Posts tagged with solar

SolarVoice i908 Bluetooth headset review

Posted on November 17, 2009 5:08 AM

Bluetooth headsets is something you either love or loathe, and I believe that there is no real middle ground here. After all, you don't see people carrying a Bluetooth headset around but not using it, do you? While the higher end ones like the Aliph Jawbone are priced slightly out of the reach of most folks who are currently running a tight ship, it is nice to see that the mid-range market still has plenty of choices to choose from. By choices, I mean in terms of branding as there is very little to differentiate one from the other in terms of technology and design. The SolarVoice i908 Bluetooth headset takes a slightly different route as its name implies, and you can read more about it right after the jump.

i.Tech SolarCharger 906 review

Posted on November 17, 2009 5:06 AM

Green technology has long been hailed to be the next big thing, and in a recent edition of the TIME magazine, it has singled out how California has been a hotbed for new and emerging technologies for a long time now, with green being the main theme way before the rest of the world caught on. Having said that, with more and more people carrying additional gadgets and gizmos with them wherever they go, making sure all of those will remain charged to the maximum can be quite a task, not to mention packing in their respective chargers into your suitcase whenever you want to head out of the country. Portable multi-device chargers are handy, but those themselves will need to remain juiced up as well in order to function at its best. Enter i.Tech's SolarCharger 906, where it not only holds a 1,260mAh capacity, but comes with a decently sized solar panel on one side to absorb the sun's rays, transforming it into electricity which is stored in the internal battery for future use.

Solar bags rely on G24 DSSC solar technology

Posted on November 9, 2009 10:29 AM

Check out the new range of solar bags from Mascotte Industrial Associates of Hong Kong, where it will rely on DSSC (Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells) technology to make sure that your bag is able to store converted solar power in its internal battery so that you can later juice up thirsty gadgets at your very own time. Our own experience tells us that such solar panels aren't exactly that effective, and you'd do best with a power outlet nearby. Still, some sunlight is always better than none, right?

Sun Drive keychain is unique

Posted on November 9, 2009 9:16 AM

The Sun Drive keychain is very different from most other keychains since this model sports a USB solar charger that allows you to juice up a range of USB-powered devices on-the-go. Even though it is small in size, it is still able to offer up to 35 hours of juice for most portable devices, or roughly the equivalent of 100 minutes of talk time on your cellphone. Apart from that, it can carry vital information within thanks to a choice of 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB capacity within. Prices start from a surprisingly affordable $23 a pop.

Neuber Energy Sun-Bag

Posted on October 30, 2009 5:18 PM

Solar seems to be as much the in thing these days as with multitouch displays, and the Neuber Energy Sun Bag carries just one of those. It will feature a huge solar cell on the front flap which will help soak up the sun's rays during the day and turn it into something useful, making it capable of juicing up tiny handheld devices of up to 5 volts. Perfect for customization buffs, the Neuber Energy Sun-Bag will have a choice of 37 colors in addition to optional custom printing. It has been priced at $150 with no word on availability just yet.

Regen Reverb solar-powered iPod dock

Posted on October 30, 2009 10:43 AM

iPod docks are dime a dozen, but how many of them are actually green and good for the environment? The Reverb solar-powered iPod dock from Regen is one of them, where it is capable of offering up to a dozen hours of continuous playback on a full charge. Charging is much slower compared to plugging it into a power outlet of course, where it will take 20 hours of outdoor sun to hit a full charge while indoor sun will take up double the length of time. For those who crank up the volume on a frequent basis, the Reverb will last for a mere 4.5 hours. Features include a stylish 35" iPod tower, a backlit LCD display and an integrated photovoltaic panel. It won't come cheap though, retailing for $2,299 but at least after the apocalypse, you can still tune in to your iPod when there is no power supplied through the grid.

