charger and Sanyo Eneloop

Sanyo Eneloop‘s industry leading AA rechargeable batteries are only rivaled by their accompanying AA battery chargers. Take a look at two of the leading models of Sanyo Eneloop AA battery chargers on the market today.

When investing in rechargeable batteries, buying the batteries themselves is only the beginning: while you may need to invest in dozens of batteries for whatever battery-dependent hobby of yours may be, it is important to not overlook the importance of a high-quality battery charger. Fortunately for the consumer, most of the top rechargeable battery companies not only sell batteries in packs, but also in tandem with battery chargers as well.

Particularly if you’re looking to invest in AAs, you’ll want to take a look at Sanyo Eneloop’s products. Sanyo Eneloop is by far the product leader in the consumer rechargeable battery industry. Just to give you an idea of how solid they are: Apple uses Sanyo Eneloop for their own apple-branded batteries for some of their battery-powered peripherals. Continue reading ‘Sanyo Eneloop AA Battery Chargers Lead the Market In Quality, Features’

27
Aug

NiMH Rechargeable Batteries Versus “Instant” Rechargeable Batteries

By electronicswarehouse 0 Comments
Categories: Rechargeable Batteries and Sanyo Eneloop

Read how giving people a pre-charged option for buying NiMH rechargeable batteries changed the industry forever — and what the real differences are between standard and “instant” rechargeable batteries.

For the decades that NiCad rechargeable batteries were king, one of the main reasons why they failed to catch on in mainstream popularity were the fact that many consumers couldn’t be bothered to charge them initially. While NiCad rechargeable battery technology was toxic and clumsy compared to today’s NiMH rechargeable batteries, it was nothing more than the fact that NiCads didn’t come pre-charged in their packs. Simply put, batteries are often purchased on an as-needed basis, making an uncharged pack of rechargeable batteries unhelpful for many consumers who are not shrewd enough to plan their battery useage schedule.

It is for this reason why, in today’s consumer electronics market, more and more NiMH rechargeable battery manufacturers are offering pre-charged or ” “instant” alternatives to their standard rechargeable batteries. Now, when your digital camera is completely dead, or if you’re an organisation who recently invested in a large quantity of devices that all need AA rechargeable batteries, you can now go to the store and pick up NiMH rechargeable batteries that offer both the “instant gratification” of alkalines with the longevity of rechargeables. It was the rechargeable battery industry’s way of further competing with the immediacy of disposable alkaline batteries.

Now that the choice between pre-charged and standard rechargeable batteries exists, which ones are better?

Vapex’s AA rechargeable batteries offer the best comparison. In price, they are generally identical — you can pick them up on EW’s website for AUD$14.99 a 4-pack. So, if the prices are the same, why would anyone buy the un-chanrged over the pre=charged? The answer has to do with battery capacity and mAh.

All rechargeable battery companies are careful to make sure that they give their standard NiMH rechargeable batteries a bit more capacity than their pre-charged counterparts, as an incentive for investing in them over the instants. Using the Vapex example, they just recently released an upgrade of their instant model — they now have a quite impressive Instant AA 2500mAh NIMH Rechargeable Battery option. These Vapex “instant rechargeable batteries” actually feature more mAh than even Sanyo Eneloop’s competing model.

But for as impressive as this may be, Vapex’s standard AA Rechargeable Batteries are 2900 mAh. So, what you lack in an instant charge, you make up for in capacity.

To be sure, the set-up for standard NiMH rechargeable batteries can take much longer. Imagine, for example, that you need to buy several dozen AA rechargeable batteries for a set of new walkie talkies. It could take you days to charge all of them, which may not be an option if you need them to work straight away. In this case, you’re going to probably want to go with instants.

In the end, the decision on whether to buy instant or standard rechargeable batteries will depend on how important mAh is in your purchase, and how much time you have to charge them (if any at all).

21
Aug

Rechargeable Batteries & mAh: What a Higher mAh Means For Your Digital Camera

By electronicswarehouse 0 Comments
Categories: Mobile Gadgets Living, Rechargeable Batteries and Sanyo Eneloop

Sanyo Eneloop AA Rechargeable BatteriesWhen researching rechargeable batteries, the term “mAh” gets bandied about quite often. Read about how a higher mAh can have a tremendous impact on the performance of electronics like digital cameras.

