ReNu Solar iPod Charger: Being Green Can Be Hot

Oct 26 2009, 11:29am CDT | by Robert Evans

Solar technology is awesome. It's easy to use and provides an unlimited source of free electricity wherever you go. Unfortunately, most commercial solar panels looks like, well...solar panels. Thankfully, the ReNu solar iPod dock (via Gizmodo) is just sexy enough to grab the attention of hipsters the world over. It's got a slick, ultramodern design and a hefty price tag: $200.

The dock consists of a set of speakers and a square solar panel/battery combo that sits comfortably in between them. With a full charge, the battery can power music for 7-8 hours. When it goes dry, you just need to pull out the solar panel and expose it to the sun. With direct line, it can charge the battery to full in 9 hours (that's almost an even rate of replacement). In poor light, however, charging can take as long as 20 hours.

If you want to expand on this dock, there are several accessories you can choose from. An iPhone/iPod dock with no speakers, and an LED desk lamp have been announced so far. Peripherals start at $90. Sure, you could just buy a solar panel and a couple of batteries and rig your own (more efficient) set-up for half the price, but then it wouldn't look nearly as pretty.

where to buy

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Robert Evans
The excitement about new smartphones, tablets and anything mobile drive Robert to unearth the latest rumors and developments in this fast moving space. He adopted 4G as soon as it become available and knows where the mobile market is going.
Robert can be contacted directly at robert@i4u.com.