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Orange's recharge Pod tent to keep mobiles juiced at Glastonbury
For those fortunate enough to be planning a trip to this year's Glastonbury, you can rest assured that forgetting your mobile charger won't be the worst thing that could possibly happen. Reportedly, Orange will erect a seven-meter high recharge Pod tent in which patrons can stop by and reinvigorate their winded handset. Said tent will boast 500-watt solar panels and a 500-watt wind turbine in order to generate electricity for the lifeless phones, and Orange is hoping to juice up 100 devices per hour. If only such conveniences were everywhere...[Thanks, Adam]
Video: Solar-powered theremin shoved into Altoids can
Look out, modders -- the venerable Altoids tin is making a comeback. Shortly after the YBox2 rekindled our love for the immensely versatile box, along comes James G. Watt with yet another fantastical creation. The device you're gazing at above is a solar-powered theremin, which is good for making all sorts of cacophonic sounds anywhere that sunlight is abundant. For those unfamiliar with such gizmos, head on past the break for an admittedly strange sounding demonstration. [Via MAKE]
Napa Valley winery flips on Flotovoltaic solar array
Chalk another one up for Sharp. The company has landed yet another partner willing to utilize its solar panels in order to make news, wow onlookers and give Mother Earth a modicum of a break. Napa Valley winery Far Niente has flipped on its self-coined Floatovoltaic installation, which was developed by Thompson Technology Industries and installed by SPG Solar. Nearly 2,300 Sharp solar panels were secured for the job, and we're told that the array generates 400 kWs at peak output, which "significantly offsets the winery's annual power usage and provides a net-zero energy bill." Don't expect that coveted bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to be any cheaper as a result, though.[Via CNET]
Thanko's solar-powered DAP urges you outdoors
So we've seen a few solar-powered gizmos (that we wouldn't touch with a ten twenty foot pole), but Thanko's own sun-lovin' DAP actually doesn't look half bad. The Solar Digital Audio Player, from the front, looks like any other ho hum unit, with a 1.8-inch 220 x 176 resolution display, 4GB of internal storage space and a miniSD expansion slot. Flip 'er over, and you'll find a thoughtful kickstand that just so happens to have a solar panel slapped right on, enabling the brilliant, outdoor sunshine to give it a few more minutes of life. There's no official word on a price or release date, but we wouldn't bank on it ever coming Stateside, anyway.Update: Seems this is just a rebadge. So much for thinking ahead, huh?
Solar-powered hearing aids improve life in developing nations
The SolarAid really isn't much different than your average hearing aid in function -- it enables hearing-impaired individuals to get a better listen at the world around them. The difference, however, comes from its source of energy. Through a series of tragic and fortunate events, Howard Weinstein wound up in Africa with a goal in mind: to concoct a hearing aid that even the poorest of citizens could afford. Through a series of grants and help from hordes of deaf individuals that had no qualms holding a soldering iron, some 20,000 folks in 30 countries are currently using the solar-powered devices. Best of all, the mastermind isn't slowing down, as he's looking to expand the nonprofit into the Middle East, China and India in the not-too-distant future.[Via CrunchGear]
Devotec's portable Solar Charger is minuscule, pretty cheap
We know, it's tiresome scouring the streets for an AC outlet when you've got oodles of sunshine surrounding you. That's where Devotec Industries' Solar Charger comes in. The smallest (and freshest) addition to the company's line weighs in at under 80-grams and measures just 95- x 43- x 10-millimeters, and packed within you'll find an 1800mAh battery. Of note, users can also juice up the device via USB or AC for when cloudy days swoop in, and it comes bundled with a slew of tips to handle the most popular handsets out there. Yeah, it does take a full day of sun (12-hours, to be precise) to get this thing fully charged (or 4-hours by AC / USB), but then again, it'll only set you back £19.99 ($40).
