Solio

Jessica Gottlieb over at Celsias has an article about the solio solar charger. It reminds me of a hit piece sponsored by the coal nuclear power industry.

It is almost as if she had know idea what she was buying. She was stunned to find out it has attachments for other countries that the poor Gottlieb can not afford to got to. It clearly states these are part of what you get. Link. These are good features for people that travel. Great features for people that live in other countries.

I am going to assume Gottlieb bought the charger she linked to. It is simular to the one I own and use when I am backpacking. Here is what she says.

I mean it works, in that it does what it says it will do. It’ll charge your iPhone in about 6-8 hours, if you’re not using said iPhone during that time. By contrast the iPhone plugged into a cigarette lighter in the car charges in 25 minutes. The batteries will recharge in the Solio when it’s left in direct sunlight (again for 6-8 hours) so if you’re ready to take $70-$100 of electronics and leave it out in the elements you’ll be much happier, just make sure to avoid shade at all costs. If you plan to leave it in your kitchen window, prepare for disappointment.

It won’t charge in car windows and I don’t know why but I suspect it has something to do with tempered glass.

It is clear that Gottlieb loves the concept of solar power but does not understand how solar panels work. Solar panels have to be outside. How terribly inconvenient. Mine came with a suction cup so it could be hung outside a kitchen window.

You do not have to keep your electronic devise hooked up to the solio for 6-8 hours for it to charge. It has a battery. The battery when charged takes about 45 minutes to charge my ipod. The battery is the best feature of the solio. It holds a little more than two charges for my ipod.

I should mention that this is made to be outside in the elements. It is a solar panel and who ever heard of solar panels being installed inside. For some reason Gottlieb seems to think it is a bad idea to put it outside.

I am not saying that the solio is perfect. It works well as a solar charger. I suspect I appreciate it a bit more because there are no places to plug in when I am backpacking.

Update: I have found a pink Solio. It is the same one I have but with a different color. It is not the Solio that Gottlieb linked to.