Charging via USB has held a special place in my heart ever since I got my SPV C500. It opened a whole new world now filled with iPods and myriad other gizmos all pumped full with electricity from the warmth and comfort of those friendly USB ports.

Most exciting of all these USB devices however is the USB Battery. A classic AA cell concealing a USB connector in the head that lets you charge on the move. I’ve been using them for a year or so now, and they’ve come to the rescue on numerous occasions when the wireless mouse or Maglite has gone on the blink. What can I say, they work. Which is more than the government seem to do, and in my book, that’s good enough.

You can find the official site here.