2/26/2011

Solio Mono-A Hybrid Solar Charger Review

Solio Mono-A Hybrid Solar Charger
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I received my Solio Mono as a promotion from my local public radio station.My box came with everything listed here, but is bright red instead of black.(My carabiner is dark metallic blue, if you care.)The device is lightweight but I'm worried that the solar collector would get scratched up if I were to attach it to the outside of a backpack or something.

The micro-USB tip attaches directly to my phone, and I use the USB female tip to charge my iPod Touch via its USB cable.You can use it to charge anything that has a USB charging cable, so that's really handy.My AC adapter came with interchangeable prongs for the USA, Australia/NZ, UK/Europe, and those round prongs possibly used in Asia, which is really neat.I have a trip to NZ planned, and I'll take the Solio instead of my devices' respective charging paraphernalia.While this means I can charge only one device at a time, I can charge one device overnight while the device is plugged in (and charging itself too), then charge the other device during the day while it and the Solio are stowed in my backpack!

Note: you can't charge a laptop or any heavy power usage items with the Solio.It's designed for "personal electronics" like cellphones and MP3 players.It will work with digital cameras that can charge via USB, they say on their website.

The thing that loses Solio points is solar charging.I've owned it for 4 days and it charges very slowly using just the sun.I've had it outdoors on my sunny porch for a couple of days and it's only gotten one "tick" of charge.Now, I live in the Northeast US, and that spot gets direct sunlight only in the afternoon.Both days have been partially cloudy, but this seems sad.At this point I'm ready to ask for some sort of protective cover for the solar cell and just use it as a charger/spare battery!Solio claims it takes 20 hours to get a full charge, but unless you're under ideal conditions it's going to take much longer.So can't recommend that anyone count on it for seriously charging a device using only the sun.If that's your need, you should go for Solio Universal Hybrid Solar Charger, which is heavier but has 3 collectors instead of just 1.

So I like it as a travel charger and emergency battery.I don't think you can expect to reduce your energy use and count on getting any significant charging from the sun, unless you live in a sunnier clime and can keep it in stronger sunlight more of the day.You might get enough charge for an emergency call, or to keep a device topped off, so it's better than not having a solar collector, I guess.But if you have multiple devices that you travel with, and you'd like to have some spare charge and not carry all those different charge plugs, then this might be useful for you.

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Product Description:
The new Solio Mono Hybrid Solar Charger (updated 2010) provides more power to more devices more quickly than ever. Updates include a larger internal battery that provides twice the capacity and a solar panel that is 20% more efficient. The updated adapter tip package means the Mono now works with iPhone/iPod right out of the box, and also supports Micro-USB devices such as Blackberry, Motorola, LG, etc. The Solio Mono Hybrid Solar Charger is the perfect lightweight travel charger, back-up power source when in remote locations, or an emergency back-up power supply. The Mono features a compact design with a single panel photovoltaic cell plus a full-size charging battery enabling quick re-charging of your portable electronic devices. The Solio Mono Hybrid Solar Charger is simple to use. Charge the Mono's battery one of three ways: directly from the sun using the integrated solar cell, or from your computer using the included USB charge-in cable, or from the included rapid wall charger. The 1,650 mAh internal Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery stores power until you need it - for up to one year. Select the appropriate adapter tip, connect it to your electronic device, press the start button and you're charging on-the-go. Solio Mono comes with:4 adapter tips (MicroUSB, MiniUSB, FemaleUSB, Samsung3), carabiner clip, carry pouch, USB charge-in cable, wall adapter, universal tip cable, quick start guide, "Art of Solar Charging" guide.

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