It’s really about time someone released a portable power strip with USB charging. Really, honestly, we don’t know what took ‘em so long — it’s frigging 2008, everything’s been USB-powered for a couple years now. Hat tip to you, Belkin, for the Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger, which goes for $25 or so.
[Thanks, Alex]
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There’s no shortage of green solar- or wind-powered ways to juice up your gadgets these days, but rarely do we see a charger that employs both together — along with the reliable old power grid — for sweet, sweet redundancy. The Hymini from startup MINIWIZ was first conceived by founder Arthur Huang in an MIT [...]
Behold the Solar Trees of Vienna, set to be unveiled in front of the MAK Museum on October 8th. It’s just the latest from Ross Lovegrove who’s already graced our pages with his Muon speaker and System X lighting system. Developed in coordination with Italian lighting Co. Artemide and solar cell Co. Sharp Solar, the [...]
digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/gadgets/The_solar_powered_lighter_flings_sparks_without_fuel’; Considering that the smokers in the house have probably already set up an import to get one of Golden Dragon’s e-cigarettes shipped over, why not do yet another good deed and rid yourself of that fossil fuel-wasting lighter? All jesting aside, it seems that a Portuguese webstore is stocking [...]
Clogged highways and frustratingly waiting while your gas needle plummets to empty usually doesn’t conjure up thoughts of green, but it seems like these very roads could become the source of a lot more energy. Several recent student designs have proposed that major roadways be retrofitted with various forms of wind energy collection devices, ranging [...]
We’re all about watching new “world’s (insert adjective here)” gizmos become a reality, and we certainly don’t mind the occasional dash of overkill, but Ultra Products‘ forthcoming power supply takes “insane” to another level. In what’s presumably the world’s largest, most powerful PSU to call an ATX case home, the 2000-watt Modular X3 comes in [...]
According to TheRawFeed, NTT DoCoMo has developed the world’s first solar-powered cell phone, complete with a GameBoy Advance-inspired design. Pricing and availability have not yet been announced. One more picture after the jump.
This phone actually includes the solar cells on the external side of the clamshell—therefore not needing any other devices to use the sun’s [...]
The Mini Power Minder is an eco-friendly device that can actually make your life easier. You plug your computer in the primary outlet, along with a USB. When you turn off your computer, the second plug turns off automatically.
This is the perfect solution for those running printers, desk lamps, and all sorts of other stuff [...]
If you’ve got a broken DVD-burner laying around, then why not use it to make your own “high-powered laser� Full instructions here.
The laser pictured above has a peak output measured at 225 mW (average output 200 mW). It’s a visible red at about 650nm. It can light matches, pop balloons, cut electrical tape, and so [...]
Nearly a year after NEC rolled out its paper-thin ORB batteries, Korean battery manufacturer Rocket is launching (ahem) its own uber-thin battery. While juicy, scientific details aren’t readily available, we do know that the “paper battery” won’t include any toxic chemicals, is “flexible and thin,” and molds together the companies “thin film technologies” with its [...]
Check it Sony, ’cause if necessity is the mother of invention then you’re about to be calling the ETRI daddy. Coming a bit too late for some, ETRI (Telecommunications Research Institute of Korea) have developed what they call a Critical Temperature Switch to prevent exploding batteries in mobile devices. Smaller, but more reliable than ceramic [...]
Thanks to MIT’s Paul D. Sclavounos, we might get a reprieve from the eyesore problem of windmills, while still sticking with their clean-and-cheap energy benefits. Unfortunately, hapless birds aren’t going to get much of a respite. The plan is to plant these things offshore, far enough out into the water for the skinny white turbines [...]
After busting out those floating windmills earlier today, you’d think the MIT types would take a little break, maybe relax for a nice evening of D&D, but instead they’re still hard at work, bringing power to the people. This time they’re thinking small, with a new gas-turbine engine the size of a quarter designed to [...]
Finally, a useful USB accessory. The USBCELL will charge up NiMH batteries in just 5 hours and plugs into any standard USB port. Product page here.
These USB batteries work just like regular ones, except when they run out of power, you can just pop off the lid and recharge them via USB port. Now if [...]
The Power Station Traveller is a little ditty that can charge all of your gadgets through one 12V DC car connection. It is pretty much a power strip of DC connectors. It could be useful if you do a lot of traveling and don’t want to juggle the power adapters. The Power Station Traveller is [...]
The “Solartrike†is a solar-powered bike that “can go 15-18mph and 10 miles per charge.†It sports either a 200W or 400W motor, 80W solar panel, and a 2×2 square steel frame. Prices here.
Some can be set up to go as fast as 25 miles per hour. They take 6-8 hours per charge. They can [...]
We’ve seen plenty of mobile chargers in our day, but the Xantrex PowerSource Mobile 100 claims to be the first to power multiple devices simultaneously at different voltage and power levels. The $130 unit includes a pair of USB ports and an AC plug, making it a quite convenient way to power your phone, iPod [...]
Smarthome unveils a new motion-sensing outdoor security camera that is powered solely by sunlight. Best of all, this device only transmits A/V when movement (up to 26-feet) is detected — otherwise, it remains in standby mode to conserve energy. Available now for $159.99.
If it was just a sparrow, the 2.4-GHz camera will stop transmitting a [...]
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 [...]
Equipped with two amber LEDs, these solar-powered “Sun Bricks†are self contained and will stay lit for up to 8 hours — if placed in sunlight during the day. Available now for $59.95 (pair).
[via Gizmodo]
from techeblog
