Kinesis K2 solar / wind charger hands-on: Captain Planet approved

Kinesis' K2 solar / wind charger will power any USB device and is guaranteed to disappoint people mistaking it for a handheld fan. Of course, if you're feeling less environmental, feel free plug it into an AC outlet to reenergize the thing. Anticipating popular demand, we've put video after the break.

Gallery: Kinesis K2 solar / wind charger hands-on: Captain Planet approved, in theory

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[Via OhGizmo!]

[infectedarea @ Jan 10th 2009 6:43AM]

That port section is so unfinished looking it's almost crapgadget like. But I'd totally buy one.

[Flashpoint @ Jan 10th 2009 11:03AM]

Unfinished?
Looks just about like every Chinese, no-named MP3 player I've ever seen. Looks finished to me.

[Ahmed Alzayani @ Jan 10th 2009 6:45AM]

Just connect that thing to the Touchstone. and you will have a winner!

[Fade2blac @ Jan 10th 2009 6:59AM]

What was with the wiggling of the USB cord? Looked kinda wrong ;-)

[Christian H @ Jan 10th 2009 7:14AM]

Maybe a little inconvenient, to put in your shoulderbag?

[CrazyRussian @ Jan 10th 2009 7:22AM]

Bahahahahahahhaha! How many times would i have to fart to charge my iPhone?

[bill cant fart @ Jan 10th 2009 8:31AM]

You could just find a breeze.... jerk.

[Dillon @ Jan 10th 2009 7:50AM]

Cap-tain plaaanet - he's our hero!

[__smooth__ @ Jan 10th 2009 1:43PM]

gonna take pollution down to zero!

[conor @ Jan 10th 2009 8:48AM]

Great for charging a GPS in the wilderness.

[Craig B. @ Jan 10th 2009 1:21PM]

Except that in the forest you have little sunshine and little wind....!

[thesvtautox @ Jan 10th 2009 12:10PM]

how long does that take to charge? i mean looks so impractical for everyday uses except when you are deserted somewhere with your gadgets. but even then, its too big to lug around, so wouldnt a hand crank charger be better idea?

[orangecat @ Jan 10th 2009 11:42AM]

So could you have a friend hold it out of their window while you are driving?

[tanlaan @ Jan 12th 2009 12:53PM]

It probably wouldn't stand up to the 60+ mph wind speeds of something like the highway, and I'm seriously doubting it will even hold up to 25 mph wind speeds of in town driving. It probably has a max of ~8 mph. Although, you could just have your friend blow into the fan until it charges XD.

[dothemath @ Jan 10th 2009 12:58PM]

It takes more energy to make that thing, package and deliver it to consumers than it will ever produce.

[dark @ Jan 10th 2009 1:39PM]

you mean like candles or batteries?

[Mr. Ford @ Jan 10th 2009 12:57PM]

At first I thought the article said solar-wind charger. How convenient would that be?

[jupiterthunder @ Jan 10th 2009 2:01PM]

Best joke ever.

[tekdroid @ Jan 10th 2009 10:35PM]

I really appreciate all these companies bringing out (so-called) 'eco' products, but - with all due respect - if you keep ignoring internal battery details and how we can get them replaced once their few hundred charge cycles render the battery impotent, then frankly you are part of the problem.

To add insult to injury, the website claims:
http://www.kinesisindustries.com/products.php
"The largest rechargable battery capacity of its group - ready to use over and over again"
...but doesn't even mention the capacity, or anything even remotely resembling specifications

The SUPPORT link on their page returns you to their homepage, filled with fluff marketing. I can understand things not being ready rigtht now but let's hope something more than eco fluff marketing can be discussed regarding this product, along with the realities of expired rechargeable battery.

[Rif @ Jan 11th 2009 5:10PM]

@tekdroid
Thanks for the link. Indeed suspect with no tech info.

Based on the photo for the solar PV area my estimate is that it can produce about 1W in optimal sun. It could take a long time to charge a mobile phone.

Wind turbine, how little wind to make it produce just 1W? How much wind is too much before the whole standing device blows over?

For an alternative solar field charging device see ME2Solar, which do list their tech spec:

http://mobile-energy2.com/product_foldable650.php

[fred @ Jan 11th 2009 5:50PM]

yea its desert island tech, only if you got all the time in the world.
solar chargers tend to make me dubious, don't batteries hate being heated to charge a pack? think it shortens their life considerably. seems self defeating

[Jonathan @ Jan 12th 2009 2:39AM]

@tekdroid and @Rif

I totally agree with you guys, plus it's a total copy of the hymini. The K2 is definitely a prototype because it looks more like a model than a functional product haha. The product is huge too. Looks sort of impractical to carry around. It'd look pretty idiotic to hold it in your hand too. Seems like there wasn't much of a design aspect that was geared into the product. More of a fan and a solar panel clumped together in a yellow outer shell.

If anything I'd say it looks like a flashlight. hahaha. Maybe it can be the next self defense weapon, cause its as big as a brick HAhahAHhaa!

[ray988 @ Jan 22nd 2009 4:47AM]

damn... why did they splash it in yellow? i think they exaggerated on the specs. for sure. It sounds too good to be true. I totally agree with tekdroid, their website sounds like a bunch of marketing fluff.

[Robert @ Apr 7th 2009 6:40PM]

They've come out with the "new and improved" version of the K2 called the K3 (because you can charge it 3 different ways - solar, wind and wall plug). I think it's size is OK because you can store adapter tips inside it.