News

AstroPower Reaches Agreement with iGo for AstroCharger Solar Battery Charger

June 11, 2000 by Jeff Shepard

AstroPower Inc. (Newark, DE) announced that is has agreed to a six-month exclusive resale agreement with iGo Corp. (Reno, NV) for AstroPower's new AstroCharger Solar Battery Charger for mobile phones in the North American market.

The AstroCharger Solar Battery Charger is a pocket-sized device that unfolds like a book, exposing two solar arrays. Placed in the sun, the unit recharges a mobile phone battery. AstroPower claims that it is capable of providing more than 30 minutes of extra talk time for each hour of sunlight exposure. The charger is water-resistant and has a retractable cord. Adapters connect this cord to the phone itself. AstroPower maintains that these adapters make the solar battery charger compatible with most mobile phones.

"We're entering an entirely new and very exciting marketplace," said Cris DiRuggiero, AstroPower's manager of consumer product marketing. "We are particularly pleased to be partnering with iGo, a leading multi-channel distribution company who has online, as well as traditional catalog, and direct sales businesses. We believe that our relationship with iGo provides an ideal entrance into the entire consumer electronics market."

The device will be available through iGo for $49.99.