Freeloader Pico – Cheap, portable solar charger

I was wondering around my local Maplin store and stumbled across a new gadget taking advantage of the sun.

Now if you read my blog frequently, you may be aware that I’m a big fan of solar gadgets. I love the fact that I can get free electricity for my gadgets with help from cheap(ish) solar technology.

This gadget is called the Freeloader Pico. It’s very clever because it’s no bigger than a standard mobile phone (if not a tiny bit thicker) yet it holds an 800mA battery and a 75mA solar panel. You can charge the battery via the solar panel or from a mini USB input. It can take as little as 10 hours to charge from the sun and 4 hours to charge over USB.

Once charged, it will charge a gadget for between 30 minutes and an hour. What makes it stand out for me is that it delivers it’s output via a standard USB port, meaning you can charge almost any device that supports USB charging.

It also comes with four output plugs and you can buy more online.

I think it’s great. I can carry it around in my pocket and get it out when I need juice. It charges fairly quickly from the sun and provides quick, efficient power. It’s ideal for walking trips or long trips without access to the plug.

One thought on “Freeloader Pico – Cheap, portable solar charger

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention Freeloader Pico – Cheap, portable solar charger | GEEK! -- Topsy.com

Leave a Reply