Some posts here about Lithium-Ion rechargeables (not the plain Lithium batteries) have led me to the conclusion that people like us - the gadget heads - have to make the the manufacturers take notice. We need equipment that uses standard batteries and standard power sources.

To this end, I'm proposing that we form the informal "AA or No Way" club - a groud dedicated to RESISTING the urge to buy small electronics that use oddball, proprietary battery sizes.

When you see that cool light and it uses "J" cells - RESIST!
When that GPS you want to buy uses 7 "N" cells - RESIST!
If someone shows you a wonderful little AM/FM/SW/Weather Radio and it uses 3 "AAAA" cells - RESIST!

Maybe it's not just "AA" or no way -maybe we can include other sizes like "AAA" or "D" - but seriously -the "militarized" version of most electronics you can buy is almost always modified to use - you guessed it - "AA" batteries.

If you've ever travelled to a 3rd world nation and you want something that's basically a local currency, you can use booze, cigarettes or - AA batteries.

A depleted "AA" Cell makes a nice projectile for an improvised spud-gun like contraption you can make with a bic lighter and some easily found pipe. (I know this for a fact).

We can start another discussion on the 1,200 tips and 800 voltages used for transformers and chargers...but for now "AA or No Way" is the route for me.