ReNu solar panels announced for iPhone charger, sound dock, LED desk lamp
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Oct 26th 2009 1:57PM
posted Oct 26th 2009 1:57PM
Sure, we've been frustrated by solar-powered iPhone chargers and amused by the irony of solar-powered lamps in the past, but that doesn't mean we're not looking forward to the day when we can meet our gadgets power needs without relying on fossil fuels. That's why we're pleased to note that a company called ReNu has just announced a solar panel that can be used to charge your iPhone or iPod, power the device's sound dock, or even keep your desk light shining sans mains power. Featuring a modular design, the panel can dispatched to your window to soak up the rays for 10 or 20 hours (depending on the amount of sunlight it receives) and then returned to your dock for about nine hours of music playback, recharge your iPhone (twice!), or provide about four hours of light with the LED desk lamp. Of course, most people are going to hang this thing in the window once, forget about it, and then spend the next several years powering their devices with the included AC adapter -- but at least they're trying, right? Available for pre-order now, the ReNu solar panel ($199) and the Renu panel / iPod dock combo ($249) both ship in February 2010, while the Side Light desk lamp ($89) ships in next March, and the Sound Dock ($149) should see the light of day sometime in April. Hit the read link to place that order, but not before peeping the galley below.
[Via TreeHugger]
[Via TreeHugger]
This would look so cute with my iPhone!
what is the difference between the press release photo iphone and yours?
I have a pink case for my iPhone what i really meant was it would go great with my new black stand.
would look better with the nokia twist
Um, i dont no what nokia twist is lol
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=4999&changingCompletedOrder=
That phone is way too small. The color is cute but the phone isnt.
Acer revo ripoff.
/typical fanboi comment
What is the deal with the prices of these things? Has anyone checked lately, you can't score a decent one without laying down a couple hundred dollars. WTF?! Speakers, some electronics and power supply. Does it really cost that much?
Oh, the iPod accessory tax? WTF!?!
Just buy some solar cells and stick them on your roof.
cool
I don't think someone is going to spend $200 on something to hang it in the window and forget about it. More likely, they'd never buy it at all.
Yeah. I wouldn't drive with that thing in nor would I leave my car somewhere with $200 hanging in the window.
Hmmm. Just another i-This-or-that, that costs too much and only works with my i-This-or-that.
Look up Solio! They have solar charge storers that have jacks for just about any portable device ever made and they cost less than half the price listed here.
I use mine all the time.
Green tech, like all other tech will be expensive until it becomes mainstream. If you want to push the prices down, buy what exists and invest in the future.
Let's compare costs: $200 for a solar powered charger/speaker system/lamp, or several thousand for solar panels, batteries, etc.
Don't people realize that leaving their iPods plugged in and running 24 hours a day every day works out to about $10 to $15 per year in electricity. So you'd have to use this device 14 years or so to recoup the cost.
Before you start whining about saving energy at all costs, turn down the temperature on your electric water heaters by 5 degrees and you'll save far more energy than that.
This is the ReNu by a company called Regen (http://www.regenliving.com). And for those of you commenting on the practicality of Regen's products, the ReNu is capable of powering any product that can be recharged via USB. It isn't limited to iPod's or iPhones, the dock is an accessory and an attractive one at that. This isn't about saving tons of money or being super green. It's about well designed, portable, stored power at no additional cost to the user.
kind of funny that apple adamently says to keep the touch/iphone out of direct sunlight to keep it from overheating yet there is a solar powered charger...
Launching in Winter.
Think about that for a second.
...
OK, really, do you think this is a wise marketing tactic? Am I missing something?
Shit, at first glance I thought it was a new iPhone speaker dock with a built-in Dyson fan.