PixlBit

The Energizer Flat Panel 4x Induction Charging System is an interesting little device that gives players the ability to charge up their Wii Remotes without even plugging in a wire, or switching out batteries. Induction charging, for those unfamiliar, is a form of wireless energy transfer that works with electromagnets.

As you might imagine, this system provides for a slick and simple way to charge all of the batteries for your Wii Remotes. Included in the package are four battery packs which include the battery door casing, as well as the induction mat which is not much bigger than about five Wii Remotes laid side-by-side.

Players need only to attach the battery packs to the Wii Remotes and lay them on the mat to charge. This means players can position the mat in an inconspicuous location and upon completing play for the day, place the Wii Remotes on the mat to charge when not in use. Because induction charging uses electromagnets, players will know they placed the Wii Remote in the proper location as the mat pulls the battery pack towards a particular location.

While the battery packs do take a while to charge, they seem to hold a charge for an extremely long time. After my first full charge, I was able to play continuously for three hours without even a one bar reduction in charge, according to the Wii. Of course, the charge is a bit slow compared to normal rechargeable batteries, but this is a reasonable trade-off given the ease of use.

Another nice feature of the battery packs are their weight. Compared to another set of Energizer rechargeable batteries I normally use, the included battery packs are about half the weight, making the Wii Remote a bit lighter.

While the system is nice and quite functional, value is a key factor. Currently, a four pack of Energizer rechargeable batteries cost about $13 at Amazon and a kit with 2 AA batteries and the recharger go for about $20 at Walmart.com. This means that players would still only have enough batteries for 3 Wii Remotes, and the price would already be about $33. The Energizer Flat Panel 4x Induction Charging System has a suggested retail price of $49.99.

Though this kit is a bit more expensive and lacks the versatility of general rechargeable batteries, the convenience factor makes it worth the few extra dollars. This holds especially true for families with only a Wii system in their house who have no use for general rechargeable batteries outside of their Wii Remotes.

The only true frustration with the whole system are the custom battery packs included. Because they have the battery casing door attached to them, players can not use the packs for any other system's controller, like the WaveBird, for instance. Furthermore, if the clip happens to break, players will need to tape the pack into place in order to continue to use it. Clearly the door was included in order to limit the usefulness of the battery packs which is unfortunate considering how well designed the entire system is.

Nevertheless, players looking for a solid charger sporting cutting edge induction techonology needn't look further than the Energizer Flat Panel 4x Induction Charging System. Given its form factor and ease of use, the system can easily find an inconspicuous place in a media cabinet in players' living rooms.