ReNu solar panel

Posted on October 26, 2009 11:18 AM

The ReNu solar panel helps you live up the green lifestyle with a built-in lithium ion battery that ought to be able to hold enough charge to juice up a compatible device including an iPod dock, an iPod sound dock, or a side light. All you need to do is leave the ReNu in a place where it will face direct sunlight for most of the day to keep the battery juiced up, and when you're back after the sun sets, you can simply harvest the fruits of the earlier morning. It takes around 3.7 hours to generate enough power to fully charge an iPhone in direct sunlight outdoors, while indoor use would see the figure balloon to 7.3 hours.

Mitsubishi offers solar-powered trucks

Posted on October 26, 2009 9:52 AM

Mitsubishi Chemical will harness the power of the sun by using solar cells to power its air conditioning system in trucks so that fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced in an effort to keep the earth as green as possible for our next generation. This 10-ton prototype truck will come with two types of solar cells which allows it to achieve a maximum output of 900 watts. Its storage battery enables it to see action regardless of whether it is rainy or cloudy, and calculations have shown that should all of the 1.4 million existing trucks in Japan were replaced by this model, CO2 emissions might eventually be reduced by 1.65 million tons per year!

Sharp solar cell has highest conversion efficiency

Posted on October 23, 2009 9:04 AM

Sharp Japan recently announced that they managed to roll out a solar cell that will boast the world’s highest conversion efficiency of 35.8% which is a marked improvement over its predecessor that touched just 31.5%. This model is a compound solar cell, where at least two elements form photo-absorption layers to help achieve that magical number. Meant for use on space satellites and numerous special equipment, Sharp aims to commercialize this triple-junction compound solar cell within 3 years' time. Good luck, guys!

Green traffic light

Posted on October 21, 2009 9:25 AM

By green, we don't mean its color but more of its intention, especially when this traffic light comes with a solar panel to obtain all the energy it needs to maintain traffic flow round the clock in an orderly manner. Apart from that, this Solar Traffic Light will also feature Discolor LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology that hosts all three colors of the lights within a single unit. We wonder when will governments and local municipal councils start to use these...

reNEW Solar Battery Charger

Posted on October 20, 2009 3:47 PM

Check out the reNEW Solar Battery Charger concept that does come across as some sort of decorative frame which hangs out on your window through the use of a suction cup, where it will sit pretty on any table. When you take a closer look at it, you will realize that this is a solar charger for rechargeable batteries, so hopefully neat designs such as these will help move more people's hearts and wallets to lean towards the green side of things. All you need to do is slide batteries down the back of the frame straight into the protective charging pouch and you're good to go. Too bad this is but a concept at this point in time.

Solar-powered Clock

Posted on October 12, 2009 11:19 PM

Vienna-based design studio Vandasye has come up with a solar-powered clock prototype that well, basically tells the current time at a glance, being powered by solar energy - guess there is no need to change that pesky AA battery once every year or so, eh? Not too sure just how many batteries this will save in the long run, but it is nice to see solar powered devices gaining traction in mainstream consciousness.

LG e-book reader gets solar cell

Posted on October 12, 2009 6:57 AM

LG has unveiled an e-book reader that boasts a solar cell to help it stay juiced up whenever possible, with the solar cell measuring 10cm in width and length to fit the 6" display e-book. Measuring 0.7mm in thickness while tipping the scales at 20 grams, the solar cell is thinner than a credit card while weighing like a fountain pen. Currently, the energy conversion efficiency rate of this product stands at around 9.6% - making exposure to sunlight for around four to five hours garnering another day's worth of running time for the battery without having to have it go through additional charging.

Hélio DAB Radio

Posted on October 9, 2009 8:54 AM

The Hélio DAB Radio is unlike any other, where it boasts a design that relies on colorful solar Grätzel panels which are transparent in nature to add a wee bit of psychedelic creativity to your living space. All the solar panels obtain their color from vegetable ink to up the eco-friendly ante, while the LED panel and speakers were specially designed to be part and parcel of the radio. Too bad such a design won't see the light of day until some unknown time in the future - we'll just have to be content with what we have these days.

