Solio Magnesium Edition portable solar charger

Portable solar charger specialist Solio has announced a new, ruggedized Magnesium Edition which builds on the features of the original (now branded Solio Classic) with greater output (8W), expanded compatability, a higher-capacity lithium ion battery (3.7v, 1800mAh compared with 3.6v, 1600mAh) and a stronger magnesium alloy shell to cope with the rigors of the road. Retaining the same footprint and fan blade design as the original, the Magnesium Edition is compatible with the universal iGo Tip System and includes a female USB cable for iPod, digital cameras and other compatible gadgetry. It can be charged in around 8-10 hours of direct sunlight or in approximately four hours via a wall outlet and can store energy for up to one year.

The fully charged Solio will re-power an average cell phone at least twice and will charge at the same rate as a conventional charger and the company estimates that 60 minutes of sunlight will provide approximately 20 minutes of talk time and ten hours of standby time or 50 minutes of play time on an iPod or PMP.

The Solio range is rounded-off by the 7.8 x 2.6 x 0.71 in H1000 model which uses a single panel design and has an output rated at 1.5-5 Watts.

The H1000 costs USD$69.95, the Classic model is USD$99.95 and the new Magnesium Edition is expected to be priced around the USD$200 mark.