Stylish Gadgets Run On Solar Power

Always running low on those pesky AA batteries? Soon they may be a thing of the past.

The Early Show environmental lifestyle contributor Danny Seo (www.dannyseo.com)looked at solar gadgets and gear that power themselves or help charge up your personal electronics in the final installment of a three-part series on solar energy.

The solar panels that you see on gadgets — including those inexpensive, light-powered calculators — use a photovoltaic cell that converts sunlight into electricity. The more direct sunlight it gets, the better the charge.

Most solar gadgets have built-in rechargeable batteries that store the power. rechargeable items such as cell phones and laptops need to be plugged into a solar battery in order to recharge their own battery. Smaller items, such as a calculator or a wristwatch, are charged and powered by their own photovoltaic cell.

Types of solar gadgets:

Solar calculators: One of the first consumer-friendly products using solar technology was personal calculators. First introduced in 1981 by Texas Instruments, almost all calculators are solar-powered today.

Light-powered watches: EcoDrive ($195, www.citizenwatch.com), by Citizen Watch Co., uses a built-in solar conversion panel that powers a fuel cell that runs the watch. Although there is no battery, it is designed to last for a lifetime of use.

Just wearing the watch on a regular basis is enough to power up the watch. It charges in both solar and artificial light. Because watch batteries contain a small amount of mercury, this solar watch is a green and non-toxic choice.

Hybrid chargers: Hybrid chargers are new to the market because they can accept power from either the traditional wall socket or solar power to store energy within the charger's internal rechargeable battery. They can be used for emergency situations to recharge cell phones and communication devices away from home. On the road, the fold-out solar panels in the charger can help re-power the charger.

Red Cross volunteers actually used Solio ($99.95, www.solio.com) devices to recharge cell phones during Hurricane Katrina when phone and power lines were down. A Solio device can recharge a cell phone up to two times when fully charged. And a fully-charged device will hold the charge for up to a year.

Solio is also launching a second-generation model that is compatible to all personal electronic adapters, so there won't be the need to find special plugs for specific items.

Foldable solar charger: The SunLing 25 Watt Foldable Solar Charger ($399.95, www.globalsolar.com) will charge up personal electronics quickly. This includes cell phones, iPods, digital cameras and camcorders. Because it is extremely flexible, it can be folded up and stashed in a backpack for easy transport. That makes it a practical choice for campers and hikers who travel with electronic equipment but may not have access to a power supply.

Emergency items: Solar-powered items can be handy during emergencies with power outages. Invest in a solar-powered emergency radio/flashlight combo from Foerever Flashlight Radio ($29.99, www.bedbathbeyond.com). This gadget uses both solar and "cranking" power. If there isn't any sunlight, you can use a built-in crank to generate power. It can also be powered by three "C" batteries.

Solar-powered batteries: Because batteries often wear out and need to be replaced, a good eco-friendly option is a rechargeable battery, which can be recharged and used up to 1,000 times. Sanyo's Eneloop solar charger recharges four AA rechargeable batteries. It also features a built-in USB port in the back, so you can plug in an iPod, cell phone or PDA at the same time as the batteries.

Gadgets for students: Harness the power of the sun with a messenger bag that can charge your cell phone or personal electronics. The Solar Flare messenger bag ($129.95, www.eclipsesolargear.com) has the style and functionality of a normal messenger bag with the addition of a solar charging module.

Wearable solar gear: Ermenegildo Zegna has designed the Solar JKT, an interactive wear jacket that has built-in solar modules around the collar of the jacket that pass energy through the conducting textile to a 6-volt built-in battery. You can plug in your cell phone and stash it in the pocket. A built-in LED display even gives the wearer status updates on the level of solar charging.