Anyone who owns a digital camera — particularly one that takes AA batteries as its power supply — knows that they have the capacity to suck battery power like a vampire. It is not uncommon for a digital camera to completely drain its batteries after just an hour of heavy use, which often comes at the most inopportune times, leaving you with no digital camera when you need it the most.

If you rely on AA rechargeable batteries for your digital cameras, then the most important consideration is investing in rechargeable batteries with the right mAh. Of course, if you have no idea what mAh is, then it might be a bit confusing to determine what level of mAh you need for digital camera, and why.

Rechargeable Batteries and mAh

“mAh” stands for “milliampere-hour.” But if that definition is somewhat lost on you, then think of it another way: mAh is all about battery capacity — kind of like the size of the petrol tank on your AA rechargeable batteries. So, it is easy to imagine that the higher the mAh on your AA rechargeable batteries, the higher performance for your digital camera.

Vapex Instant AA 2500mAh NIMH Rechargeable Batteries

However, it can be particularly helpful in understanding the battery draw of your digital camera when you go shopping for rechargeable batteries, and determining if you’ve got the capacity you need for the kind of camera and picture taking you normally engage in.

What Components on a Digital Camera Use the Most Power?

Simply put, there is no set answer to this question, since digital camera features vary from model to model, and depending on the performance level of the digital camera, you’ll need to take that into consideration when shopping for rechargeable batteries. The good news is that, for the vast majority of digital cameras, they draw very little power when simply turned on — most cameras have idle currents of 1 mA.

However, it is all the “bells and whistles” on a digital camera that start to push the levels of power that drain rechargeable batteries. Actions like encoding a JPEG, manipulating sensor data, driving the LCD screen, or charging the flash, all draw high currents. And considering that these are commonplace operations on all digital cameras, you can begin to imagine why your rechargeable batteries drain so easily.

rechargeable batteries in a digital cameraHow Much Juice Does a Digital Camera Need?

Let’s go back to the definition of “mAh,” and hot it relates to your digital camera’s performance. Think of it this way: if the rating of your rechargeable batteries is 2500 mAh, then you can draw 100 milliamps for 25 hours, or 50 milliamps for 50 hours etc. When you think of your digital camera “idling,” then you’d imagine that you could get a lot of endurance out of rechargeable batteries rated at 2500 mAh. However, this would only be when a camera is  in standby mode. When you’re running all of your camera’s components, it is more realistic to pull about 200 mAh, and when you take a picture, it can draw anywhere between 1.2 and 2A!

The best approach is to invest in the highest mAh possible for your digital camera’s rechargeable batteries. Vapex’s 2500 mAh instant rechargeable batteries are a great value, and come pre-charged. Sanyo Eneloop‘s pre-charged AA rechargeable batteries are rated a bit lower at 2300 mAh and priced a bit higher, but their production quality can make up for the slightly lower rating, with Sanyo Eneloop claiming their AA’s can take up to 500 photos.

Thanks for reading our article! Did you know that Electronics Warehouse is the leading online retailer in Australia for Vapex and Sanyo Eneloop AA rechargeable batteries? Plus, as an added bonus, use promo code EWBLOG for 10% off your order, plus fast, FREE shipping Australia-wide, just for reading this article. Take a look!

08
Aug

RC Batteries or Nitro/Petrol-Power for Remote Control Cars? The Answer Is Simple

By electronicswarehouse 0 Comments
Categories: RC Car Batteries

rc batteryWhen investing in a hobbyist-grade remote controlled car, buyers are often confused as to whether to invest in a car powered by an rc battery or by petrol/nitro. But when you compare the two options, the choice is clear for most racers.

If you walk into any toy store today, you’ll be amazed at some of the affordable remote controlled cars and trucks available as “toys.” While most of these cars and trucks appear to be the same size, scale, and performance level of a hobbyist-grade remote controlled car, early enthusiasts quickly learn that moving up to a more advanced remote controlled car has a lot of benefits. Namely, broken parts can be replaced, tires, motors, and other components can be changed out and modified, and the overall performance can be greatly improved.

