SolarFold Solar Charger

This gadget is archetypal Japanese. Stylish, simple and technologically effective, it's easy to see why the SolarFold was one of the online talking points for solar devices in 2010. It looks great and, as the name suggests, folds up for ease of carrying and storage.

Importantly, the slick black look won't clash with your other possessions when you are outside. And that's when you'll want to use it; simply take it out, unfold the spherical-based solar panels and start charging up your phone or music player via the USB port connected to the storage cell.

Created for the general consumer, the SolarFold provides you with back-up energy quickly (TEN minutes of charging equates to THREE minutes of talk-time) and without breaking the bank either.

The SolarFold features:

• SolarFold solar panel and energy storage charging cell pack
• Color: black
• Charging times: 10 minutes = around 3 minutes (talk-time), 3 hours (non-use)
• 240 minutes charging = 80% charge
• 300 minutes charging = 100% charge
• Note that sunlight strength and season affects charging times
• SolarFold panels: 178g (weight)
• Energy storage cell: 126g (weight)
• Uses nickel-hydride AA batteries x2
• SolarFold panels output: 5V (USB)
• Energy storage cell output: DC5V (USB)
• SolarFold panels size: 168 x 73 x 19mm (6.6 x 2.9 x 0.7") (folded), 168 x 292 x 6mm (6.6 x 11.5 x 0.2") (unfolded)
• Energy storage cell size: 160 x 39 x 23mm (6.3 x 1.5 x 0.9")
• Energy cell can be used around 1000 times
• Includes: SolarFold panels, energy storage cell, nickel-hydride batteries (x2), cable, USB cable, AC adapter, pouch