Better Energy Systems Unveils Solio Portable Charger

Better Energy Systems unviled its new Solio portable solar charger, which fans out photovoltaic cells in a trefoil to capture solar energy, and stores the power in an internal battery. About the size of a mobile phone, the Solio unit attaches with adapter cords to cell phones, handheld computers, game consoles or music players to transfer power when necessary. With Solio's internal battery fully powered, a device can be recharged in as little as an hour.

On sunny days, the Solio device takes about 10 hours to fill the lithium-ion battery. Indirect light, whether obscured by clouds or diffused by a window, will lengthen the charging time. Should the sun be absent, the charger provides a wall adapter alternative that can plug into household current to fill the battery. Solio works with many cell phones, as well as handhelds, game systems, digital cameras and music players. It is not strong enough to charge more power-hungry devices like laptop computers.

The Solio device is made from recycled materials, and its construction is such that if it breaks, it can be dismantled and recycled again. The Solio is priced at $99, and should become available at stores later this year.