Charge up your iPhone with clean, renewable energy using the mPowerpad.
(Credit: Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia)
If you're off the (power) grid often--and you don't own a rugged solar phone--you might need the mPowerpad, a charger that harnesses solar energy to charge up to two devices at a time.
Launched by Singapore-based startup Third Wave Power, the mPowerpad is actually more than a solar charger. It also acts a reading light, flashlight, insect repellent (by emitting an ultrasonic frequency) and FM/AM/shortwave receiver.
You can listen to whatever you're tuning in to with the built-in speaker (right) or via the 3.5mm audio jack (left). There are two USB ports for charging.
(Credit: Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia)
During a demo at the Clean Energy Expo Asia 2011, Third Wave Power co-founder Lim Chuin Kiat showed off the device's accelerometer-based user interface which we found relatively intuitive and easy to use. For instance, tilting the device in a certain direction triggers one function, or turns it off. Lim says that avoiding the use of moving mechanical parts also helps ensure the device is as robust as possible.
With its polycarbonate material, silicon sleeve and rubber bumpers, the mPowerpad is claimed to be water-resistant and shock-resistant for falls of up to 1m. It's about the same size and weight as an iPad, so it should fit well in a backpack.
The rubber bumpers double up as a stand for the mPowerpad.
(Credit: Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia)
The 4-watt solar panel is fully charged within six hours and can juice up an iPhone fully with more than enough power remaining to use other functions for up to six hours. The 2,500mAh charger is made up of five standard AA-size nickel-metal hydride batteries which can be easily removed and replaced, or used in other compatible devices when fully charged. Lim estimates that the cell is able to last for 500 recharge cycles, or up to 18 months if used daily.
The mPowerpad works with non-iOS devices, too--it comes with seven common connector tips, so you can use it with most other handsets. There's also the option of using an AC input if there's a power socket readily available. People in remote areas without a ready supply of electricity, such as hikers or those living in rural areas, may find this solar charger useful.
Third Wave Power co-founder V.S. Hariharan says that the company is in talks with retail partners and NGOs about distributing the mPowerpad in Asia, India and Bangladesh, and that shipping should begin in early January next year. The device will cost US$80.
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