Many products today require USB charge cables. While there is no single standard in USB cable size, it’s still much easier today, with fewer proprietary charge cables for a cellphone. For the most part, most cellphones (and many other small electronics) are compatible with these kinds of USB interfaces:
USB
Mini-USB
Micro-USB
USB provides a standard way to charge our phones. Now we just need a convenient way of powering them for longer than usual (I hate dealing with spare batteries, particularly having to worry about keeping them charged). In fact, let’s take another step forward – let’s provide a life-saving way of powering our phones!
(If you don’t believe me when I say “life-saving”, I do mean it. Imagine being in a situation where you needed to make a call and your cellphone was dead. With today’s battery-devouring cellphones, the chances of this happening are increasingly likely.)
The Monaco mobile phone solar charger is just that. It’s a phone-sized case with a solar panel on the outside, a battery on the inside, and several cables and ports that allow you to provide power to a battery-drained cellphone. You can either charge it via solar or a wall plug, or use it to power your devices. The above picture is what it looks like, providing power to a Samsung Epic cellphone.
There are three things you’ll use on the Monaco mobile phone solar charger:
Charging light: The light is red when the Monaco is charging (from sunlight or from USB cable). The light is green when the Monaco is fully charged.
“Power in” port: Plug a cable into this port to charge the Monaco via cable (USB from a PC or with the provided AC adapter). Charge time ranges from 6 hours (via AC) or 8+ hours (via solar).
“Power out” port: Plug a cable from this port to your cellphone or similar device to provide power.
Monaco mobile phone solar charger stats
Here’s what you get:
Monaco mobile phone solar charger
Battery capacity: 1800mAh
Weight: 93.5 grams / 3.3 oz. (The Monaco by itself)
Size: 56 x 106 x 15mmAC-to-USB adapter
USB cable (Mini USB)
USB cable (3.0 DC female plug for the below two adapter ends)
Mini-USB adapter
Micro-USB adapter
The cables are plenty long enough for most needs. Here’s a picture of the cables, adapter and plugs:
Conclusion
Even with a car charger, powered PC sync cable and multiple wall chargers, I’m still in situations where I drain my cellphone battery. In fact, I was in just a situation today – the day I’m typing this – and really wish I had the Monaco with me. It’s a device that can sit and quietly keep itself charged and topped off until it’s needed, and then can provide the equivalent of a full charge for most cellphones and similar devices. It’s affordable, it’s convenient, and gives access to emergency power without having to worry about charging yet another battery. With the Monaco, it’s simple: just keep it in the sun!
The Monaco mobile phone solar charger is a very simple and handy device that I personally need.
The Monaco mobile phone solar charger is available from Wirelessground for $40.