charger

To get the benefits of fuel cells in portable electronics, Apple engineers think they need to work well with batteries.

In newly published patent applications today, Apple describes a way for fuel cell power sources to be designed into electronics, such as a laptop, and controlled to optimize their performance without adding a lot of extra weight.

In one patent application titled simply a Fuel Cell System to Power a Portable Computing Device, Apple says there is "increasing awareness and desire" among consumers to use renewable-energy sources. Fuel cells are compelling technically because of their energy density, or … Read more

Solar charger kits that help power gadgets aren't new. But how about one that also enables you to brag to your social network about how much energy it's generating?

The Changers Starter Kit, which costs about $150, uses a flexible solar module and a solar battery. The battery calculates how much energy you capture, and then, once connected to your laptop, uploads that information so it can be shared on Twitter or Facebook. SmartPlanet's Sumi Das checks out the Changers Starter Kit in the video above.

This video first appeared on SmartPlanet with the headline "Solar panels go social.&… Read more

The Chevy Volt gets the feds look at the safety of all electric cars, Nissan makes a fast charge cheaper (sort of), Toyota puts Intel Inside, and Mercedes reworks the lowly windshield wiper.

SHOW NOTES

Every winter, I fly out to England to join my in-laws for the holidays. As a result, I'm always packing a one-week supply of the gadgets I'll need to survive in the countryside, fully entertained, yet not overburdened.

It's a careful science: travel gadgets have gotten easier than ever thanks to devices like the iPad, yet you're more likely to pack redundant devices, too. The more options, the more headaches.

Here are a few of CNET's holiday recommendations for world travelers. Kindle? Check. iPad 2? Double-check. Battery-packs, surge protectors, headphones, cameras, and laptops? Of course. … Read more

The GE WattStation EV charger has become the recommended charger for Coda's upcoming all-electric vehicles.

Coda has signed an agreement with GE Energy Industrial Solutions to sell the Level 2 charging stations for recharging EV batteries alongside its Coda sedans and to market them together.

GE WattStation's is a 240-volt Level 2 charger that is compatible with any standard EV. Currently, its competitors include the Ecotality Blink station and the Coulomb Technologies ChargePoint station.

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Coda is a fairly new automotive company that has set the ambitious goal to sell 50,000 EVs by 2015. … Read more

To many of you, one USB car charger is just as good as the next, but if you've ever tried to plug your shiny new iPad or massive screened smartphone into a cheapy charger, odds are you quickly learned how wrong you were.

Not all powered USB ports are created equally. Most USB car chargers output about 0.5A of charging power, which is a massive jump over the original "low load" USB standard of just 0.1A. However, tablets require a bit more juice still than these powered ports can supply. In the case of the … Read more

Today's post is dedicated to my father-in-law, Don Whalen, an incredibly skilled, larger-than-life man I loved and admired. He passed away suddenly last night.

iPhone battery problems got you down? Or perhaps you have an older iPod or iPad with a battery that just doesn't hold a charge like it used to. Whatever the case, it's always a good idea to pack a power pack.

Today only, and while supplies last, Laalo has the Mophie Juice Pack Boost external battery for $17.95, plus $4.95 for shipping. The Mophie has a built-in, retractable connector for … Read more

You're using the power of the sun to charge your gadgets. That's kind of awesome. Why keep it to yourself? A new solar charging system from German startup Changers makes your eco-consciousness just as obvious as driving around in a Prius.

The actual charger ventures into familiar territory with a solar module and a battery. It can generate up to 4 watts per hour, enough to fill up the battery in four hours. It is designed to charge smartphones, tablets, and other small electronics.

Normally, a solar charging system would sit quietly by, laboring in silence. Not this one. It hooks up to your PC or Mac by USB, tracks your CO2 savings, and tells all your friends about it over Facebook and Twitter.

The device also tracks your energy production on Changers.com and dishes out credits that can be spent with the company's retail partners. There's no word yet on who those partners are.

The $149 Changers Starter Kit is currently available for preorder, with deliveries starting up within a few weeks. Don't worry, the sun will still be waiting for you.… Read more

Plenty of gadget-charging solar panels come with suction cups so you can mount them on windows. A compact solar charger from design collaborative Quirky does the combination one better. It puts the solar panel inside a suction cup, making it easy to stick on small windows: think cars and jetliners.

The $40 solar charger, dubbed Ray, measures a tidy (though not exactly pocketable) 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches by 3 inches. It comes with a kickstand so you can harvest light without sticking it on a window. The solar panel charges an internal battery, which in turn charges a phone or other mobile device via a USB port.

The charger is a good option for traveling, whether you're 30,000 feet up in a window seat or off the grid somewhere. My first thought about using it in a car is why not just use the car chargers most of us have? Then I thought of the times my wife and I have climbed in the car after a long day of phone use and simultaneously reached for the 12 volt socket. And it could be handy on tour buses and trains.… Read more