Solio Magnesium Lets the Sunshine In

Solio's new Magnesium edition solar charger lets users convert an hour of sunlight into 25 minutes of cell phone talk time or 50 minutes of music.

The UK’s Better Energy Systems has announced the availability of its newest hybrid solar charger, the Solio Magnesium Edition. The new model features a magnesium shell and an integrated lithium ion battery that can store power for up to one year. But neither of those are the Solio’s signature feature: the unit can convert an hour of direct sunlight into as much as 25 minutes of cell phone talk time or 50 minutes of music playback on a typical MP3 player. And the new model has a maximum output of 8 watts, more than three times higher than previous models.

“Better Energy Systems is the leader in the eco-mobility market,” said company CEO and Founder, Christopher Hornor. “To maintain that position it was necessary to advance our technology while remaining true to our core beliefs. This resulted in our most powerful, and efficient model yet – the Magnesium Edition, which is also carbon neutral. “

The Solio units work by using fan-fold solar panels to charge the internal lithium ion battery. (The units can also be charged from a wall socket—but that’s not very green now, is it?) Users can then use the stored power to charge up their mobile devices like cell phones, portable media players, digial cameras, game devices, GPS units, and more. The unit can be adapted to a wide range of devices using iGo adapter tips. The Solios are designed to be rugged and easily transportable, so folks can easily carry them around whether they’re dedicated urbanites or adventure travelers exploring remote (but sunny!) regions.

The Solio Magnesium Edition carries a suggested retail price of $199, although retailers like REI are offering it for about $170.