Tethercell turns AA batteries into Bluetooth devices

Tetherboard calls the Tethercell "the world's first app-enabled smart battery." Wait, don't fall asleep, this is actually pretty cool.

A Tethercell battery is the size of a regular AA battery, but it holds an AAA battery inside its little case. It also holds a Bluetooth chip inside the case. Think of it as a battery turducken. This means you can use your smartphone to control the battery. Oh the power. You can turn off little Billy's toy guitar when you want to take a nap. You can disable your spouse's remote control when you can't stand another second of mindless channel-flipping. You can even set hours when a device can be used.

Basically, Tetherboard is dragging old devices kicking and screaming into a new age of smartphone control. Take that, Teddy Ruxpin. This could also be a life-saver for parents who unwisely bought their kids Furbies. On a more practical front, the Tethercell could eventually be used to warn you when a battery is about to run out of juice, saving you from your smoke alarm's obnoxious low-battery wails at 4 in the morning.

Source: ces.cnet.comAdded: 10 January 2013