Philips Develops AAA Battery-Powered Cell Phone

Philips and Energizer have collaborated to produce a cellular phone that would run off a standard 'AAA' battery once the phone's traditional battery runs low. Called the Xenium NRG, the phone also takes advantage of special battery management technology produced by Israeli company Techtium. The battery can be of any brand or type, the company says.

If the battery inserted is rechargeable, when the phone is plugged in to charge both the standard battery and the AAA battery would both be charged. Approximately three extra hours of talk to would be available, the company says. The NRG includes technology that is also used in Energizer's Energi To Go product, a portable cell phone charger introduced last year.