The LTC4059 single-cell lithium-ion linear charger IC discards three discrete power components while fast-charging cells with no risk of system overheating. It monitors and reports the value of the charging current and requires only two discrete components, an input capacitor, and a charge-current programming resistor. With proper layout, it can charge a lithium-ion battery from a 5-V input at up to 900 mA. Pricing starts at $1.35 each in quantities of 1000.
Linear Technology Corp.www.linear.com