California man builds his own solar-electric vehicle
Although Brent Hatch's homegrown solar-electric whip looks eerily similar (read: just as ugly) to the SUNN solar car kit, this one was actually created without the help of any pre-packaged parts or sophisticated schematics. After his gas bill rose well over $700 a month (he and his wife have seven kids, after all), he decided to purchase a rather unsightly eight-seater bicycle and figure out a way to enable roof-mounted solar panels to power an electric motor. Nah, the top speed isn't very impressive, and you certainly wouldn't want to head out on I-5 with it, but it sure makes picking up the offspring from their nearby school a whole lot less painful on the wallet. Check out the video in the read link for more.[Thanks, Dave]
Chinavasion's do-it-all handheld doubles as solar charger
Yeah, we've seen solar chargers crammed into some fairly interesting places, and the latest questionable call comes from who else but Chinavasion. The CVEAB-S828-2 handheld features 2GB of internal memory, a media player, 3.5-inch display, integrated LED flashlight (saywha?) and of course, pre-installed emulators for NES and Game Boy titles. Beyond all that, users can crack this bad boy open, lay it out to bake, and watch it magically recharge its own batteries courtesy of the internal solar panels. And if for whatever reason that's still not enough to draw you in, it can also recharge other gizmos attached via USB when parked under the sunlight. Still, we wouldn't believe for a minute that this thing will actually work precisely as advertised, but those with oodles of faith can take the plunge for $123.32.[Via Tech Digest]
NES/GB/GBC emulator handheld is powered by the Sun
No, friend, that's not a hip gadget from the new, unfortunately titled James Bond film -- it's a very real, very sexy handheld MP4 player capable of running old school Nintendo emulators using solar power. It also plays MP3's, stores e-books (which it can then read aloud to you, a consideration for our illiterate friends), records audio and displays images, all for a cool $123.32.Here's the best part -- it also has a USB port to connect with other portable devices and share the solar energy it has collected, like a mama bird feeding a regurgitated bolus to her young. That's right, not only can it play your favorite games from the 8-era, it's also an Al Gore-approved renewable energy source.
The solar-powered toothbrush returns
Look, we know you think brushing your choppers is a chore, but perhaps it would be more interesting if you were harnessing the power of the sun in the process. We'd like to you to meet Dr. Kunio Komiyama, his good friend Dr. Gerry Uswak, and a little something they've whipped up for the Shiken company of Japan called the Soladey-J3X -- a new version of this solar-powered toothbrush. The brush -- which contains a moisture-activated, titanium dioxide rod in the neck -- works by creating a chemical reaction when light hits the rod, releasing electrons which combine with acids in the mouth to help break down plaque. The toothbrush has a solar panel at its base which transmits additional electrons through a lead wire, making this version more effective that previous iterations. The Soladey-J3X doesn't use toothpaste, but does lead to a, "Complete destruction of bacterial cells," according to Komiyama. Let's just hope no one from Crest tries to bump him off.[Via Canada.com]
Solar-powered kayak attachment nixes need for paddling
Although this isn't the first time we've heard "solar-powered" and "kayak" used in the same sentence, the SPK-1 does its darnedest to make us shake our heads in disbelief. This "outrigger attachment" essentially hooks onto any medium / large-sized kayak and relies on the sun to charge up the 12V deep cycle marine battery. From there, a Minkota trolling motor provides the power your kayak needs to move about in the water, leaving you with nothing better to do than kick back, enjoy a book and keep an eye on any incoming yachts. Sure, you could consider the $1,100 adornment an exemplification of indolence, but we think it's more like training wheels... only, for your kayak.[Thanks, Rich H.]
Noon Solar's stylish bag collection charges your gizmos
Trust us, solar-cell covered handbags are far from revolutionary, but Noon Solar's Fall Collection strikes our style bone just right. The Willow, Cortland and Logan (pictured) totes all boast a two-sided design that enables the "weather-proof" solar panel to face outward or inward depending on your mood, and all three provide slightly different internal dimensions to suit your carrying needs. Reportedly, the Power Bank within should fully charge after facing the sun for around six to eight hours, and it can be used to provide juice to a variety of DAPs, cellphones and other handheld devices courtesy of the voltage selector on the pack. As for pricing, you'll be looking at $274, $383 and $412, respectively, and the trio looks to be available in a couple of shades as we speak.[Via Inhabitat]
Solar-powered plane breaks unmanned flight record
According to a BBC report today, a UK defense firm called Qinetiq has developed and tested a lightweight, solar-powered plane which has just broken the world record for longest unmanned flight. The plane, known as the Zephyr, spent 54 hours in flight using only self-recharging solar power, thus breaking the 30-plus-hour flight of the previous record holder, the US Air Force's Global Hawk surveillance craft. Although the record has been smashed, the plane won't be eligible for entrance into the "official" record books due to a late announcement of the feat, though another 33-hour flight might make the cut. The plane -- which has a wingspan of 59-feet -- is controlled from the ground after a hand liftoff, and is capable of cruising at 58,000 feet. According to the designers, the Zephyr is, "Going to go a lot higher and a lot further," and added that, "You ain't seen nothing yet." Indeed, ICEMAN, indeed.
