Solar-powered luggage
- Posted by:
- Economist.com | LONDON
- Categories:
- Gadgets
- Green issues
- Luggage
FOR those business travellers who have the money to support their environmental consciences, here’s an extraordinary new laptop bag from Voltaic Systems. It uses power generated by its solar panels to charge an internal battery, which in turn can be used to power a laptop or other electronic device. It won’t work for all computers though: in the company’s words, "brands less likely to charge include Fujitsu, Sony and Toshiba”.
But it all sounds very useful for Dell owners and their ilk, and the bags will clearly do wonders for their owners' green credentials. There are two down sides, though. One is the (in)convenience: Voltaic Systems says that "direct sunlight" is needed to charge up the bag's battery, which takes five hours. It seems to me that if you're inside a lot, or you live in London, you may struggle to find the necessary solar energy. The second is the eye-watering price: $500. That’s a lot to pay for a charger.
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