Today we are going to look at the top 10 coolest solar gadgets for 2013.

There are tons of great solar gadgets out there, but I have narrowed them down to the top 10 for you.

Here we go…

Number 10. Solar Powered Backup Battery and Charger for Portable devices by XTG Technology.

This is a great little device to use for charging your portable devices when you don’t have access to a wall outlet or any other power source. It looks just like a smart phone, and can easily fit in your pocket and no cause too many issues with making you look like a complete geek. It’s a portable battery and charger, you can use it to charge by solar power up to 50% or USB cable. It has a charging and capacity indicator on the back. It also features a mini USB charger cable and comes with 2 window suction cups so you can attach it to your windshield or window. It comes with a great price tag of only $29.99.

Number 9. Advanced Technology Solar Charge Backpack Bag

This product comes with a 2.2W portable flexible amorphous silicon solar panel. There is a USB port attached to the battery as well as the most popular connectors are also included. This solar backpack is ready to go when you are. With its soft flexible amorphous silicon panel and 5,200 mAh Lithium-ion polymer battery, you’ll have the power that you need when you need it. Amorphous silicon solar panels are the latest technology in solar energy products. They are not only more durable than the mono-crystalline silicon based solar panels, but also flexible and lightweight. This provides you with more energy collecting surface with lighter weight. The patented design of this solar charge backpack bag allows for the removal of the solar panel when not needed. We’ve included the highest capacity lithium-ion polymer battery offered by the manufacturer for this solar charge backpack bag. This ensures that you have the quickest charge with the most energy available. Charge almost any of your mobile devices with the included connectors. Mobile phones, PDAs, MP3 players, CD players, e-readers, almost anything that has a 5V USB or iPhone charge port can be re-energized with the power storage unit in this solar charge backpack bag. You’ll find this backpack bag comfortable to carry and lightweight, with an empty weight of only 2 1/2 lbs. The battery is a high energy, low loss – high efficiency lithium-ion polymer battery. Only brand name parts are used to ensure long lasting quality. You can even charge the battery with a standard A/C outlet if necessary so that you are always prepared with a fully charged auxiliary power supply for your mobile devices. This comes with a very affordable price tag of $179.99.

Number 8. Logitech Wireless Solar Powered Keyboard

The Logitech solar powered keyboard is a super slender 8mm offering that’s compatible with mobile devices such as tablets and phones via the powers of Bluetooth technology. There’s no need for a battery either and a full charge through the solar cell at the top will provide you around three months of battery life.

Number 7. Solar Kindle

The e-reader that created the trend and still sells by the bulk load has received the power of Mother Nature to power its e-ink. This device from Solar Focus doubles as a cover for the screen and has a solar panel inside the casing to lap up the sun discreetly. It can also be used to power a reading light and works with Kindle 4 and Touch versions.

Number 6. Woods Solar Powered Tent

A solar powered tent you say, well more-so a tent with solar powered LED lighting inside. The EZ tent has a range of solar powered LED lights strung inside, all of which are connected to a panel on its outside that charges the lights within 6 hours. This provides two to four hours of night time lighting, plenty of time to get up at night and go for a pee so.

Number 5. Goal Zero Sherpa 120 Kit

Laptop batteries are easily and quickly drained and this kit is the solution to that problem. The device runs at a high efficiency rate and can manage to charge a laptop battery to full charge within 5 hours. It can also be used with smart phones and manage to juice them up within 2-4 hours. It’s also surprisingly light at 6.5lbs, which considering it includes a panel, cables and power pack isn’t so bad. Once the pack is full it can hold 120Wh, enough to charge the average laptop twice or more.

Number 4. Petal solar light

This cute device is a plant shaped solar light that charges up during the day and then emits its brightness at night in the form of light. It’s a very stylish and cool alternative to decorative lighting and you don’t even have to water it – perfect for students.

Number 3. Self-Energy-Converting Sunglasses

What better place to have solar panels than on your sunglasses? These attractive (yes, I can barely say that with a straight face) solar-panel sunglasses imagined by eco-designers Hyun-Joong Kim and Kwang-Seok Jeong feature dye solar cells. The designers describe the dye solar cells as “cheap organic dye [used with] nano technology providing cheap but high energy efficiency.” A small power jack at the back of the frames allows you to use the collected energy to charge small gadgets such as phones and MP3 players.