Solar powered Hi-Tech Wealth S116 goes retail
Hi-Tech Wealth's solar powered S116 that we caught sight of at CeBIT earlier this year has finally hit official retail status. While the launch date was a bit off the mark, sadly the pricing -- a hefty $510 -- and the sad fact that it is only a dual band GSM set at 900 / 1800MHz hasn't changed. For a first effort at providing power from Ra, we're definitely gonna have to waive the usual frequency criticism and hope that one of the six other handsets they release this year is in a more North American-friendly band. Oh, and yeah, this bad boy can indeed charge by the light of a candle.
UK's CIS Solar Tower garners 390-kilowatts from the sun
We're not entirely sure if Manchester's CIS Solar Tower will be the world's grandest solar tower, but in terms of buildings have moved beyond the drawing board, it definitely packs a punch. Reportedly, the flaky construction led to dilapidating walls, which were then replaced by a much greener solution -- 7,244 Sharp 80W photovoltaic panels, to be precise. Curiously, only 4,898 of the modules are actually functional, but they still soak up enough sunlight to generate 390-kilowatts of energy, or in layman's terms, enough juice to "power 1,000 PCs for a year." Additionally, the roof is home to two dozen wind turbines that generate 10-percent of the total power used in the building. Of course, such an endeavor did ring up at a steep £5.675 million ($11.4 million), but we're pretty certain this solar panel makeover was concerned with matters other than dollars and cents. Click on through for a top-down shot.[Via MetaEfficient]
Portasol Solar Tracker continuously faces the sun
Although solar panels are becoming more and more efficient, one of the most glaring oversights in solar technology has been the inability for panels to autonomously move along with the sun and maximize the energy it could take in. The Portasol Tracker, however, is aiming to change all that, as a market-ready rendition is finally set after seven years of testing. The Hydrasolar panel utilizes hydraulic motors along with sophisticated "passive solar trackers to affect the thermal expansion and contraction of a contained liquid to make the device rotate." Essentially, the movement of the liquid causes the panel to spin to the west along with the sun as the day passes on, ensuring that the maximum amount of energy is garnered during those precious daylight hours. Currently, a small selection of models and mounting options are becoming available, and while hard pricing doesn't yet seem to be available, feel free to hit the links below for a smattering of pics and even a quick video overview.[Via MAKE]
NTT DoCoMo becoming more eco-friendly
There certainly have been times when our cell phone has died and there isn't a charger in sight so we can make that important phone call. Soon, there will be (somewhat) of a solution for NTT DoCoMo (at it again) customers as the carrier might bring a cellphone that features solar panels for convenient charging. Now it's not the sleekest looking thing out there, as it reminds us of the old school Gameboy SP, but cutting down on the need to charge devices the old fashioned way is OK by us. Check out an additional picture after the break.[Via T3]
Green WiFi project promises to bring solar-powered WiFi to developing countries
One of the big criticisms that's been leveled at the much-vaunted OLPC project is that it's missing one key element: internet access. Well, a pair of Sun Microsystems employees are looking to remedy that situation with the Green WiFi project, which promises to bring cheap, solar-powered WiFi to developing countries. The project's modeled on MIT's Roofnet wireless mesh network project (and isn't the only one, either), but takes things one step further by making each node solar powered, meaning that the network could be extended virtually anywhere. They've also taken care of the other big hurdle: price, using off-the-shelf gear and open source software to keep the nodes down to no more than $200 each. Although still in the prototype stage, the team says they're going to start deploying their first grid network in India later this summer, PVC or not.[Via Treehugger]
