Eclipse Solar Flare device-charging messenger bag
By Barb Dybwad 
posted Mar 15th 2005 3:31AM
posted Mar 15th 2005 3:31AM
The Eclipse Solar Flare messenger bag works much like the Voltaic Solar Backpack to charge your portable devices via solar photovoltaic cells, but in an over-the-shoulder format. It will give some extra juice to your cellphone, PDA, or other small devices but, alas — not your laptop (though it will transport it, this is but small consolation). The charging module happily works with a standard 12V car socket, at least. Available for $129, which isn't too terrible considering you could easily pay that for a decent bag without charging features.
They should have been more hip and just said it was an iPod charger for the bike messenger... and made it all white - they would have sold billions of them :)
I'm glad to see more solar charging devices coming on the market. It recognizes that we really haven't made any appreciable gains in small device battery life, and we need to grab any adgantage we can get to increase our on-the-road utility. Doing so at a price point that matches conventional gear is an even bigger bonus.
Watch for more of this in the months to come.
Carmi
http://writteninc.blogspot.com
Carmi, please die. We're sick of it. Your blog sucks and you suck. I'm going to come to your blog soon, and it will NEVER be the same.
Of course, you need to leave the bag out in the sun somewhere. With the solar panel advertising the presence of expensive gadgets inside.
Oh. And while your phone/PDA/whatever is in the bag waiting to get stolen, it' not where it's supposed to be: on your belt being useful.
I guess that's why the rest of us charge our devices at /night/, while we're /sleeping/!
Carmi, I think you are more of a scholar than a blogger.
However, here class is not in session.
Check them out- really good stuff- I own a backpack and a messenger bag from Eclispe- both are really well designed and very durable (I abuse my backpack daily, hasn't let me down). I think they're a lot better than the other backpacks that actually came AFTER the Eclipse bag (the owner of Eclipse owns a patent on solar backpacks and bags), and I've worn most of the ones out in the market right now.
Oh, and the messenger bag will hold a wide-screen laptop- pretty cool! I got a HP Pavillion ZD7160 laptop in there- snug fit- it just fit, which is good, you don't want a HUGE messenger bag! Just the right size. Everyone at work really likes the bag and the backpack.
I think it's useless for all the users of the subway. Indeed, they walk outside only 5 or 10 minutes a day, and the rest of time, they are in the subway, at their job, or at home.
Very useful but that makes a little school.
Very useful but that makes a little school.