solar

Regardless of what you think of its design, this is no ordinary handbag. The "Power Purse's" name refers not just to its importance as a fashion accessory but also to its functionality--as a portable source of solar energy.

The bag is covered with small solar panels that can power cell phones or any other gadgets through a USB port built into its interior. MobileWhack says the ingenius purse was designed by a student at Iowa State University and marketed through Solarjo, "a company that produces unlikely items from something that looks quite ordinary."

The price … Read more

With so much talk about solar energy these days, you'd think we'd have all manner of sun-powered gadgetry in our midst. But we don't. So we're pleased to see that someone has taken the enviro-speak from theory to reality with an everyday product.

The SlimStar 820 from Taiwan-based Genius is a keyboard that absorbs its energy through an unobtrusive solar panel, Newlaunches says. But in case you're not much into outdoor computing (or live in sun-challenged cities like London or San Francisco), the keyboard can also be powered by a standard USB charger.

Genius, by … Read more

Venturi, a French company that bills itself as "The Carbon Neutral Company," has a new electric vehicle that can also be powered by nature.

Whenever I see cars like this, my first thought is always...OK, how fast does it go? Politics aside, no one wants to be the guy in the Trabant.

The answer for the Venturi Eclectic is not that fast, but not that bad for what it is. It tops out at 31 mph.

As with the Tamarack Lake Engine Company's solar-electric pontoon boat, recreational vehicles like these seem to be more about making … Read more

File this in the "not there yet" folder. A bunch of blogs have covered a new, solar-powered system for NEC monitors, yet none show how it looks. My mind's eye pictured a tidy, laptop-size solar panel. But when I received this photo from NEC, I couldn't stifle a chuckle. Who wants to claw their way to a corporate window seat only to have mammoth solar panels block the view? Oh, and try not to kick that battery pack.

The equipment is designed for big businesses that aim to cut costs with clean, off-the-grid energy sources, but … Read more

Hey, hippies! I know you probably carry your laptop around in an organic-cotton sack and would never think of switching over to a briefcase (that evil, chilly symbol of greedy corporate America and all its Hummer-driving Enron-clone zombies). But maybe this will change your mind. Treehugger recently featured the Eclipse Solar Gear Hybrid Notebook Case, which will charge your computer with solar energy thanks to an inverter and battery pack inside. In addition, it can charge your GPS navigator, MP3 player, satellite radio system, or BlackBerry. But you don't have a BlackBerry, of course. Those are instruments of Big … Read more

Solar power may be making great strides in mainstream usage, but energy efficiency doesn't necessarily translate to fiscal conservation. The "Ultimate Outdoor Webcam" by DigitalXtractions, for example, runs on the sun's rays but costs $450 plus another $150 or $250 for a solar panel, according to The Raw Feed. But here's the kicker: Not only do you have to pay those exorbitant prices up front, but you also must shell out $60 a year for a "data subscription" that includes Web hosting. We think we'll keep a USB port open for the &… Read more

We're all in favor of solar energy, but it's products like this that gave rise to the phrase "too much of a good thing."

The Japan Organization for the Promotion of Renewable Energy has devised this "solar-powered fan hat," according to Tokyo-based Plastic Bamboo. It has a solar panel perched precariously on top, which powers a fan poking through a hole in the bill of the cap. (Not kidding.)

It's not that we have anything against the idea but, come on, look at this thing. Whoever is willing to wear one of these … Read more

'Tis the season for giving, all right. Just when we were whining about solar chargers being too big and bulky, Chip Chick comes along and posts an item on a solar mobile phone charger that's not only much smaller than others we've seen but could even pass as a fashion item.

True, chargers made by generic companies in China like this one aren't known for having the best track records. But given its manageable size (about 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick) and its price of $18.50--including adapters for various phones and MP3 players--we … Read more

It's great that solar rechargers are starting to catch on, but we're not thrilled at the idea of carrying one that's 10 times the size of the phone it's supposed to power. Brunton's "SolarPort 4.4" isn't that big and won't give us a hernia (we hope), but it's still not as portable as we'd like.

The charger, which Red Ferret says is designed for handheld devices and nothing bigger, weighs 19 ounces and measures 9.3 by 6 inches and 1.5 inches thick. That would stow easily … Read more