Roberts releases solarDAB: world's first solar-powered DAB radio

Roberts may get ridiculed for its design cues, but one thing's for sure: it sticks to its guns. The latest patently ugly (but sort of cute) DAB radio to emerge from its lair is the solarDAB, which predictably gets energized by the sun. The unit packs a top-mounted solar panel along with a "level indicator on the display screen that shows the strength of the solar level being absorbed." Once the rechargeable batteries are fully juiced, said radio will blast out tunes for a whopping 27 hours. You should be able to secure one in a variety of colors here soon for £79.99 ($158).

[Via TechDigest]

[LloydChiro @ Jul 1st 2008 12:44PM]

So ugly, it's actually cute?

Actually, I like its functional look. It doesn't try too hard to have "style."

[Dan @ Jul 1st 2008 1:05PM]

I was thinking the same, it gives it an old jukebox style. I would definitely grab one as gift for some of my friends that go to the beach or grill outside all the time.

[Reader @ Jul 1st 2008 4:14PM]

Of course looks are (mostly) subjective, I'm in agreement with Lloyd/Dan and think it's brilliant aesthetically. The white, black and green all look great. I fall for simple and clean designs more often than not, or at least in the long term. Something that looks really cool at first often wears thin after a while (Alienware cases, etc).

[riggs @ Jul 1st 2008 12:47PM]

it looks good in black

[ShadowKain @ Jul 1st 2008 12:52PM]

Put an ipod connector, mini-jack connector, or ipod dock on that and im there. Does anyone know what the DAB stands for ? Just curious...

[Scythe @ Jul 1st 2008 12:55PM]

Digital Audio Broadcasting - big in the UK and Asia.

[caleb @ Jul 1st 2008 1:03PM]

dab?

[bartoron @ Jul 1st 2008 1:31PM]

I think the solar panels are somewhat unnecessary (a hand crank worked just fine with other DAB's), but still it's a really good idea. It could probably be very useful in sunny areas, where if the radio is outside it'll be able to power itself continuously.

[brinepie @ Jul 1st 2008 1:50PM]

If they are as badly made as other recent Roberts radios, they will last all of five minutes. Thet are trading on their heritage, producing radios that are truly awful.

[Echo1 @ Jul 1st 2008 2:01PM]

Kinda retro seeing as their going back to the 1958 bell solar battery design

a good shot of the solar battery transistor radio can be seen on PBS' NOVA episode Saved by the Sun

[Wormbolt @ Jul 1st 2008 2:01PM]

Great, another product that's useless to C.H.U.D.'s.

[teslasnp @ Jul 1st 2008 3:30PM]

nah uh, they could use mirrors.

[johnzilla @ Jul 1st 2008 2:39PM]

Tweak them to cover 500 KHz to 30 MHz and they'd make a great emergency radio.

[Shawn Garringer @ Jul 1st 2008 4:03PM]

This is one of the few times where a 'standard' picked by America actually proves to be better than what is used in the rest of the world. DAB is seeing a very slow buildout, where as America's HD (Hybrid Digital) is seeing a better buildout. It, of course, benifits from an additional 5 or so years of research, however...

[Androo @ Jul 2nd 2008 5:47AM]

>Put an ipod connector, mini-jack connector, or ipod dock on that and im there

There's a line-in jack for your iPod.