Solar Technology International has announced that it is launching its line of Freeloader Solar Chargers (which harness the power of the sun), in the United States. By channeling power to Li-ion batteries through its solar panels, the Freeloader Solar Chargers can power any hand-held device anywhere, anytime – essentially freeloading power from the Sun (did you spot the play on words there? Nice!). There are three different versions of the Freeloader:
- The standard Freeloader appears as a stylish aluminum body the size of a cellular phone. Utilizing two 120mA solar cells, the standard Freeloader can charge the 1000mA lithium-ion battery in as little as eight hours. The standard Freeloader can power an iPod for 18 hours, a mobile phone for 44 hours, a PSP for 2.5 hours, a PDA for 22 hours and much more. MSRP $59.99 USD.
- The FreeLoader Pro is the perfect eco-friendly, pocket sized partner for an endless array of gadgets such as mobile/smartphones (including the iPhone and Blackberry), mobile gaming devices, MP3 players, GPS devices, e-books, PDAs, and more. Included with the Freeloader PRO is the CamCaddy accessory, which gives the Freeloader PRO the unique ability to charge compact digital, DSLR and video camera batteries. The Freeloader PRO uses two 200mA solar cells to power a 1600mAh lithium-ion battery which can provide a mobile phone with 70 hours of standby time, 5,000 page turns on an eBook, or fully charge a digital camera battery. MSRP $119.99 USD
- The Freeloader PICO is the ideal travel buddy for virtually any portable electronic device. Boasting an extremely lightweight and tiny design, the Freeloader PICO can provide enough power to keep a mobile phone running for 35 hours or an iPod for 14 hours. When fully charged, the PICO will charge a gadget in just 30 minutes using one 75mA solar panel which powers an 800mA li-ion battery. MSRP $29.99 USD
The Freeloader Solar Chargers are currently available for purchase here and will be at select US retailers nationwide starting May 1, 2010.