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I repeat: The battery is easily replaceable. You do not have to buy a new controller when the batter goes and if it's a low bat issue you can charge it with a USB cord. I don't see where the problem is unique to the controller? All bettery powered devices have issues when run at low power levels. In fact it will break most devices eventually by running at marginal battery power levels. The only time I forsee you replacing the batter for any legitimate reason is either the battery was defective or the battery died. Meaning it came to the end of it's life cycle. Both of which just requires a bat replacement.

The point is it isn't easily replaceable. It would take me longer to get the screwdriver to disassemble the Sixaxis (just to access the battery) than it would to swap out batteries in either the 360 or the Wii-mote. On that note, he was complaining about it acting up AFTER 6 HOURS. I bought a pack of these and my Wiimote runs flawlessly for over 50 hours. When it does get low on power it takes seconds to replace them.

The Sixaxis suffers from those 2 fundimental design flaws. It's battery isn't readily user replaceable (like a cell phone battery, or a TV remotes, etc... no matter how simple the process may be it actually requires disasembly to do it) and it has a short amount of time where it runs well without being recharged.

Those Sanyo 2700 mAH batteries, I take it you're refering to the "Superlattice Alloy" types? They been performing well for you? I bought 8 of them, but they lose their charge over a timespan of 2 to 3 weeks, while lying on the shelf. However, I assume it's because of the crappy Memorex charger I charged them in the first couple of weeks (didn't have a decent charger back then, and it said on the charger that it was suitable for NiCd and NiMH, so I went with that). Now, no matter what I do to them in my Ansmann charger that does a great job on the included 2300 mAH batteries, I can't seem to get those Sanyos to perform. They're still OK for high drain applications, but not for long term storage while not in use.

Long story short, at first I thought that it must've been some annoying trait of NiMH batteries, but when the new batteries that came with the Ansmann charger proved me wrong, I started suspecting I might've overcharged them with the old crappy charger... If you can confirm those batteries actually work great for you, then I can safely assume this to be the case. In which case: does anyone here know a way to revive NiMH batteries that have been overcharged and/or undercharged a couple of times too many?

My Olympus C4040Z will drain a new set of 4 AA's within a few minutes if I leave the LCD on, so I do most of my composing in the tiny optical viewfinder.

It sounds like either your camera is defective or your batteries are garbage. My Olympus C-5050 can go for at least 2 or 3 hours on a single set of 2200mAh batteries, and my old Casio QV-2000 could last around 2 hours on a set of 1550s, all with the LCD on constantly. Even my Apple QuickTake 200 could get a half an hour or so out of a set of alkalines. Maybe you should try some of these.

• Buy a "smart" charger. This is important - you want a charger that will provide just a trickle of juice when the batteries become fully charged. This way, you don't have to worry about removing the batteries from the charger after X number of hours. Maha makes fantastic smart chargers. The C401FS is really nice - I have its older brother, the C204F.
• Go for the highest mAH rating possible, unless you're using the batteries in something like a mini flashlight or remote control. I bought the green Sanyo 1600 mAH "industrial grade" AA batteries three years ago and they have been exceptional performers. Sanyo now has 2100 mAH batteries, and here Here are some more good ones (2200 mAH).
• NiMH batteries can cause problems with things like flashlights -- they work best in electronic devices such as digicams. I have a couple of Mini Maglites (that take 2 AA batts), and have found that the bulbs burn out much more quickly when using NiMH batteries. The documentation that comes with the new bulbs mentions that, too.

• Buy a "smart" charger. This is important - you want a charger that will provide just a trickle of juice when the batteries become fully charged. This way, you don't have to worry about removing the batteries from the charger after X number of hours. Maha makes fantastic smart chargers. The C401FS is really nice - I have its older brother, the C204F.
• Go for the highest mAH rating possible, unless you're using the batteries in something like a mini flashlight or remote control. I bought the green Sanyo 1600 mAH "industrial grade" AA batteries three years ago and they have been exceptional performers. Sanyo now has 2100 mAH batteries, and here Here are some more good ones (2200 mAH).
• NiMH batteries can cause problems with things like flashlights -- they work best in electronic devices such as digicams. I have a couple of Mini Maglites (that take 2 AA batts), and have found that the bulbs burn out much more quickly when using NiMH batteries. The documentation that comes with the new bulbs mentions that, too.

Best charger that I've found in the US:

MAHA POWEREX MH-C204F

As everyone keeps saying... NiMH's are the best option for everyday use. I would recomend MAHA, LENMAR, or GP batteries as they hold the highest charge(up to 2300 mAH AA's).

If your looking for a online store with the best battery selection, check out
www.nimhbattery.com

they have every type and size you could ever need.

cheers!

Thomas Distributing

I've heard good things about them from digital camera people.

Check here for a good supplier for NiMH batteries and chargers. I don't work for them and I actually purchased my Ray-o-vac 1 hour charger and batteries from Walmart, but nimhbattery has a much better selection of batteries and chargers.

Some things I have learned about NiMH stuff:
- Buy a good charger. Cheap chargers ( probably first gen) generally work by timer not actual battery condition. The Radio Shack fast charger almost cooked a new set of batteries for me.

- Get second generation batteries, they are properly vented for the fast chargers and have higher current capacity ( 1800-2000mAh for AA size).

- Get a charger that matches your needs, even if you have to pay more. My current charger allows home or mobile charging (12v cig lighter plug) which is great for digital camera use. I bought three other cheaper chargers and regret the purchases, features and quality will actually be important.

- Don't let other people borrow your charger or batteries, you may never see them again. If you do let someone borrow your batteries, then make sure you explain that they should not discard them after they are discharged. Don't ask!

Let me guess, you're trying to use alkalines in your digital camera, right? If so, then don't blame the batteries for your mistake. With decent (1400-1600mAH) NiMH batteries you can usually get at least an hour or two of continuous use out of most digital cameras. When they run down, you just swap them out and recharge them. Two sets of batteries and a good charger (like the Maha C204F) can easily meet your power needs with a digital camera for about 500 charges each. In my experience, the Microdrive has had very little impact on battery life - I can still get between 50 and 100 pictures with the LCD on continuously and normal flash, zoom, and autofocus use. For batteries and chargers, go to Thomas Distributing. You may also want to look at the Batteries message board at the Digital Camera Resource Page or Andy Baird's batteries page.