Sanyo's Eneloop Portable Solar panel can charge mobile devices on the go.
(Credit: Sanyo)If you plan on walking through the desert with a cell phone anytime soon, you might want to check in with Sanyo before you leave.
Its new Eneloop Portable Solar panels can charge portable devices through a USB connection. They're also relatively compact and a cinch to tote.
Sanyo's stylish Eneloop line of energy products includes a popular brand of rechargeable batteries and a lamp that doubles as a flashlight. Last time we posted about Sanyo's solar panels, they were chic but clunky. The new book-size, business-slick Portable Solar comes in sets of one or two panels (weighing about 8 or 15 ounces), with a handy hook to hang in a window.
(Credit:
Sanyo)
Sounds great, especially if you're keen on saving energy and the environment.
But you'll also have to carry the Eneloop Mobile Booster (2.5 ounces) because it contains the lithium ion battery that stores the solar energy. You then connect your cell phone, gaming device, or whatever to the Booster.
You might also have to lug your laptop to charge the Booster if the weather doesn't cooperate. Though it takes 1.5 days to 3 days to fully charge the Booster, an hour's worth of sunshine is enough to power 20 or 40 minutes of talk time on a cell phone, which is fine for an emergency according to Sanyo. It depends on the number of panels you have and, of course, sunshine.
The included mesh bag at the back of the panel can hold the Booster, as well as a cell phone or other device.
The Portable Solar panels go on sale August 10 in Japan with no specified price from Sanyo, though Crunchgear says it will cost $90 for the single-panel unit and $150 for the double-panel one.
Panasonic announced Friday it plans to acquire Sanyo Electric in a deal valued at 800 million yen ($8.9 billion), giving the electronics giant a leg up in the rechargeable-battery business.
The deal, which earlier this week reportedly had edged closer to coming together, aims to leverage their operations in light of a weakening economy.
In outlining the deal, the companies stated:
Panasonic and Sanyo recognize that existing strategies must not only be accelerated, but also that drastic action is now required for further strengthening initiatives to achieve potential revenue and profit growth in the global economic recession stemming from the financial crisis as well as in the midst of intensified global competition.
With the deal, Panasonic is aiming to increase its share of the rechargeable-battery business and solar-battery market, as well as strengthen its bottom line through consolidating the businesses.
Sanyo is a dominant player in the rechargeable-battery market with its lithium ion batteries. With the merger, Panasonic expects to gain access to Sanyo's production technology and hopes to invest heavily in batteries for hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles.
Panasonic is also banking on riding on the growing demand for solar batteries, and with the merger expects to expand into the area of solar photovoltaic cells and batteries.
Under the deal, Panasonic will pay 131 yen for every share of Sanyo's common stock.
Sanyo's shares closed at 136 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, down 3.5 percent from the previous day's close.
Sanyo and Volkswagen announced an agreement on Wednesday to make lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicles, turning up the competition in the field for energy-efficient cars.
Sanyo intends to open a factory to make the batteries in 2010 and Volkswagen plans to introduce a car with them the same year, according to a Bloomberg report. The first car to get the batteries will be an Audi AG, Reuters reported.
The pact also calls for the two companies to make software to electronically control the batteries.
Sanyo already provides nickel metal hydride batteries for Ford and Honda.
Lithium-ion batteries are growing in favor with carmakers. The Tesla Roadster uses lithium-ion batteries, as will the Chevy Volt when it is released in two years.
The Sanyo factory will have the capacity to supply batteries to power between 1.7 million and 1.8 million hybrid vehicles a year, the company told Bloomberg.
A hybrid electric vehicle runs on a battery and a conventional gasoline engine. The batteries are charged by the engine and regenerated power from braking.
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