Charged in a flash

I had a debate the other day about whether it's better to have a device that takes standard batteries, or whether it's better to have a device that is rechargeable. Apparently the fact that the Flip video takes normal batteries is a good thing.

However, I prefer rechargeable. I don't like spending money on batteries. Yes, I could buy rechargeable AA/AAA batteries if I wanted to, but I still have to buy them, actually part with my cash. And then I also have to buy the charger.

Sure - I pay for the electricity used to recharge my devices' lithium-ion battery, but that never feels like real money.

The only time it's annoying for me is if I've forgotten to do it. Like Saturday night, heading out for a party and I'd not charged the battery on my camera. I plugged it in to squeeze in as much power as I could before it was time to leave and fortunately it was just enough.

So the news that boffins at MIT are working on a way to manufacture lithium-ion batteries so that they can be charged in a flash is music to my ears.

Even my Zen has been lying dormant in my handbag for four days now - if I could just give it a quick blast and be up and running again I'm sure life would taste that little bit sweeter.

Wow us consumers are impatient! I want it faster, better, quicker, and I want it to cost less, look better, double up as a calculator/music player/camera/phone/TV/car. Make it so.