I learned of the Devotec Solar Power Charger from a post on the popular blog Engadget and on The Boy Genius Report.
My picture taking skills need some brushing up so I would suggest checking out the pictures at The Boy Genius Report. It does a great job of showing the size of the charger compared to a blackberry and an Iphone.
For the record, it is narrower than a cell phone (half the width) and is thinner or the same heighth as a blackberry. It charges via sunlight or unnateral light. The instructions state it should take 24 hours to charge. Fortunately, I was able to charge my cellphone after only charging it for an hour.
My favorite thing about the charger is the ability to charge my ipod and my cell phone with it. This will significantly cut down on the cords I need to take when I travel along with having to find a plugin for my electronics. (I’m looking at you O’Hare!)
Devotec is based in England and with the exchange rate I paid $50. It came with several phone adapter plugs and a outlet converter so that you can plug it into a wall outlet anywhere in the world for a fast charge.
I believe small little solar charges like these are the future. While whole roofs of solar panels are still not cost efficient without subsidies, small and efficient devices that are solar or run on kinetic energy can be made cost efficient.