Mobile charging technology is proving a popular subject on the crowd-sourced funding platform Kickstarter. But unlike the unsuccessful go at bicycle-powered mobile charging by the Charge Cycle, a recent pitch for the WakaWaka Power device reached 50 percent of its funding goal in its first day, and within a week became one of the website's most-funded projects.
The WakaWaka Power is a pocket size mini power station that utilizes solar cells and a power-management system to offer on-demand and off-the-grid electricity. Apart from mobile charging, WakaWaka Power is also a light source which can provide more than 40 hours of reading light on a single day's solar charge, 10 hours if coupled with phone charging, and the 2200 mAH LiPo battery will store a charge for up to four months.
The company is touting the device as a safety essential during times of electricity outages, much like the one seen recently after Hurricane Sandy devastated the coastal areas around New York City. According to its Kickstarter page, the device could be ready for retail sales by May at a starting price of $79.
Watch the video below for an introduction to the device by co-founder Camille van Gestel:
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