Why does this product have so much discussion, and why do so many people on here care ? I'm just very surprised at the # of posts (and now this 1)
I would re-quote every one of the posts above - but just read them again for me...
If you thought this thread was long, just look at the thread that brought this product into the EEVblog forum. (Link given by FrankBuss above.)
It's a classic tale where engineers - or anyone with half an appreciation of the factors involved - took up the challenge to call out the marketing beat-up that was the Batteroo Sleeve.
Now sit back my little munchkins. Snuggle up in your blanky and wrap your hands around that delicious mug of hot chocolate and I'll tell you a story....The entire saga played out over a period of years, with a lack of technical information supplied by Batteroo being filled in by engineering guesses - and the little in the way of numbers supplied by Batteroo relating to battery chemistry held out to the ridicule it deserved. Some of those guesses were based on existing technologies that we fully expected Batteroo to be following and they turned out to be pretty darn close. One that we were
slightly off about was the battery life indicator issue. However, once we had some real data, we were able to make a more accurate statement. Basically, battery life indicators wouldn't be totally useless - they would be
next to useless.
The veil of non-communication smelled awfully like a straight out scam for so long - but we were given teasers that suggested there might be a real product. (We even had some efforts made by members here to create their own prototypes.) Some time later - we actually see a real product!!
When we finally get our hands on them, we find it is exactly what we had guessed it would be - and we did, indeed, congratulate Batteroo for making a
very good effort in the miniaturisation and capabilities (even if there were some questions on the mechanical construction). But even making a very good product didn't get around one fundamental problem ... the chemistry of the batteries to be used in their product just DID NOT HAVE the energy available that Batteroo was claiming to be able to extract. Their marketing claims were, as we call it in Australia, bullshit. Even after "adjusting" some of their claims, it was still bullshit.
Oh, and along the way we got to hear claims of the mysterious involvement of "Big Battery" who were trying to secretly undermine this "threat" to their business. We all thought that was as funny as hell.
There was one brand name that did step in - Eveready - but that had absolutely nothing to do with the product
per se. It was to do with the original name for the product: Batteriser. As I understand it, Eveready felt the audible similarity between "Batteriser" and "Energizer" was enough to cause potential confusion in the marketplace - where the Batteriser might be thought to be part of the Energizer range of product offerings. With this and having a
very good idea of what the Batteriser product would bring to the marketplace, I can completely understand Eveready wanting to have some distance. Also, Batteroo would have gained
some marketing benefit by this. Eveready pursued this and it seems the matter was settled quietly. From that point onward, the product became known as the Batteroo Sleeve. Eveready did, however, show a kindness. They allowed Batteroo to use up materials already manufactured that had "Batteriser" on them, but any new product, packaging and marketing would have to change.
With the product now available, lots of people started doing lots of testing and lots of "testimonials" were offered. Batteroo even had a competition or two going offering prizes for the best testimonials. You can imagine how objective those were. Batteroo claims started becoming more "qualified", but as time went by, the inevitable revelation begins to dawn on even those who really wanted to give the product a red hot go ... the engineers predictions were right.
There are still those who will champion the Batteroo Sleeve, shouting it from the rooftops, demonstrating
this and (claiming to) "prove"
that - but, at the end of the day, the Batteroo Sleeve doesn't come close to the original marketing claims ... and never can. Their product is (dare I say it?) technically admirable, but it cannot extract energy that is simply unavailable.