SEP 03

The first Apple-certified iPod chargers will be hitting shelves at the end of the month courtesy of company Novothink.  Their Surge charger is a hard case compatible with the latest generation of iPod and iPod Touch.  A version for the iPhone 3G and 3GS will be available by the end of the year.

The case is outfitted with solar panels on the back and has openings for headphones, USB cable and all external controls like a standard iPod case.  The energy harnessed from the sun's rays are stored in a lithium-ion battery that holds 120 percent of the iPod Touch's internal battery capacity.  While in use, the charger provides a constant charge to the iPod.  Four LED lights let you know how much battery power is left.

The Novothink website has a Solar Planner that allows you to input how long you need the charge to last and how you'll be using your device and then calculates how much time in the sun is required.  It also lets you specify whether you'll be in full sun, cloudy or rainy conditions.

The Surge will be available in four different colors for the iPod and eight colors for the iPhone.

via Inhabitat

Comments (6)

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written by bill, September 04, 2009

This product has nothing to do about saving electricity or money, the power saved with this product will never come close to the amount the product will cost.

It is about convenience, being able to recharge your iphone anywhere there is light, without a recharger.

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Sigh
written by Mary, September 04, 2009

The manufacturers know that only brand obsessed morons purchase Apple gear, so they have created a new device for the AppleTards to obsess about.

These devices will create much more carbon in their manufacture then they will ever save.

Targetted at stupid consumer Americans.

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Artist/Writer
written by Caroline Yoder, September 04, 2009

I agree with the above post sentiment. Would there be a way to calculate the carbon footprint of this product in manufacture, including the life of the battery and amount of hard or dangerous elements used in it? There must be some kind of system of measure true energy cost.....true environment costs of products.
Plus.....how durable are they.....useful....ect ect...... if they are built to be quickly disposed of and replaced that would be doubly upsetting.

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Stupid Idea
written by Cliff, September 04, 2009

I think this is very impractical for most. The people I know either keep their phones in their pockets, purses or some place out of plain view. It seems to me it is just another company jumping on the "green" marketing bandwagon.

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written by Silent Spring, September 05, 2009

Its sad that Apple are also climbing on the environmental band-wagon (i'm quite sure that they are getting a cut of the money this products makes).
Its unfortunate that some people are not knowledgeable enough about environmental issues to know what is fake and what is true.

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written by Liz, July 17, 2010

@ Mary - create carbon? how can I create carbon by using this charger - sloppy reasoning there. Now, it may use more carbon than charging your ipod by plugging it in does, and as Caroline says, a true ecological cost analysis would be very interesting but, no, it won't create carbon.

a stupid consumer American

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