However, when you’re ready to move up the next level of remote controlled car, what are you going to invest in — a car powered by rc batteries, or by nitro/petrol?

If you’re coming from a pre-assembled “toy” remote controlled car — even if it is a premium model — the temptation of investing in a nitro/petrol-powered can be temping. They are, after all, among the most high performance remote control car designs, and they perform much more like a real car than a battery-powered remote controlled car.

However, there are also some prohibitive factors to building and racing a ntro/petrol-powered remote controlled car as well. For one, fuel costs a lot of money these days: regular petrol is through the roof, and nitro is even worse — it can run upwards of AUD $40 a gallon! Granted, petrol-powered remote controlled cars burl fuel at a much faster pace than nitro-powered ones, but in either case, fueling your car will be an ongoing cost for your hobby, not to mention that fuel-powered cars and trucks are among the most expensive remote controlled vehicles.

Something else to consider is the safety of running a car that uses petrol or nitro, both of which are highly explosive. Many RC enthusiasts like to do their hobby with their children, making it a bit dubious to have flammable, explosive fuel mixing with what is otherwise a toy that children will be prone to want to play with.

NiMH rc battery packs, however, offer a must more cost-effective means of powering your remote controlled car.

With an rc battery pack, you can take advantage of being able to quickly change out spent battery packs on the fly when you’re racing your car. And because rc batteries provide DC power, there is no major risk to handling rc batteries, which means that you can use them around your kids without any problems.

It is true that an rc battery-powered remote controlled car performs less like a real automobile, but in some ways, it might make it easier for you to switch from a beginner’s model remote controlled car to a professional model, since it will respond similarly to what you’re already used to. With a petrol or nitro-powered car, pulling the trigger revvs the engine, much like depressing the accelerator pedal in your car. This means that the acceleration of your car will not respondind immediately like it will with an rc battery pack.

Finally, you simply cannot beat the price comparison between rc battery packs and petrol/nitro. We’ve already demonstrated the lofty prices of fuel. Rc batteries, on the other hand, run anywhere between AUD $20 and $35,00, which means that you can easily invest in a few rc battery packs and charge them cyclically while racing.

It may be tempting to invest in a very high performance petrol/nitro racer. But when it comes to price value, performance, and safety, an rc battery-powered racer is the most obvious choice.

 

Thanks for reading our article! Hey, did you know that Electronics Warehouse carries a wide range of NiMH rechargeable rc batteries at great prices? Plus, as an added bonus, use promo code EWBLOG for an additional 10% off your purchase, plus fast FREE shipping Australia wide, just for reading this blog. Act now!

30
Jul

A Beginner’s Guide To Everything You Need to Know About RC Cars and Trucks

By electronicswarehouse 0 Comments
Categories: RC Car Batteries

RC bnatteriesMany people are interested in RC cars and trucks, but they don’t know where to start.

The first thing you need to know about RC cars, is there are three main types available. There is electric, nitro/gas, and truck that is available in electric or nitro. The RC cars you get at a regular store are called “toy grade” and the ones you purchase on a website are called “hobby grade.” Beginners and professionals alike can use hobby grade cars because they are built to last longer than the toy grade cars.

You can purchase an RC car that is RTR (ready-to-run) or an assemble it yourself kit. Many believe that RTR cars are slower than assemble-it-yourself cars. However, RTR vehicles can reach speeds of up to 80 miles per hour and come in nitro-fueled and electric powered types. If you want to go the assemble-it-yourself route, you should purchase a car that is fully customizable. Some brands to look at are; Tamiya, Kyosho, Team Losi, HPI Racing, and Team Associated. Home users and professional RC drivers use brands like these all the time.

RTR vehicles are good for beginners, but sooner or later, you will have to replace something on the vehicle. You might run into some problems because you aren’t too familiar about where certain parts go. If you start out with an assemble-it-yourself, you will know where parts go and it will be easier to replace parts when the time comes. Continue reading ‘A Beginner’s Guide To Everything You Need to Know About RC Cars and Trucks’

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