Looking for a New Gadget? Look to Solar
What a time to be alive! No, really! Solar technology has never been more prevalent in our global society. Solar energy helps us create the energy we need to power our lives. It’s furthering the human race in ways we never could have foreseen just decades and centuries ago.
Solar energy is providing electricity and water purification to remote African and South American villages. Backpackers are able to keep their phones and other essential gadgets charged while away in the mountains or country trekking for long periods of time. Finally, Solar energy technology is being experimented on Route 66 to see if it would be a good fit to be used as road tile.
Again, what a time to be alive.
The same humans who are going above and beyond to bring us great inventions like the ones we listed above are making a lot of other incredible things too! If you’re looking to add a little more solar to your life, we’ve created a list just for you. Here are 8 of J-Tech Solar’s favorite solar gadgets that you can buy today!
Skylock – $180
At first glance, Skylock looks like just another u-lock for your bike. Ohhh, no. Not with Solar in the mix. Because Skylock runs off of solar energy, it connects via bluetooth with your phone. This way, it unlocks automatically as you near, and will even send you a text message if it senses a possible theft trying to occur. Pretty neat, huh?
Birksun Boost Sport Solar Backpack – $249
There are a lot of solar backpacks out there, but Birksun has some of the best-looking. With simple colors, clean lines, and an unobtrusive solar panel, the Boost will help you charge your devices on the go without carrying around a giant panel on your back. And at $100 a pop, the price can’t be beat.
Goal Zero 150WH Generator and Solar Panel – $199
Tiny solar chargers are cool, but if you’re looking to really take advantage of solar power, Goal Zero’s generators are the way to go. The 150WH generator will power laptops, cell phones, and lights with a built-in AC inverter. The more powerful generators can even power tools, TVs, and refrigerators.
Eton Rukus Solar Powered Bluetooth Speaker – $50
Though it won’t give you the sound quality of a full-on speaker system, the rukus is highly portable and stores enough power to play music for eight hours on a full charge. It will also charge your smartphone via the USB port. It’s water resistant as well, making it great for poolside listening and go-anywhere versatility.
Logitech Solar Wireless Keyboard – $50
Your computer already draws a lot of power—why use even more to power your accessories? Logitech’s solar wireless keyboard charges from the sun or artificial light, and will keep a charge for up to three months in total darkness. And at only 1/3 of an inch thick, it’s sleek enough to compliment your desk.
Swiftly Done Peel-n-Stick Outdoor Solar Lights – $17
There are a lot of solar-powered outdoor lights, but not many of them are quite this simple. Just peel off the backing and stick it wherever you need more light. It charges up during the day and then lights up your driveway, front door, or other area at night. To save power, it dims when there’s no motion detected, and increases light output when motion is detected.
XD Design Solar Window Charger – $20
Though its small size and 1800 mAh battery means it doesn’t pack the punch of a larger charger like the Creative Edge above, the XD Design solar window charger’s ability to stick to a window is pretty cool. It comes in fun colors, too, so it’s not an eyesore if it has to stay on your desk to charge up your phone throughout the day.
Creative Edge Solar Cell Phone Charger – $30
This five-panel solar charger can store up to 5,000 mAh; for comparison, the iPhone 6 packs a 1,810 mAh battery, which means you could fully charge up the battery 2.5 times on a single solar charge. The small size of the Creative Edge charger means you can easily leave it on a window sill or the corner of a desk to charge in the sunlight. And two USB ports lets it charge two phones (or a single tablet) at once.