Number 2. Soulra Solar Boom Box

Need a way to carry your tunes into the great outdoors? Eton’s stylish Soulra XL Solar-Powered iPod/iPhone boom box features a flip-out solar panel. With a maximum output of 230mA, the panel allows you to charge your iPod or iPhone while listening to music through the speakers. If you’re not outside, that’s no problem: The unit also has a lithium ion battery pack for indoor listening.

Number 1. Husqvarna Hybrid Lawnmower

The Husqvarna Hybrid Lawnmower is like a Roomba for your lawn. Not only does it mow the lawn all by itself, but it’s also partly powered by the sun. The $3000 machine, which uses its solar panel to extend its battery life on appropriately sunny days, offers an LCD settings panel, a timer, an anti-theft alarm, and a PIN-code lock. This lawn buddy also provides remote texting (if something disturbs the operation, it will send your phone a text message to notify you) and automatic charging: Similar to a Roomba, when it senses its battery is low, it will return to its charging station on its own.

Author:

This article was written by Philippe Allaire. Lately Philippe has been fascinated with alternative energy, and the many ways we can use it. Many of the items listed on this page may be found at www.greenieproducts.com.

It can be difficult to know what to buy for those who love travelling so much that they never stay in one place for long.  Anything that you do buy them needs to be durable and lightweight so that it can be taken with them wherever they go, and bearing in mind that they like to travel light, it needs to serve some kind of function to make it worthwhile carrying.  Luckily there are some brilliant gifts out there to choose from.

Personalised Luggage Straps

Not only do luggage straps improve the security of your luggage, their bright and colourful design makes sure that your baggage is easy to spot on even the most crowded luggage carousel.  Add to the design the name of the luggage’s owner and there is no way that their bags could be mistaken for those belonging to anyone else.  Although not a big gift, they are a useful gift and something that a regular traveller will appreciate, plus at £14.99 they won’t break the budget either.

Passport Covers

Passports are not the most attractive pieces of documentation that you will ever have to carry, so anything that can bring them up to date and more attractive to look at is good.  People who travel overseas regularly tend to have passports that end up looking a little worse for wear as they are constantly getting banged about being taken in and out of their bags and pockets.  A passport cover will limit the damage and offer them some protection over the course of the life of the passport.  With designs ranging from world maps to floral prints there is something to suit everyone’s taste.

The Lonely Planet Travel Book

Covering everywhere from Algeria to Zimbabwe this travel book could be just what they need to decide on the location of the next globetrotting adventure.  A coffee table classic this book can be left on display during the times that they do spend at home, giving them the chance to select their next adventure at their leisure from just about everywhere in the world, plus they can even bookmark where they have been, sliding their own travellers notes in between the pages for future reference.  At around £20 it’s a decent gift for those with the spirit of adventure in their blood.

Travel Adapter

One of the essential items that any traveller needs is a travel adapter.  This handy little device will allow you to connect to the mains power supply in over 160 different countries; handy for when your GPS, mobile phone or lap top need recharging.  This is an essential item and only costs around £5 so would make the ideal stocking filler gift for those with a limited budget.  The main barrel of the object houses several different connective adapters that will allow you to connect your own device into one side whilst the different prongs on the other adapt to the changing power supply systems of foreign countries.

The Trace Me Luggage Tag

How annoying is it when you arrive at your destination only to find that your luggage has been sent on an exotic holiday of its own?  The Trace Me Luggage Tracker offers you the chance to keep a track of your luggage’s movements should you become separated.  For £12.99 you have the ability to register the numbers on the luggage tag with the main database so that no matter where in the world your luggage should end up, a simple scan of the tag will allow it to be returned to you safe and sound.  It’s lightweight, non-obtrusive and just perfect when wandering baggage is on your mind.

Whether it’s personalised gifts, tech help or just a new passport cover, these gifts are sure to be loved by the travellers in your life.