Solar Powered Courtesy Light

Posted on October 2, 2009 12:34 PM

There is nothing quite like having the power of the sun to keep your devices juiced up as with the Solar Powered Courtesy Light. Perfect for dark areas around your home (especially outdoors), it is able to throw out more than 26 feet of bright light thanks to its LED light that is equal to that of a 60-watt bulb. When triggered, it offers a full minute's worth of light thanks to its 100 degree infrared motion detection field, while others might prefer to turn its 3-way switch to “on” for an all nighter. Gizoo is carrying it for $32 a pop.

Some Shine Solar Energy Storage System

Posted on October 2, 2009 8:02 AM

We here at Ubergizmo love renewable energy - after all, we want to leave a world that is sustainable for future generations and not just the next. Here's a concept that will definitely get you all excited - the Some Shine Solar Energy Storage System which comes with a battery pack connected to its base. During the day, it figuratively makes hay while the sun shines, storing all converted solar energy to be used later at night in various situations such as juicing up your gadgets or even powering a household appliance or two - as long as there is a USB port available. Anyone wants this concept to be materialized, pronto?

Guiding Light Mailbox

Posted on September 25, 2009 9:08 AM

There is nothing quite like renewable energy to keep things running without feeling guilty, and the Guiding Light Mailbox is one such home improvement idea where it will store up energy from the sun throughout the day, using it at night till the next morning in order to power the sign's backlight. In fact, just four hours of sunlight is enough to provide juice for up to four days. While most, if not all, people won't receive mail during the night, folks who tend to order pizzas and other delivery services will find an illuminated house number much easier to locate.

Colored solar panels stuff of the future

Posted on September 21, 2009 8:39 AM

Boffins at Jerusalem have developed a new kind of solar cell that is able to generate juice from diffused light thanks to a specialized colored panel. They do resemble colored plexi-glass but in reality are panes made with fluorescent dyes and nanoparticle metals which could more or less eclipse traditional solar panels in terms of price and cost. This more efficient panel will utilize 80% less silicon compared to standard solar cells, where it is able to handle direct or indirect sunlight which diffuses right across, helping concentrate the sunlight to the edges where the silicon is. This has resulted in a 12% efficiency rate, pumping out $2.10/W compared to around $4.54/W for a conventional panel. It is hoped to reach an efficiency level of 20% in due time.

Solar powered carports

Posted on September 17, 2009 3:37 AM

Have an electric vehicle or a hybrid people mover? You will definitely want to give Japan-based Sankyo Tateyama Aluminium a call then as they have started to sell carports equipped with solar power generation systems located right on their tops. This will not only help recharge your vehicles at the end of the day without adding additional burdens to your monthly power bill, it can also boost the amount of solar energy in your home. Also known as the M.Shade carports, they can accommodate a couple of cars at most, where extra-strong pillars will support the weight of the solar panels located above. Each purchase comprises of a dozen twelve solar panels measuring 5.6m × 5.4m, where it offers 2,235kW per year which ought to be enough to supply around 50% of the needs of a typical household each year. It won't come cheap though - retailing for $40,000 minus installation costs, but then again if you can afford a full electric vehicle, this shouldn't be a problem for you.

+ECO Clima Control

Posted on September 15, 2009 4:06 AM

Talk about going the extra mile when it comes to being environmentally friendly for a weather station - Oregon Scientific's +ECO Clima Control is solar powered, making sure it harnesses the power of the sun to juice its innards that is able to tell current outdoor and indoor temperatures, humidity levels and even the time via an atomically-controlled clock. Apart from that, you can also garner additional information including a graphical "at-a-glance" weather forecast. A full charge via its solar panel ought to provide enough juice for three months, which is pretty good return! A remote sensor is also included to let one monitor conditions in up to four separate locations, whether they are within or outside your home.