Fujitsu solar lantern comes with FM radio
Designed for blackouts, disasters, and camping, this LED light can be charged via USB.
Fujitsu BSC is releasing the latest disaster preparedness product to follow Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunamis--a solar lantern that doubles as an FM radio.
The Solar Cubic A-1 lantern (PDF) is covered with a large solar panel for charging, but can also be juiced via USB or AC adapter.
The 6-inch cube has a total of 32 LED lights on four sides with a maximum brightness of 60,000 millicandela. Any combination of facets, such as the front alone or both sides, can be lit.
A full charging of 8 hours can provide 44 hours of light when using three sides.
A speaker on the bottom can play FM radio; the receiver picks up stations on Japan's uniquely narrow FM band of 76-90MHz.
The A-1 weighs just under 2 pounds and is designed for power failures, outdoor use, and natural disasters. It goes on sale in Japan this week for 10,290 yen ($134).
Fujitsu's lantern follows a Toshiba OLED lamp designed for use in disaster-hit areas of northern Japan.
Toshiba only planned to make 100 units of its lamp, but Fujitsu wants to produce 100,000 A-1 lanterns annually.