Solar Powered Gear

Sony goes green with a bunch of devices that won’t ever need recharging since power can be obtained at a moment’s notice. While this morsel of news sounds great, I’m gutted to know that the devices we are going to touch on today are just concepts and won’t materialize in the corporeal world anytime soon. Known as Odo concepts, the idea behind each device is certainly exciting, and they come with aesthetically pleasing lines to boot. To whet your appetite, the entire Odo range consists of different devices, ranging from digital cameras to an image/movie viewer - basically anything that drains battery power at a much faster rate when compared to the relatively sloth-like analog radio.

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This is a great way to ensure your kids are wearing enough sun cream, the SolarSafe, simple but very effective.

To use, you expose the wristband to direct sunlight and it will turn purple, you then attach it to the wrist and when applying sunscreen also apply it to the wristband. The wristband will now change color as the effectiveness of the sunscreen deteriorates. When it turns brown it is time to re-apply whilst the color cream means it’s time to top up on holiday beverages in a local taverna .

You can get a pack of 7 SolarSafes For $4.99 (~$10).

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At last no more winding, with the Citizen Alterna Eco Drive Watch, you need not worry about changing those batteries or winding it up every evening. Solar power has been a long coming to the watch market, and so because of this, the watch will go and go, no longer limited by the battery and it would appear to have some little extras added to make it a watch for life.
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If you’re a huge buff of solar powered items, then the Soltronix Headphone Radio is just the thing for you. You don’t need to leave it basking under the sun for an entire day before being able to enjoy listening in to your favorite radio stations at night - no siree, the Soltronix Headphone Radio comes with its own solar film technology that is embedded across the top of the headphone and charges the internal Ni-MH AAA battery which is located within one of the ear pieces. With summer coming up really soon, the Soltronix Headphone Radio will definitely be a great outdoor device to tote around.

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Admittedly, when I first came across this item on-line I came across this product on-line, I thought it was a quirky toy that may or may not have limited application (or at least would be only useful to hard-core trekkers). The truth is that a portable, lightweight, waterproof, durable solar panel you can roll up into a tube is actually a fantastic idea. Brunton offers the SolarRolls line of flexible solar panels that come in 4.5, 9, and 14 watt sizes and can be custom made for any application. Your device can either plug into the adaptor or you can use one of the universals that comes with the product. When done, it rolls up into a tube for storage (the website asks that you do not roll it any tighter than a 3” diameter – solar panels are not indestructible yet folks). For perspective, the 4.5 W panel is 12” x 22” and retails for $199 – enough to power a cell phone).

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Sounds great, a chocolate calculator but the only probem with that would be what happens when you eat some of the numbers? So of course it is not a chocolate calculator, it is however a calculator that looks like a nice bar of chocolate, it is even wrapped up similar to a real bar of chocolate, so there is bound to be a few accidents if we ever see it over here, so you have been warned.
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Yes its true, Picard Lederwaren the German leather bag manufacturer have come up with a collection of state of the art laptop bags. But these are not just any old laptop bags they have a large solar panel fixed to the top flap cover, this is where the free power comes from. The bags are of the standard size, which is ok if you have a standard laptop, and can be carried by the handle or on the shoulder with the strap provided.
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Gadgets can be pretty power hungry beasts and cause unsightly bulges in your pants, so here’s the eco friendly solution, the Picard Solar bag, not only does it carry it also charges.

I like the idea of my gadgets being charged whilst I carry them around but I don’t like it to the tune of $670 that’s just a crazy amount of money, I’d rather having bulging pants any day.

The Picard Solar Bag will be available form Picard in August, found via Random Expensive Good Stuff, thanks Juergen.

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