Meet AT&T's Street Charge station
AT&T is setting up 25 of these solar-powered stations in parks throughout the five boroughs of New York City. This is a trial to see if the company wants to deploy more. Here, a New York parks employee is checking out the station in Riverside Park.
Street Charge works with all devices
The station has six plugs in total, one micro-USB, one older 30-pin connector for the iPhone 4S and older versions, and the Lightning connector for the iPhone 5 and newer iPads. The other three are female USB inputs for other mobile devices and chargers.
Long-lasting battery
The charging station is designed to provide three to four days of continuous charging, and is packed with batteries. Direct sunlight can fully charge the station in four hours, and it can still get a charge during cloudy and even rainy days. The structure was designed by Brooklyn-based Pensa, and the solar power technology supplied by Goal Zero.
The scenic route
A runner zips past the charging station placed in Riverside Park on Monday.
Getting your charge on
Park-goers were slow to approach the charging station, but when they realized what it was, were eager to plug in their smartphones. Each station will have an AT&T representative nearby to help users.
Getting the right shot
CNET producer Richard Peterson gets up on a ladder for that crucial shot of the Street Charge's solar panels.
Some assembly required
The charging stations are easy to assemble and disassemble. In fact, the technicians at Riverside Park decided the station would be better away from the steps, and moved the station several feet closer to the water.
Not easy to steal
A note to would-be thieves: that base weighs 450 pounds, and the round stabilizing plate beneath it is another 50 pounds. The tower itself took three men to carry.
A quick install
The three technicians got the station up in the new location after just 10 minutes. The earlier location was close to set of steps that could be used to jump on to the station itself, so it was moved. An AT&T representative said that each "wing" on the top of the station could, in fact, support a person's weight.
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