This Portable Outlet Uses Solar Power, Just Stick It To Your Window
This article is more than 2 years old
Well, how’s this for the handiest new gadget you’ll see all day? This is a portable solar electrical outlet from Yanko Design, one that you simply stick to a window and it’s ready to use. That sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Entirely powered by the sun, this little gizmo doesn’t require being connected to the main power grid in any way shape or form.
Ease of use was front and center in the minds of the development team. Two of the designers, Kyohu Song and Boa Oh, said, “We tried to design a portable socket, so that users can use it intuitively without special training.”
It really is as easy as it sounds. It attaches to a window “like a leech,” and the small solar panels on the underside suck up the energy from the rays of the sun. The whole thing is about as big around as a baseball.
This isn’t just something you can set up and use in one place, and it also serves as a battery, storing the electricity for future use. Five to eight hours’ worth of charging will get you up to 10 hours of use, even in total darkness.
With just a quick glance, this would seem an ideal companion for camping excursions, extended road trips, and apocalyptic events where all the more traditional power sources fail. Think about it: you can charge your cell phone and call loved ones, just in time to hear them devoured by zombies, murdered by rioters, zapped by aliens, or taken down by escaped, genetically enhanced monsters.
I have to admit that, as cool as this sounds, there’s also a gimmicky ring to it. I’m curious how well it actually works, and what sets this model apart from something you’d order from Skymall?
