So there are already rechargeable batteries, and there are already solar power devices to charge batteries, but what if you could make a rechargeable battery that was completely self contained, that all you had to do was put it in the window, and let it charge? → Read More
Recently, many companies have announced green initiatives and recycling programs. LG is following suit and has announced its own green products and initiatives under its a new slogan: “Life’s Good When It’s Green.” We saw the beginnings of this with their big solar and wind charger at CES. → Read More
One of the major issues with solar panels is the cost. Since they require some pretty advanced technology to manufacture, it’s not so easy to make them cost-effective. So when you consider that in some cases it can take literally years to pay back the investment, justifying the purchase can be a bit problematic. → Read More
Although it’s pretty certain that every major car manufacturer has “plans” to develop a solar-powered vehicle, Toyota appears to be actually putting out PR about it. According to the Nikkei, they’ve got plans for what is likely a Prius augmented by solar panels on it and elsewhere, and later for a solar-only vehicle as well. → Read More
I suppose this is one of those “trickle-up” technologies, where it first is found in places that need it, like Africa and India, and then everywhere else in the world once the idea is proven practicable. This tech has made its way to Istanbul so far. I know that whenever there’s a big storm in Seattle, the city grinds to a halt, not because people don’t know how to drive in… → Read More
Asura just opened the first-of-its-kind thermal energy plant in California, which should generate enough electricity to power some 3,500 homes. The best part is that this plant, which is named Kimberlina, is merely a proof of concept of sorts— the real plant, to be constructed by 2010, will generate enough electricity to power, like, 120,000 homes. The idea is dead simple: you’ve got… → Read More
I can honestly say that I’d buy one of these things, but don’t the Solio solar chargers do the same thing? Oh, yeah, they do. Nevermind. → Read More
I dislike cases for phones as much as I loathe Bluetooth headsets, but the battery life on the iP3G stinks and I’m willing to break one of my rules. I won’t actually use the case and clip it onto my belt because I’m against that too, but I will keep it in my gear bag or pocket. There isn’t a whole lot to this case other than it having a 1500 mAh battery that’s good… → Read More
If you’re pretty handy with a soldering iron, Make Magazine has a pretty cool project to turn an ordinary solar powered yard light into a chirping fixture. → Read More
The guys over at Tom’s Hardware Guide have built a mobile Wii station, so they could get out a play video games in the sunshine. They claim they actually did it because they hadn’t build anything in a while and had been talking about applications for solar power. The unit is basically a wooden box on wheels with an HD monitor, solar power panel, battery and Wii console. THG said they built… → Read More
O brave new world, with such products in it! Now honestly, it sounds nerdy, but as a blogger I can’t think of anything nicer than taking a blanket and a wireless broadband card out to a park and blogging all day in the sun (if we had sun here in Seattle this spring). Trouble is, my old MacBook Pro only has enough juice for two hours maximum, what with me constantly having a Super Nintendo… → Read More
Hooray for the environment, maybe! REI, the outdoor retailer (“rei” is also “king” in “Portuguese,” but pronounced like the English “hay”), will place solar panels on 11 of its stores in the western U.S. The panels will generate as much as 35 percent of the stores’ energy—isn’t that great! As a (reluctant) city person, I have no… → Read More
When I say enormous, I mean enormous. We’re talking 500-ft wingspan here. The idea is it would be a permanent sub-orbital (60,000-90,000ft) base, powered by the sun and capable of carrying 1,000lb of gear. It could cruise around, taking high-res photos for map applications or meteorologists, or maybe a few of them could carry transceivers for bouncing signals around. Or, considering… → Read More
Convenient, but possibly less efficient than a system that follows the sun. This is probably a good idea for those with good exposure who want to integrate solar power from the beginning. The good news is that it looks and installs just like regular tile-y roof (but bluer), the bad news is it’s almost certainly extremely expensive. SRS Energy [via Treehugger] → Read More
Oh Casio, I love thee G-Shock watches so. I love you even more now that you’re implementing solar panels into your watches. The G5500C model is equipped with the Tough Solar Power Technology that combines a highly sensitive solar panel with a high capacity rechargeable battery to help with high-load functions. Another really unique (I think) feature is the automatic illumination of the display… → Read More
