Product Description

Recharge your Xbox 360 Wireless Controller while you play and kiss disposable batteries goodbye! Complete with a charging cable and rechargeable battery pack, the Xbox 360 Play and Charge Kit is all you need to juice up your Wireless Controller - even in the midst of battle.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #240 in Video Games
• Brand: Microsoft
• Model: 882224035385
• Released on: 2006-06-15
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 1.50" h x 5.25" w x 7.00" l, .55 pounds

Features

• Recharge while you play Don't miss a thing! Recharge while you play or when your Xbox 360 is in standby mode.
• Know your battery levelYou'll always know your battery levethe battery fuel gauge is shown on the Xbox 360 dashboard.
• 25 hours of gameplay per chargeGo at it all night long. The rechargeable battery pack provides over 25 hours of gameplay per charge.
• Battery pack needs to be left plugged in to the unit and not used for 5 to 6 hours when the Play & Charge Kit is used for the first time.
• The Battery Pack will continue to build up the lifespan the more the pack is charged.

Customer Reviews

Not true....
You DO NOT have to have the Xbox 360 powered up to charge your controller. Simply plug the cable in while the console is on, and then shut down the machine. It will charge using a trickle charge concept. However, you MUST connect the cable to the console before powering down the system.

Essential component and does NOT require the Xbox 360 to be on to recharge
This component is essential for the Xbox 360 to save on batteries.

However, you do not need to keep the Xbox 360 on while it is recharging. Simply plug your charger into the controller and into the Xbox 360 while the Xbox is on, and then turn it off.

Microsoft's directions can be found here:

Charge the battery pack
Charge your Xbox 360 Rechargeable Battery Pack before the first use and when it is depleted.
To charge the battery pack using the charge cable
1. Press the tab on the top of the AA battery pack and pull down to detach it from the controller.
2. Insert the rechargeable battery pack into the battery compartment on the controller and push in to lock.
Note To avoid pinching your fingers when you insert the battery pack, push only on the flat surface of the battery pack.
3. Turn on the Xbox 360 console.
Note If you try the below steps without turning the console on, the battery pack will not charge.
4. Connect the charge cable to the charge port on the front of the controller.
Important Do not connect the charge cable without a rechargeable battery pack or AA battery pack installed. This can damage the controller.
5. Connect the charge cable to a controller port.
6. You can now leave the console on or turn it off. In both instances, the light on the charge cable will glow red to indicate the battery is charging. When the light switches to green or off, the battery pack is fully charged.


Enjoy!

Alternatives to Disposable Batteries.
This product does what it says it does rather well, and this is a great option for those who don't mind having to turn their wireless controller into a wired controller every so often. However, I would humbly suggest an alternative to this product for those of you who want to always play wirelessly.

Buy a pack of NiMH rechargeable batteries. They have a couple of advantages over the Play & Charge Kit.

ALWAYS WIRELESS: No more having to connect your controller to your console whenever your controller runs out of juice.

LONGER BATTERY LIFE: Please excuse the technical jargon ahead. Strictly speaking, Microsoft's first-party battery packs have a relatively low energy capacity of 1800mAh. You can buy rechargeable batteries with a capacity of 2500mAh, which will last up to 50% longer than the Play & Charge battery pack. There are also some 2700mAh batteries out there if you must have the maximum battery life possible. So in the end you get more play time, less charging time, and, ultimately, your batteries will serve you longer.

CHEAPER PRICE: You can buy a pack of 4 rechargeable batteries (enough for 2 controllers) for the same price as one official Xbox 360 battery pack. You can also get 4 batteries plus a charger for a price comparable to that of a Play & Charge kit (I paid $20 for my charger and 4 batteries).

The only real trade-off between using the Play & Charge kit and using rechargeable batteries is that instead of plugging the controller into the Xbox 360 you have to physically replace the batteries by hand. But that takes, what, 30 seconds to do? I'd rather do that than turn my wireless controller into a wired controller for the next couple of hours.

HELPFUL TIP: I suggest you buy 4 rechargeable batteries for every one wireless controller you own, and keep the additional batteries charged. That way when your controller runs out of juice you will ALWAYS have a fresh pair of batteries ready to use, and your drained batteries can be put in the charger while you continue to enjoy your wireless gaming goodness.