Alternative and Renewable Energy News and Discussion

Lighten the load with solar-powered devices

By • Mar 14th, 2008 • Category: Feature Topics

Imagine a world where your cell phone or iPod never runs out of power and you can leave all your clunky chargers at home.

I tested three solar-powered devices that aim to make this world a reality: a backpack that lets you charge a variety of devices, a Bluetooth headset and a small, hand-held electronics charger that clips onto your bag. And if the sun isn’t shining, all of these devices can also be charged through conventional means.

Iqua Sun

$100, www.iqua.com.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Bluetooth headsets are an essential accessory for a lot of people, especially business travelers and those who drive a lot. And because many people keep their Bluetooth headsets in their cars, they don’t bring them inside to charge often enough. Iqua, a Finnish company that was founded by former Nokia executives, has created the world’s first solar-powered Bluetooth headset, the Iqua Sun.

It works just like any other Bluetooth headset, but it has a tiny solar cell that extends the headset’s talk and standby time when it is exposed to the sun or any light source. At $100 (or less at Buy.com or Amazon.com), it’s competitively priced with other Bluetooth headsets.

Continue»

is
Email this author | All posts by

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.