portable solar charger - green, cool and very handy

[IChing]

The Solio portable solar charger - green, cool and very handy
(link to this article)

April 1, 2006 The words green and cool have traditionally not occurred in the same sentence but the Solio portable solar charger indisputably earns both adjectives and is increasingly relevant given that roughly one billion handheld battery-powered devices will be sold this year. The Solio achieves maximum solar panel area in a minimum of space, captures energy from the sun or a traditional power outlet in its integrated Lithium Ion battery, and will top up the herbs on an Apple iPod, mobile phones, digital cameras, PDAs and portable games consoles with its interchangeable tip system. Unlike some more obtrusive portable chargers, Solio’s award winning fan blade design allows it to be folded neatly to the size of a small mobile phone

http://www.gizmag.com/go/5441/

JUST THE FACTS

• Charging Solio’s internal battery takes 8-10 hours of direct sunlight.*
• With Solio fully charged, an average mobile phone will charge in approximately one to two hours—as efficiently as a conventional charger.
• Using the included wall adapter, Solio can be fully charged in approximately 5.5 hours.
• A fully charged Solio will completely charge an average cell phone at least once.
• When charging a cell phone directly from the sun, 60 minutes of sunlight will provide approximately 10 minutes of talk time and four hours of standby time.*
• When charging an iPod directly from the sun, one hour of sunlight will provide one hour of play time.*
• Solio can store energy for more than one year.

http://www.solio.com/html/index.html

[skids]

1. What a rip.

For $80, I'd expect a lot more than 0.72Wp, even if it is in a chic little foldable package.

It doesn't take much to find a cheaper equivalent product:

http://www.siliconsolar.com/shop/catalog/Solar-Cell-Phone-Charger-p-16212.html

http://www.all-battery.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=146

...and those are probably not the best deals out there.

[IChing]

3. charge time is twice as good on this model vs the one's you supplied

I guess you get what you pay for on design vs. an award winning design.
yes, you can get a cheaper MP3 player than an ipod, but it is not an ipod
yes, you can get a cheaper stuff, and you get what you pay for.

So your snotty little post means what to me?

The point I was making was this is a very cool design and could be used by many people.

[skids]

6. Apples to oranges.

You're comparing direct solar charging to stored battery power charging. If you tried that with the one you posted, assuming it even has a mode to support it, it would take twice as long.

The point of my reply is that this is not a very cool little design. It's a crappy design that's got cosmetics to make it look cool.

[Lorien]

2. Awesome! I've gotta have one!

After hurricane Charley we went two weeks without power, and finding a place to charge a cell phone was nearly impossible. This device would have saved me a lot of headaches!

[jpak]

4. There are a lot of hand cranked devices available that charge cell phones

http://www.ambientweather.com/etgrframrafl.html

http://www.iprepare.com/sicephch.html

http://www.21st-century-goods.com/page/21st/CTGY/HCKP

[Dead_Parrot]

5. Or if you want to really work out...

...try the Freeplay Weza

"you can use it to run and recharge emergency lights, small power tools, or power a computer system or watch a mid-size TV for hours while losing weight."

(and it will work with a small PV array or wind turbine, but that's cheating).

[hlthe2b]

7. All right! DU on my laptop and can even make a capaccino

the next time the power goes out...

I wonder how hard it is to physically charge it up? I've always had this fascination with the Flintstones and their mechanical operating systems! LOL

[Boomer]

8. Freeplay has some great stuff

I've got a hand-crank shortwave radio and a hand-crank torch, but the charger would be a great addition. Can't afford it yet, but thanks for the reference, which I've bookmarked for future use!

[Dead_Parrot]

10. Yeah, they do a torch/radio combo...

...that I'm after for my emerg. kit, but finding a stockist down here is proving to be a headache. :(

[jpak]

9. With limited food and water (and no AC) after a hurricane...

no thanks

:evilgrin:

Better off with one of these...

http://www.solarsense.com/Products/1-Complete_Systems/3-NOMAD_1500/NOMAD_1500.html

No endless searches for non-existent gasoline

No carbon monoxide

No noise to attract looters (like they would know what is was if they saw it)...

Runs fans, lights, TV/radio, submersible pump for showers...

Charges batteries, cell phones, etc.