[photopress:gorilla.IMG_1576.JPG,full,pp_image] The Power Gorilla folks sell solar and batter-powered rechargers for portable devices. Their latest invention is the Power Gorilla, spare battery for laptops that can run a device for about TK hours on one charge. You can pair it with their solar panels to power your laptop with the sun. They’ve had one laptop running on solar power for about a… → Read More
This is the kind of power I can see being used on Arrakis — Dune — the desert planet. This huge array of mirrors automatically adjusts to face the sun, and concentrates its rays onto a pipeline filled with the spice melange — I mean oil, which heats up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The oil is then used to vaporize water for steam power, or the heat is transferred (to… → Read More
[photopress:scaled.IMG_1282.JPG,full,pp_image] Fans of the solar powered Solio chargers will be pleased to note that the new Magnesium model will now power your laptops iPods and other low-power goodies and the Hybrid has a dual charging method which includes solar and wall power. The Magnesium costs $199 and the Hybrid costs $79.99. You may now go back to your granola-making, hippie. → Read More
Bolt four sticks onto a giant solar panel and what do you get? That’s right, a $3600 table that charges in 3 hours and can power your laptop and other crud using a built-in 150-watt power inverter hooked up to a NiMH battery. I’m going to buy this as soon as summer rolls around. And by "buy" I mean "not buy" because I won’t have that kind of money in my… → Read More
You don’t need me to tell you that San Francisco is a city full of hippies, it’s a known fact. But those hippies sometimes do really smart things, and the city’s new solar power plan is just that. The city plans on giving companies and individuals tax credits, government loans, and rebates if they choose to install solar panels to generate some of their power. It doesn’t… → Read More
Unless you’re driving, I maintain that Bluetooth headsets are for douchebags. But now the new Igua solar-powered Bluetooth headset lets hippies get in on the douchebag action. The $100 headset is pretty much what it sounds like, but what we do like about it is that there’s no external charger. The unit has solar panels built-in. And it charges as you douche on, meaning unless… → Read More
Links over in Japan has come up with a solar powered battery charger that can charge any device via a USB port, including the PSP and DS. The Solar-Fine 1350 doesn’t look like the smallest charger out there, but it looks portable enough to get the job done. A day out to the park or a forced family picnic no longer means having to listen boring “remember when?” drivel. Obviously… → Read More
Here’s a little something for the solar power proponents in the CG audience. Chinese electronics manufacturer HTW announced the S116 Solar Mobile phone at CeBIT and it seems pretty promising. Unfortunately there wasn’t an actual working model or any model available for display. A 40 minute charge yields 20-25 minutes of talk time, but does anyone carry their phone where it can be exposed to… → Read More
For the righteous and pure of heart comes a solar powered, electronic talking Bible. God’s warriors can listen to both the Old and New Testament, switching between chapters and verses with the push of a button. (My favorites include Leviticus 18:22 and Austin 3:16.) Becoming a member of the flock in the 21st century costs $100, but your soul will be eternally virtuous. Product Page [Shop.com… → Read More
Saying that the Freeloader is a “pocket-sized” device is a bit of an overstatement, but it could certainly fit in a purse or backpack quite nicely. Freeloader basically leeches energy from the sun and converts it into juice for your iPod, cellphone, or electronic gadget of your choice. It comes with multiple hookups for all of your devices and can charge via USB should you be out on a… → Read More
If you’re the kind of guy who likes a camping trip every once in awhile, you’re probably content with leaving your iPod at home for a few days. But not me. If I have to go camping, I’m dragging my iPod, cellphone, Starbucks mug, and North Face gear all out to the wilderness with me along with my Wii. So when I saw the relatively-inexpensive Scotty Pro charger, I began to think… → Read More
Solar energy is an awesome power source for gadgets, and chances are you’ve used it to power a handheld device before. Don’t believe me? Find a calculator. Of course, the electronics we drool over on this fabulous blog take quite a bit more juice than the standard number cruncher, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use our friend at the center of the system to power them. → Read More
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