Solar Powered Portable Charger

[Yankees338]

I'm not trying to endorse this as I have never used it, but I found the concept very cool. I received an email from Buy.com today for this product: a solar-powered mobile device charger that works with some brands of cell phones, iPods, BlackBerrys, and a few unspecified mobile electronics.

I don't know about this product specifically, but it sounds like a really cool idea for future successors and other products that utilize solar energy.

 

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[AroundTheWorld]

hmm. This could come in handy when you are in the middle of the ocean!

 

[Yankees338]

hmm. This could come in handy when you are in the middle of the ocean!

You don't get cell service there anyway, though, right?

 

[hakrjak]

The best application for this device seems to be for back country campers & backpackers. I also like it for students who might spend a lot of time laying out on the quad studying or whatever in the course of a day.

There is a better device though I saw written up in backpacker magazine a few months back. It was a bookbag that has solar panels on it... Another version was a backpacker pack with panels on it, so you could charge while you walk or do whatever without having to spread it all out, etc...

Cheers,

- Hakrjak

 

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[biophase]

I got a small hand held crank charger for my cell phone for camping. Solar panels take way too long and you need sun.

 

[hakrjak]

I got a small hand held crank charger for my cell phone for camping. Solar panels take way too long and you need sun.

Ah yes, I believe I saw that model on Gillighans Island!

- Hakrjak

 

[biophase]

Alot of these products sound good in the store but you really have to think about their usefulness in the real world.

Regarding the solar powered cell phone charger think about when you would really need it. Probably at night in an emergency, or during bad weather like rain and snow. Most likely any time that it is sunny you won't need it.

But you say, you can charge it in the day time. Ok, when you are on vacation, sightseeing and camping do you have time or a place to lay your phone down and let it soak up the sun? Most likely the phone is in your pocket and the solar cells are left in the luggage or backpack.

Thus the reason I got the handcrank. Does it work? Well sort of... You can get enough power to run your phone, but your hands are gonna be sore. But if it was life or death I highly doubt you'd care. It'd be nice if there were two of you so one of you could rest... oh and don't bother trying to charge up a Palm or Blackberry. You'll be pissed at its boot up time when you are manually supplying all the juice. :smug2:

BTW, the backpack one looks decent. I've never used it but its got a decent surface area to collect the sun's rays and at least its charging as you hike around.

 

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[Talkintoy]

It will be nice also for someone to come up with antenna to get signals on hard reception areas. Both charging and antenna booster sounds like a good idea.:smxB: